How PR Companies Should Pitch a Blogger

Is there a correct way to pitch a mommy blogger? Click here to find out and get tips.

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Oct 4, 2012

Why Should You Tweet if You Don't Have Many Followers?




This was also posted on my business blog but I thought it may be helpful to some mom bloggers just starting up as well.  That's why I posted it here for mom bloggers to read as well. :)

Social Media is a new term to some businesses and bloggers who have not fully grasped the incredible potential of networking through Twitter, Facebook, etc...  Due to the fact that it's unfamiliar to some companies, they may not feel comfortable using the networks since they may have little or no followers.  However everyone has to start somewhere, even if it's at the bottom.  While it may feel uncomfortable tweeting or posting to a small (or no) audience, it's extremely worthwhile and the best way to grow your brand awareness on these websites.

Remember when you started your business?  Did you have a large client or customer base at that time?  The answer for most of you is probably, "No."  Every business has to start from the bottom whether it is creating and starting your business from the bottom or trying a new media strategy.  Just because you have no followers when you start doesn't mean that you can't grow that base.  Social Media is actually one of the best ways to promote your business for free.  (I know that grabbed your attention!)
The two main reasons to create and use Social Media accounts would be:
  • To raise your follower/fan count.
  • To promote your blog or business to raise brand awareness.
Participation is key in networking and creating important connections.  Once you start your Twitter account, go ahead and do a search of an important keyword relating to your business.  Once you do that search you will see a number of tweets from others that contain the keyword you searched for.  Take a look through their tweets and see if any would relate to your business.  Do you have a solution to a question they are asking?  Do you have an idea that may assist them?  Are they a business that is similar to yours or an individual interested in the subject matter of your business?  Go ahead and follow them.  It would also be beneficial to reply to their tweet with a general comment about what they have to say or answering their question with your expertise.  When they see you followed them or replied to them, they will in turn follow you and most likely reply to what you had to say.  There, you had your first "twitter-sation." (My own word, thank you very much!)
Tip:  When you tweet others or reply to their tweets, provide value in what you have to say.  Throw something in there that will make them want to click on your Twitter profile and read about you. (And your business.)
Others will begin to find you from their searches and from re-tweets from other Twitter users.  That is why it is important to tweet (periodically) about your business or plug your latest blog post; when someone finds it interesting they will re-tweet you for others to see.  While it's important to plug your latest blog post or your business, do not do it regularly.  If you make too many posts advertising your business, your followers will think that you are tweeting solely to get them to see your page.  That may be the case, but you have to build a relationship with your followers first.  Let them see there is a person behind the Twitter name and let them get to know you and your business through tweets, re-tweets and replies.  You will want to connect with them on a more personal level and try to relate to them in some way, shape or form.  Remember, interaction is key in tweeting.

Tweeting very regularly will help to build up your "twitter personality", brand and credibility.  Especially if you engage your followers by commenting or asking an open ended question and if you post interesting information that may be beneficial to them.  If you do not have the time to tweet regularly it may be useful for you to use a program that will schedule your tweets. (My favorite program for this is Tweet Deck.)  You can also delegate Social Media tasks and tweets to a Virtual Assistant/Social Media Coordinator.  They will be able to take that uncomfortable task of starting a Twitter out of your hands and take care of that for you with their expertise.

Remember -- you should not tweet just for followers.  Tweet for yourself and your business, the followers will come to you.  Even though this all seems so cliche, it is all about the quality of your followers and the engagement between both parties.  It is not about the quantity of followers you have.

Oct 3, 2012

Guess what I did today?


Let's be honest here -- I have the iPhone 4 and got it for Christmas two years ago.  It's old, it's "outdated" according to Apple and Technology standards and my phone is frankly a piece of shit.  There are times I feel like my phone is nothing more than a paper weight and there are times I'm absolutely in love with my phone.  We have a very very strange love/hate relationship. As much as I love my iPhone 4 (and the 20 cases I have for it.  I'm not kidding.) I can't go on the way this relationship is going.  I told my phone earlier that I had to break up with it and used the familiar line, "It's not you, it's me."  

I ordered the iPhone 5.  I know, I know, I always say that I won't order a new Apple product until I'm sure the glitches are worked out of it but the damn thing kept calling my name.  I think it's fate that we are meant to be together.  Unfortunately, I have to wait 14-21 days for my new boyfriend to arrive, but I know we will be very happy together. (At least I hope.)  I can't wait to get this thing into my hands to see if it actually works faster on the 4G network and I'm also ecstatic that I got it in white.  I've always wanted a white iPhone but for some reason always went with the more common black color.  I'm being a rebel.

Now, I'm a self-admitted iPhone case addict.  I've never seen an iPhone case that I didn't like and didn't buy.  The pinks and sparkles and pretty pictures (oh my!) always got me and I was never able to resist a shiny new iPhone case.  I'm a little sad that I'm going to have to get all new cases and some of my favorite ones won't work with the new iPhone but I'm sure I will quickly get over that disappointment when I get my new toy into my hands. lol I'll have to sell or give my beloved iPhone 4 cases to someone who will love them like I loved them.  (I sound crazy, don't I?)

Does anyone else have the iPhone 5 yet?

Oct 2, 2012

Can Your Blog Lead to Job Opportunities?

I have heard various chatter and questions about this topic.  Many people are wondering, Can blogging lead to actual job opportunities?  The simple answer to this is "Yes".   Your blog is a very powerful extension of you and can be seen by potential or current employers whether or not you notify them of the fact that you have a blog.  The internet is a very public domain and anyone can find out just about anything they want to know about you; especially employers that you are working with or may work with in the future.  Just a simple search of your name can give them a pretty good picture of who you are outside of work and that can reflect on what happens inside of work.  

There are many people who feel like their privacy is violated by employers reading their blog and those people are usually the ones who have reasons to fear anyone in real life finding their blog or internet presence.  In all honesty, if you don't want your blog or internet presence to reflect badly on you, do not do anything to harbor that fear.  Be careful of what you post.  Do not write about drinking every weekend, do not write negative things about a co-worker or boss, do not write about how much you hate your blog...  All of those things have the potential of reflecting back on you by an employer or potential employer.  Now that we covered what not to do, let's cover everyone's question.  How can blogging lead to job opportunities?

Oct 1, 2012

PR Companies: How to Pitch to a Mom Blogger


Like most mom bloggers, I receive quite a few pitches via e-mail every single week.  As a mom blogger with a day job and two small childrern, I can't respond to every single pitch I receive and I do feel bad about that.  Instead, I respond to the ones that make sense to me, are correctly written and ones that fit in with my blog and demographic.  Correctly written? You may be saying... Yes, correctly written!  You wouldn't believe how many pitches I get that go directly to the trash bin in my e-mail.  These are just generically written e-mails with no real mention of myself or my blog.  So, how do you correctly write a pitch for a mommy blogger?  Take note of these simple tips below.