Last week I did “The Good Side of PR and How It Benefits Your Blog” and now I am doing part two “The Bad Side of PR and How It Benefits Your Blog”. As I mentioned in Part One I have been working with PR Companies Since the beginning of 2015. I have come across many types of PR and learnt a few things along the way. Yes working with PR Firms/Brands is an amazing opportunity for us bloggers and us as individuals but there are downsides to everything.
Rudeness
This is one that annoys me so much. I love getting PR emails but not when they address me with the wrong name, it clearly states on my blog, blog name and social media accounts that my name is Emmy or Emma not Emily or sometimes I even get something completely different. The other one that annoys me is when they address you by your blog name which clearly shows they haven’t even looked into your blog or who you are. It is polite to me to address me properly if you are wanting to work with me. PR/Brands want us to be professional so they should show the same back.
I recently received one email from a PR and I have been in hospital really ill eight weeks ago when I got this email, as I was in hospital I didn’t reply. I have then since got another five emails from this PR! I have never even spoken to them! I ended up replying saying I have been seriously ill in hospital and not had time for blog emails. All I got back was “Please contact us if you would like to work with us”.. no sorry bye!
They Don’t Care About Your Blog
I have worked with many PR’s who take the time and show they have read my blog and take an interest in who I am as a person but you will get some PR/Brands where they don’t care about your blog or you they just want to get the product in question out there. You will get blunt emails with no feeling or thought. I love PR/Brands to be formal but also be willing to have a chat and get to know us.
Pressure
Sometimes I look at my PR work I have and think oh it is quiet at the moment then all of a sudden I get 5 or 6 in a row. This is amazing and I love to do it but it can add pressure on. When I agree to do pr work I always advise my timescales. I usually say two weeks for your average product or if it is a skincare product I test them out for three-four weeks so I can ensure I can do a full review. It can be hard to fit PR work in sometimes I post an extra post that week. You have to learn to not add un-needed pressure onto yourself and agree to timescales that suit you.
Saying No
Just because you get a PR email doesn’t mean you have to say yes. I get many emails offering me a budget for a fashion post… You can clearly see my blog has zero fashion on it. I mainly blog about Beauty and sometimes Baking posts. You have to know when to say no, if you keep saying yes to things that don’t relate to your blog it will show to your readers and put people off your blog.
Expecting Too Much
I always make sure before I receive a product or budget I say my terms in my first or second email. I make sure I lay out timescales and what I can and won’t do. When I first started working with PR/Brands I had one company who agreed the post etc and then kept asking for more and more and more. I am not a monkey for you to do what you want with at no extra costs, fees, or do it for nothing as some expect. Setting out guidelines in the beginning of emails is a must for me.
If you missed my Good Side of PR and How It Benefit’s Your Blog you can catch up HERE.