THE GUEST SPOT: Why Working With Brands is Like Dating

I hope you all enjoyed last weeks Guest Spot, and have all popped on over to read more posts. Onto this weeks, and its a post by someone you should know by now, and a Guest at Family Panel, Emma from the blog Mellow Mummy. Emma is a Mum of one, a tech genius, edits Parent Wheels (a Top Gear for parents!) and is a comper extraordinaire, so if you don't already read her blog, make sure to bookmark it for a mix of reviews, parenting and prizes.


The post is called "Why Working With Brands is Like Dating".

For a little while now I've felt that, as a blogger, working with brands is a little like a string of awkward teenage dates.

Me: 16, Frequent pub-goer

You: 17, Pub-quiz team-member, college drop-out

The Date: The one where we ate Hobnobs (not even the chocolate ones) in silence in a rusty Mini Metro, staring out to sea on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Hayling Island

The PR Lesson: If we have nothing in common, this relationship will go nowhere. I have nothing to offer you, you have nothing to offer me. Let's just call it a day.

Me: 17, Between relationships

You: 17, Cute, not as experienced as you're willing to admit

The Date: The one where we fumbled about in the dark a bit and I went home feeling sorry for you

The PR Lesson: Don't be afraid to admit if you've never worked with bloggers before. I'm always willing to share my tips and advice if you ask me nicely! I'd much rather you were honest and took things slowly than embarrassed yourself and put me off for life.

Me: 18, University fresher, drunk most of the time

You: 45, Local entrepreneur, bald

The Date: The one where you gave me flowers, picked me up in your fast car, made me feel grown-up, took me out for dinner and then I declined ‘coffee’ at yours... I never called you back.

The PR Lesson: Yes, you may have something impressive to show off. Yes you may have lots of money with which to buy me lovely goodies but I'm not going to jump into bed with you just because of your bling. Our relationship needs to be about more than the freebies. For starters, I have to like you and what you have to offer. Without this, you're just wasting your money – I'm not going to pimp you, or your product if it isn't relevant to my readers.

I can think of a million other too-close-to-the-truth examples; The one where I really wasn't trendy enough for you. The one where your language was too saucy even for me. The one where you asked me to go behind other people's backs. The one where you went behind my back. The one where you actually bored me to sleep (but I woke up before you noticed). The one where I thought I really liked you but it turns out you're an arse.

But they're not all bad (the PR's OR the teenage boyfriends). Take the PR who asks you exactly how you want to be wined and dined. The PR who reads your blog regularly and knows what topics you blogged about yesterday, last week or even several months ago. The PR who you could chat with for hours on the phone. The PR who really understands why you blog and what's in it for you. The PR who tells you what's in it for them. The PR who doesn't need you or want you to blog about a specific event or product but just sends you a small gift to cheer you up when you are feeling down. These are the brand representatives you want to get to know better. So give them your number and hope that they call you... it may be a match made in heaven.

Me: 23, In a full-time relationship

You: 22 , Single, shy but scrumptious

The Date: Road Trip to Niagara Falls – you told me I had a nice smile and beautiful big eyes

The PR Lesson: Gentle flattery and a positive attitude gets you a very long way.

I married him.

Thanks to Emma for a great insightful piece- and lets hope brands take notice!

If you have a post you'd like to submit, then feel free to email with the post or a link. We have no spots for the next 3 weeks, but are always looking for submissions. 

 Picture: 

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Going Cyber, A Swift Gurgle and PVC Policemen of Dean Street

You may have heard that there was a, oh how shall I describe it, low key meet up for us Mummy (and one Daddy, hi Tim!) Bloggers yesterday. Was so tiny that you probably didn't get to hear.

Oh, who am I kidding?

It was MASSIVE! We even made the FT yesterday. Which is quite fitting as its printed on Pink paper!

Can I start by saying a huge and well deserved thanks to Jen and Sian, and to poor Sian's now scarred for life son for yesterdays amazing event.

I couldn't run that sized event if my life depended on it, so well done you!

I learnt loads yesterday, which I have to admit surprised me, as when I looked at the agenda I thought I knew it all already, so went with a view to a shindig! 

But nope, I learnt about the importance of Meta and URL tagging, which I'd never heard of before. That's a lie, actually I'd heard the term Meta Tag, but thought it was a Facebook app to cartoon your picture in some way and then to tag it to mates. Oops

I learnt, finally, what the hell Google Analytics is, and that its actually not as scary as I thought.

I also learnt that Publishers are quite tight these days (but aren't we all?) so you can actually self publish your rants and writing quite cheaply. God help Waterstones if I get round to it! 

I also learnt what a great bunch of Mummy's we all are, all with individual humours, likes and dislikes. That we all write blogs differently and for different reasons. And that blogs which I read when first posted and cried at are nothing compared to when read by their author in a packed room of hormonal women. Tissues for 20somethingmum, please! (I'm blaming you Sandy and Jen).

I love my blog, I love your blogs, and I am so pleased that I met some of you whose blogs I was yet to discover. Will be popping along soon!

It was also lovely to meet some of my Family Panel girls, you are all amazing.

Vic, you are as funny offline as on, hope poor Little A (and Yuri who looked rather scared) wasn't to affected by us mad women!

Emily- get blogging, I miss you xxx

Emma- sorry you get dragged through London in the evening, how mad was that cabbie? Oh and I was right, Elder funnily enough wants to go to Selfridges.....

Pippa, you're nuts. End of.

And to everyone else, big snogs.

Oh and the Gurgles?

Well, we got lost. Now either Police Officers in London have questionable taste in uniform (I'm talking Bums and PVC. I will have nightmares til the day I die), or we ended up in the middle of Gay Pride in Dean Street. We wanted to ask directions, but are now wondering if the Policeman we asked was actually a Policeman at all.

But, I suppose you want to know whether I won?

Yes! SQUEALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!

I actually didn't think I had, even upto the moment they had the card and explained why they had chosen me.

But thanks, as if my blog wasn't frequented by such a diverse, lovely, happy to comment bunch as you, they would never have heard of me, so thanks. This ones for all of you.

SEE YOU ALL SOON! XXX