Marketing to Moms: The Good PR Firms Get the Link Love Here! (So leave your link love for crying out loud!)
February 1, 2009
When I first wrote this post praising Weber Shandwick Dallas for their amazing social media and PR departments, my only reason behind it was to show that there are some great relationships between mom bloggers and PR people. I was a bit surprised by the number of emails and tweets etc that I got in response. Some of you wanted to tell me all about the wonderful PR companies you have worked with. A few wanted to share horror stories. One person called me a sell out for “giving it away for free” just because someone asked me to share my thoughts with them. (Dude, didn’t you read the post. I got a freakin’ donut!)
I am not going to say I don’t like to get free things and tell you all about it. (I will tell you right up front I have a not so flattering nickname when it comes to my adoration of getting products to review.) I am not saying I don’t want to be invited on blogger trips. (For the record, I have never gone on one.) I think those things are fabulous and a great marketing tool! I mean, come on, let’s be real about it. It works. But I didn’t write it to get on some “good list” that must be floating around out there. (Is it? Am I on it? Ha!) I wrote it because I figured something out.
Marketing to Moms can be done and done well when both parties respect each other.
Both sides.
I have spent hours talking to some of the people I have worked with about what they need from mom bloggers and what they are trying to achieve with some of their promotions. That was the key for me. Now? When I am asked to promote, review, or sample a product or service one of my first questions is “What does your client want to know?” Do they want to know if I like their product? If I would use their product? If I would recommend the product but have no use for it myself? If the product is total crap and they need to rework everything? Do they really want the truth? Yes, there are some out there that just want a mention. Some–most– truly want to know what you thought about the product–good or bad. And some are just trying to get the word out and don’t care what you do with it. (Not that I have found many sincere ones that fall into that category.)
But in all seriousness, I loved reading about the relationships that mom bloggers have been able to form with some PR reps. It is way more refreshing than reading about the horror stories. Liz of This Full House (and my own blogging idol) wrote a post about my post about her post. (Did you get that?)
I thought that I would follow in her footsteps and write a post like that as well.
Then I thought I would do something a bit different. (So she won’t accuse me of stalking and stuff.)
I want to hear about the PR companies that YOU enjoy working with. Do me a favor? I want you to do two things.
First, the next time you hear from them, thank them. Tell them you appreciate what they do. Can you imagine how rarely they hear the words “Thank you” or “I appreciate you” or just “You’re doing a great job!”? Tell them.
Then, leave in the comments a PR firm you enjoy working with (and why) so that they can get the kudos they deserve.
At the end of the week, I will do one huge round-up of all of the PR firms getting praise and linking back to the blogger who praised them. Let’s show the good ones some love. (Maybe it will help those who don’t get it to step up.)
Ready?
Set?
Praise!
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Well done, Jenn!
February 2nd, 2009 at 3:49 pmGosh, I love my friends at lots of places: MS& L, Weber Shandwick, Golin Harris, Edelman, Rocket XL, Fleishman-Hillard.
I know there’s more, these are just some from the top of my head.
Like you said, it’s a two way relationship and I have to do my part as well.
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:57 pmAt what point in the blogging should one expect to be working with PR firms? I’ve just started and I dream of the day I can use blogging as a basis for having intelligent grown-up, I mean adult, conversations - with professionals would be a bonus!!! And donuts!!! I hadn’t even dreamed of the donuts. Please give me the ply by play on this process. Thanks!
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:25 pmI gotta say…I love Nancy Martira at Ketchum and Vickie Cullen at R & J PR. They are both really generous, really fun, and totally get the blogging community. Yay for Nancy and Vickie!
February 2nd, 2009 at 8:21 pmI had a really great experience at Campbell’s with Weber Shandwick (Chicago) - Caroline Guth and Sarah Mages really went out of their way, especially with all of the weather issues we had while traveling.
I’ve also enjoyed working with PR reps from MS&L (Nicole Burguess), Ketchum (Stephanie Miller and Nancy Martira), Edelman (Bridget O’Malley), and Rocket XL (Mele Marchesseault) that I can think off offhand. I know there’ve been others too.
February 5th, 2009 at 7:14 amI have only just started to work with PR people but I have to say that Nancy Martira from Ketchum impressed me on the panel, and at the GNO party at Blissdom this weekend. She simply seems like someone I would trust and enjoy working with. I appreciate the fact that she took the time to actually get to know some of the bloggers.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:48 pmI have to give high praise to all the people at the Chicago Golin Harris office. They do their homework before contacting bloggers and kept the dialogue going even when they are not working on a promotion. I’ve even had them call up to get together when they are in the area even though we were not “working” on a promo at the time. Truly classy people!!
February 10th, 2009 at 1:18 amNew reader here!! Love the entry!
February 10th, 2009 at 9:57 amNew reader as well, I really enjoy your blog. I hope you don’t mind but I tagged you in one of my blog posts!
February 10th, 2009 at 7:48 pmI have a great relationship with Nichole Hurley at MS&L. She’s very professional and friendly and works with Canadians, which is great!
February 11th, 2009 at 1:45 pmSorry I’m just seeing this. Someone who REALLY gets it is David Wescott at APCO Worldwide. Sometimes there are products involved, but many times it’s information and hooking us up with people who will help us write stories and blog entries on things that are important to us (not that getting free stuff isn’t nice once in a while!). He blogs at It’s Not a Lecture. http://itsnotalecture.blogspot.com/
February 17th, 2009 at 9:47 amAlondra…
an interesting take on a interesting subject….
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