Archive for July, 2009
Sponsoring Bloggers: Part One
Posted by: | CommentsI began this post and decided it was going to need a second part…and maybe a third…stay tuned.
Every time a conference rolls around we the hustle and bustle of finding sponsor starts shooting through blogger land. People talk of companies they will contact and PR people they will work to find someone to help them get to conferences. I think sponsoring can be a great way to promote your company…sometimes.
When you are sponsoring a blogger you are putting your brand in their hands. Anything that is said and/or done at that conference has your brand written all over it. When you hire a new employee you do background checks and call references. Many times contracts are signed and rules are set. Things have to be outlined very well because that new employee is representing your brand. Still, how many companies blindly spend money letting a blogger represent them without really knowing who this blogger is and what they are about?
I would assume most companies would know this but I feel the need to lay out some ground rules. When sponsoring a blogger:
- Read their blog: Not just the first post on the page but dig deep down in there. Look for the juicy posts or the hidden posts. Look at what they have written and how they respond to their readers.
- Interview them: If this person is going to be at a conference with booze and friends and loud music you really should know who you are sending out there to represent you. If you are a small company the only interaction bloggers may have with you are the people you have sponsored to a conference.
- Set guidelines: Make it clear to the bloggers you are sponsoring what you would like from them. The way in which they should approach people. The way in which they should represent your company.
There are some amazing bloggers out there and some really good writers. Many people who are looking for sponsorship not only need it but deserve it. So pay attention to who you are sending out their with your brand in their hands.
Look for part two: what sponsorship can do for your business…
The BlogHer Post I Have Been Avoiding
Posted by: | CommentsI went to Blogher.
I have been avoiding this post because it is hard for me to know what to say. What do I include? What can I leave out? I would like to put every juicy detail in here. Really though, there arn’t that many juicy details. I went to BlogHer for the people and for the sessions. I met some really amazing people and learned more from the networks I built than any panel could teach me.
Sometimes I feel out of place in the blogging world. Honestly, I don’t blog about anything inparticular. I don’t blog for traffic if I did I would be the most disapointed woman in the world. I don’t blog for money have we all discovered that idea is a joke? yeah…I thought so. I am not a writer. As you see here. So why do I blog? What is the point?
I Blog As A Career Platform
Do you know the opportunities that have been placed in front of me because I am a blogger? Do you know how many companies are still really confused about social media? Do you know how much I crave conversation about marketing and using new media to build a strong business model? Yes, I know I am a very sick person.
I Blog to Get It All Out On Paper
Since I was a child I swore I would write a book one day. Even as a child I would ponder how I would start my book. What I would talk about and how I would get the words on paper. I stumble when I write. I go through and delelte and twirk. Before I hit publish I cringe wondering if I just threw more crap into the world. My mind is constantly working and sometimes I need to just write it down. I need throw my random thoughts into the world thank you twitter. I need to tell a story or get it down on “paper.” So I blog.
I Blog for the People
Do you know the friendships I have harvested through blogging? The people that I have met and the opportunities that have presented themselves? Amazing things are happening and the game is always changing.
That is why I blog.
See what I mean about amazing people? Two of the most inspiring women I know: Liz Strauss and Allison Worthington.
