As a professional blogger, social media influencer and digital marketing strategist for almost 10 years, there is something that really gets under my skin. I rarely see it myself, because I nipped it in the bud many years ago. However, blogging forums are peppered with posts from new bloggers sharing how they received an email from a PR rep asking them to promote a service or app without any mention of compensation. Even over the internet, I can see the quivering lip of the new blogger, as they meekly ask, if this is okay. Some will try to justify it by saying they really have no right to ask for compensation, because their blog is brand new.
It isn’t just bloggers, who are routinely asked to “donate” their services. Photographers, Magicians, Vocalists, Graphic Artists and DJ’s are often asked by friends to provide their services for free. These well meaning friends will even go so far as to tell them it will be great experience, they will make new contacts and build their portfolio. The way they spin it, they should be so grateful to provide their services for nothing. When people get something for free, they don’t put much value in it. By accepting the gig, they are putting a nail in the coffin of their career. The bottom line is, if they want to be treated like a professional, they need to start acting like one!
Even the newest blogger needs to quit acting like their work has no value, and their time is not precious. This is easier said than done because many newbies have a hard time standing their ground. They may even try to justify taking the job for free, telling themselves it is a portfolio builder.
I tell new bloggers they are going to need a strong backbone. Next , they need to respond to the email with confidence. Their response should let the PR rep know that they think the app or service sounds like it would be a great fit for their blog audience and social media followers. Further more, they need to explain they are skilled at creating buzz worthy content that will drive targeted traffic to the brand’s website and social media accounts. Lastly, they need to ask what the compensation is for promoting this content on their blog and social media channels, I guarantee Gloria from XYZ Media is getting paid to find the bloggers and social media influencers to promote this, so why shouldn’t they?
I also prep them about how to respond if they receive a reply from Gloria stating the client has a very small budget and while they are not able to provide compensation for this campaign, they have many other clients and may contact them in the future for paid promotions.
Now, they say that for a reason, they want the new blogger to think, if they throw this away, they will never hear from this agency with any other opportunities. It usually works like a charm, and the rep gets free promotion that they then charge their client for. To make it worse, the blogger goes on the agency’s “Will Blog For Free” List. Their name will never make it to big budget clients, because by accepting the free gig, it showed the rep they are not a professional blogger.
The bottom line is, if you want to be taken seriously, you need to respond confidently, that you can definitely create buzz worthy content to promote the product or service, but you don’t work for free. Go even further, turn the tables and ask them if they work for free? Don’t be afraid, let them know, you are well aware they are not a volunteer at XYZ Media.
I’m not saying you should never volunteer for worthwhile things, but make sure you are not being taken advantage of. The perception some have of bloggers, is that what we do is so easy, or of such little value, we should be glad to have some content to post. They want us to think, they are really doing us a favor.
It is the exact opposite, bloggers are powerful influencers brands can plug-in with to have their product or service promoted to the blog’s audience which likely is their target market. Bloggers have the power to create and amplify stories, experiences, services, images and ideas through their posts as well as ingniting a social media fire storm of tweets, pins, posts, likes and shares on every major social media channel.
Start valuing your work! The next time you get an email from any rep or agency trying to make you feel special because they picked you to promote their client for free, just ask what the blogger compensation is. Go on, you can do it. Be proud of your work. When you feel the butterflies, just ask yourself if the client they are pitching you about is paying them for their services. You know the answer is yes, so why would you let them take advantage of you?
Have you ever dealt with someone asking you to do your craft for free like they were doing you a favor? How did you respond? Please share your stories, I would love to hear them.
School is coming to an end and many will be starting Kindergarten in the fall or preschool. If you are looking for an educational app to keep the kids entertained during the summer as well as teach them fundamental skills, your search is over! Kid Academy Apps for children have 2 great apps for learning and fun.
This free app is perfect for little ones learning simple math skills, There is a game where they will give them a problem and then the child helps a dog find which number in a maze is the trigh answer by dragging his bone to that numer. They can connect the dots in the right number order to form objects and number tracing. There are in app purchases to expand this app and unlock additional features like subtraction math facts.
This free app is a great way to teach little ones in preschool and kindergarten fundamental skills. With the use of a firefly incentive, when the child traces the number correctly the fireflies go into a jar and then it goes to the next number. There is lots of other tracing games too and some need to be purchase to work. With the free version you only get so many numbers and then you can buy the app to get the rest of the features with the in app purchases.
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Recently, I found out about a site that does just that for you. MBIntel is a site you can go to and begin a free home risk analysis. It only takes about 15 minutes to answer the questions about home safety and security as well as emergency preparedness. When you are finished you will be given the results and shown the areas that need improvement if applicable. I went to their website today and answered the questions to get my home risk analysis. Overall I did well, but there are some issues we need to address to really be in top-notch shape. I plan to go over this with my husband and get the things we need in place to ensure our home is as safe as can be. You can upgrade to a paid version that gives you more detailed reporting of any issues so that you can see clearly what you need to do to fix them. I upgraded to a paid version and was able to print out a full report so that I could share that with my husband and we can make the changes we need to. If you are looking to see how secure, safe and ready you are for a disaster, check out MBIntel and get your free home analysis. If you do please let me know your results and what you thought in the comments.
The image below is a sample of how the overall results are shown.
The chart below outlines the differences in the free and paid version.
You can follow MBIntel on Facebook and Twitter!
This post was created in partnership with Mom Buzz Media. As always all my words and opinions are 100% my own.
This app has added a new feature. Classic children’s fairytale titles are now available like The Princess and the Pea, Puss and Boots and more. Now with the free version you get just a snippet of the books and then you can purchase a pass for all of them or for an individual book. The books are beautifully illustrated and they app brings the stories to life in an engaging way that kids just love to see and they can also follow along with the text. This is such a fun App and kids love hearing and singing along with the familiar BINGO song. Kids can clap and sing along as they watch the letters appear in the cute farm scene with the adorable dog. There is an upgrade of the free version where kids can even record and play a karaoke session or just sing and clap along. There are mini games too that are fun like animal cards and kids can also make up and record their own stories. My little guy loves recording himself and playing it back.
This Alphabet Tracing and Math Puzzle Educational App is wonderful for teaching kids how to form letters and it is easy for them to trace the letters with their fingers. A very hands on app that will encourage them to form letters the right way and get them writing. Perfect for preschool and kindergarten age kids. Children can trace upper case letters of the alphabet with in purchase apps for expanded tracing. There are also fun mazes and rhyming games for kids and a purchase for an all access pass will give your child access to loads of great learning games.
Based on the Montessori learning method your child will develop and practice spelling, reading and writing skills while playing engaging games. Kids will practice writing their letters and their handwriting skills too! Kids love tracing dotted lines to learn how to form letters. The can form lower or upper case letters. There are fun mazes where they have to drag the dog’s bone to a word that rhymes with the word that the dog is thinking of as well as simpler mazes where they lead the dog to his prize. It is so cute and my little guy loves it! Kids are rated with 1, 2 or 3 stars for their performance.
They have updated this app and it is easy better it runs better and the graphics are more vibrant making them even more captivating to kids. The same games are there but the bright colors and clear graphics and animation make them even more fun. Great improvements on a stellar app. Kids will practice writing their letters and their handwriting skills with fun games and activities. Kids have a blast tracing dotted lines to learn how to form letters. I like that there are left and right hand modes, 2 levels of difficulty challenges kids.
Kids trace one letter with the dotted lines and then they try one that has no guiding lines right after. Before they are given the letter they hear the letter name and the picture of something that starts with that letter. You can choose to work on Upper or lower case letters. There are other games like the Alphabet and kids have so much interactive fun focused on a specific letter and learning vocabulary words that start with that letter along with fun graphics. Kids can trace numbers too and when they trace the number correctly they fill up a jar with fire flies. It is really fun and my little guy loves it! Kids are rated with 1, 2 or 3 stars for their performance. The free version can be upgraded to unlock more games and features.
Also be sure to visit Kids Academy on social media!
This post was created in partnership with Mom Buzz Media and Kids Academy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Download Splash Math on iTunes!
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Write a short review of any Splash Math app on the iTunes App Store. If you have already reviewed Splash Math app, simply update your review.
Send an email to giveaway@splashmath.com with your iTunes nickname and the app you reviewed.
This post was created in partnership with Mom Buzz Media and StudyPad Inc. All opinions expressed are my own.
Winterland, Inc. was started more than twenty years ago with a passion to create holiday decorations that make a dynamic and awe-inspiring statement. Concept after concept, they dare to be different. How? They’re committed to listening to their clients and working hard to provide solutions that are tailored to their needs. Winterland thinks about Christmas every day of the year. While they’re putting the decorations away in January they are already planning for next Christmas. Their team of designers are constantly looking for the latest trends, while at the same time remembering the classic elegance that many people look for during the holiday season. Whether it’s decorating the tree in the corner of the living room, putting up a 50 foot animated tree in the center of a shopping mall, or creating a fantastic drive through light park experience for your community, Winterland has been there, done that, and is here to make it easy for you.
Their goal is to exceed your expectations for creativity, personal service, value, and delivery. They do it with every single customer because they take the holiday season seriously. Winterland’s flexible and willing to accommodate their customer’s ideas. They are willing to create custom designs for their customers!
LED lights are the most efficient light source available to date and represent the greatest breakthrough in lighting technology since Edison’s invention of the incandescent light bulb. LEDs are rapidly replacing incandescent and fluorescent lighting in a variety of functional applications including traffic lights, vehicle lights, industrial lighting, and emergency exit signs. LEDs are a low-maintenance, energy efficient solution for anyone looking for dynamic lighting displays. They are also versatile and can be used in many creative applications featuring a variety of brilliant colors and decorative styles to choose from. More reasons why LEDgen Lighting LEDs are the better choice for seasonal and decorative lighting:
Get Free Shipping on your order this holiday season at Winterland or LEDgen Lighting Holiday Stores. Use code GUIDE when you checkout! You can find Winterland and LEDgen Lighting on our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.
50 Foot Animated Tree from LedGenLighting on Vimeo.
As parents we want to protect our kids from everything harmful. BanZ is the place to shop when you are looking to protect your baby or child from sun, wind, loud noises and more. Founded in Australia, BanZ has a complete protection collection of sun safety products for children ages 0-12. Sunglasses, hats, hearing protection and swimwear are available in multiples styles and sizes as well as sunscreen, swim goggles and more. Right now you can get a FREE BanZ Slip Case & Sunscreen Sample when you use the coupon code FREE at checkout. You can follow BanZ on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Mommy Ramblings thinks that BanZ is a great choice for holiday gift shopping this year for gifts that really say you care! You can find BanZ on our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide!!!
ABCs Alphabet Phonics & Montessori Learn To Read app -Based on the Montessori learning method your child will develop and practice spelling, reading and writing skills while playing engaging games. Kids will practice writing their letters and their handwriting skills too! Kids love tracing dotted lines to learn how to form letters. The can form lower or upper case letters. There are fun mazes where they have to drag the dog’s bone to a word that rhymes with the word that the dog is thinking of as well as simpler mazes where they lead the dog to his prize. It is so cute and my little guy loves it! Kids are rated with 1, 2 or 3 stars for their performance.
BINGO-This is such a fun App and kids love hearing and singing along with the familiar BINGO song. Kids can clap and sing along as they watch the letters appear in the cute farm scene with the adorable dog. There is an upgrade of the free version where kids can even record and play a karaoke session or just sing and clap along. There are mini games too that are fun like animal cards and kids can also make up and record their own stories. My little guy loves recording himself and playing it back.
Preschool and Kindergarten Learning Games-Kids will practice writing their letters and their handwriting skills with fun games and activities. Kids have a blast tracing dotted lines to learn how to form letters. I like that there are left and right hand modes, 2 levels of difficulty challenges kids. Kids trace one letter with the dotted lines and then they try one that has no guiding lines right after. Before they are given the letter they hear the letter name and the picture of something that starts with that letter. You can choose to work on Upper or lower case letters. There are other games like the Alphabet and kids have so much interactive fun focused on a specific letter and learning vocabulary words that start with that letter along with fun graphics. Kids can trace numbers too and when they trace the number correctly they fill up a jar with fire flies. It is really fun and my little guy loves it! Kids are rated with 1, 2 or 3 stars for their performance. The free version can be upgraded to unlock more games and features.
I hope you give them a try and let me know what you and your child think.
If we’re lucky we will learn at least one new thing a day, every day, until the last day of our life. I can tell you the last few days I have learned quite a few things about sewing. I finally feel like I just may learn to love my sewing machine which has intimidated me for almost 2 years.
Learning new things keeps us sharp and current. If you are wanting to gain some new business knowledge, learn how to build apps, or delve into product design, journalism, photography, storytelling for work, leadership skills, teaching, chemistry, philosophy, math, medicine, coding, Facebook marketing, blogging, content marketing, poetry, technology, design and much more, I have great news! Did you know there are a multitude of classes and courses you can attend online for free?
Free courses from Harvard, MIT, Stanford and other distinguished universities are available for you to take online! I have compiled a list of some of the top resources and hope you find them helpful. So go on and embrace that knowledge, it could change your life but it will definitely enhance your life!
Coursera– an education platform that partners with top universities and organizations worldwide, to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. Coursera envisions a future where everyone has access to a world-class education. They aim to empower people with education that will improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities they live in.
Kahn Academy– Khan Academy is an organization on a mission. They’re a not-for-profit with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere. All of the site’s resources are available to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are a student, teacher, home-schooler, principal, adult returning to the classroom after 20 years, or a friendly alien just trying to get a leg up in earthly biology. Khan Academy’s materials and resources are available to you completely free of charge.
Academic Earth-Academic Earth was launched on the premise that everyone deserves access to a world-class education. In 2009, they built the first collection of free online college courses from the world’s top universities. The world of open education has exploded since then, so today their curated lists of online courses are hand selected by our staff to show you the very best offerings by subject area. They also make sure there is something for everyone: whether you want to explore a new topic or advance in your current field, Academic Earth brings the amazing world of academia to you for free.
Open Culture-Get 1000 free online courses from the world’s leading universities — Stanford, Yale, MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, Oxford and more. You can download these audio & video courses (often from iTunes, YouTube, or university web sites) straight to your computer or mp3 player. Over 30,000 hours of free audio & video lectures, await you now.
NovoEd-NovoEd partners with leading education institutions and corporations to offer collaborative, experiential online courses. Choose the Free courses and search for a great variety of courses.
edX-EdX offers interactive online courses and MOOCs from the world’s best universities, and institutions. Online classes are available from MITx, HarvardX, BerkeleyX, UTx and many others. Topics include biology, business, chemistry, computer science, economics, finance, electronics, engineering, food and nutrition, history, humanities, law, literature, math, medicine, music, philosophy, physics, science, statistics and more. EdX is a nonprofit online initiative created by founding partners Harvard and MIT.
SkilledUp-Our ultimate vision is to transform education as we know it — how it’s delivered, how much it costs, how quickly it helps people get to a career they love.
Open Education Database OEDb-The most comprehensive collection of online college rankings and free courses anywhere online. They welcome learners of all levels to explore their interests and prepare for exciting new careers, build on existing foundations of education and experience, or just satisfy a craving to learn something completely new.
Open Culture-Get 1000 free online courses from the world’s leading universities — Stanford, Yale, MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, Oxford and more. You can download these audio & video courses (often from iTunes, YouTube, or university web sites) straight to your computer or mp3 player. Over 30,000 hours of free audio & video lectures, await you now.