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.
Do you love dogs? If you do and you are looking for ways to earn extra income, you may be interested in working as a Rover Sitter with Rover. Rover is a website-based service that helps dog owners find professional sitters who will care for their pet at home while they’re away. Whether you want to be a full-time dog sitter or just want to dog sit when you have free time, Rover makes it easy to earn money doing something fun. Join their community of over 25,000 Rover sitters today!
Main Benefits of Becoming a Rover Sitter:
How does it work?
You can follow Rover on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If this interests you, you can fill out the application on their site. Let me know if you are a Rover Sitter or plan to apply to be one.
It’s your time to thrive — and these stories show you how! In Chicken Soup for the Soul:Time to Thrive you’ll learn how to take charge of your life, make time for what’s important, and do what’s right for you! These stories, from regular people who have taken control of their lives, show you how to do it yourself. Find new purpose, try new things, and take care of yourself, all while improving your relationships with family, friends, and co-workers.
• Making your own needs important again
• Carving out time for work–life balance
• Thriving on your own path
• Reinventing yourself
• Embracing adventure
• Pursuing your dreams
• Making time for relationships
• Taking time for your passions
• Learning how to say no
• Learning how to say yes to the things that will make you thrive!
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Three lucky blog readers will win their own copy of Time to Thrive. Thank you Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing for the review book and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Time to Thrive Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!
Here are just some of the benefits of these Chalk Markers:
* 8 Bright, Eye Catching Colors
* Long lasting, quick drying ink
* Clean-up is quick and easy. Simply wipe off with water and a cloth.
* It’s dust free making it a prime choice for those with asthma or allergies
* Non-Toxic, xylene-free, odor-free
Plus, FUN CHALK’s Chalk Markers are environmentally friendly and conform to all the requirements set forth by the American Society for Testing and Materials and the European Standard for Toy Safety Testing.
FUN CHALK has been tested and APPROVED by moms, kids and teachers. It’s time to let your imagination and creativity take flight. BUY our Chalk Markers now and receive FREE SHIPPING! Just click add to cart. Your purchase will be backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.
IMPORTANT: All liquid chalk is meant to be used on non-porous materials. We recommend that you test FUN CHALK on a sample or inconspicuous spot on the material you are going to use.
I recently test drove the 8 piece broad liquid chalk markers. There is a little trick to get them started. First you push down on the tip to release any pressure, then you shake it vigorously and then depress the tip while holding it on a piece of paper until you see the color filling the tip and it flows. After that, it is time for fun!
I used them on my black dry erase board and they worked great! The eye-popping, vibrant colors made leaving messages or drawing pictures really fun! You can use the markers on non-porous blackboards, mirrors, windows and plastic. Use them at your next business meeting, on your family message board, to decorate windows or whatever. The easy, wet cloth erase will make cleanup a snap. There’s also a set of 8 fine tip fluorescent colors available. You can purchase the high-quality chalk markers on Amazon.
Fun Chalk is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win a 8 pack of broad Fun Chalk, Liquid Chalk Markers.. Thank you to Fun Chalk for the review chalk markers and for sponsoring this vibrant giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Fun Chalk, Liquid Chalk Markers Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
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When lunch time arrives you can open your Perfect Sandwich and create a fresh sandwich from the separated ingredients. The PerfecCHILL Technology keeps your sandwich ingredients within the USDA guidelines for perishable foods of under 40 degrees F for over 5 hours at room temperature and under room temperature for a full 8 hours.
No need for plastic sandwich bags, foils or plastic wraps which are wasteful and bad for our environment not to mention costly. The BPA free, Perfect Sandwich container is dishwasher safe and durable so it will last for years! You can also use it for more than sandwiches adding to the versatility and expanding lunch options. You can visit No More Soggy Sandwich on Facebook
Enter to win a Perfect Sandwich below! Good Luck!!!
We have officially entered the winter season. If you are looking for a sharp looking, practical boot that will give you good traction no matter what winter dishes out, I have a recommendation. I recently browsed Lugz great selection of boots and decided to try the Lugz, Women’s Shifter work boot in black. Now, as a woman with size 11 feet, I was worried they would be huge and make my feet look tremendous. I was wrong, in fact they make my feet look smaller. The boots looked so small I thought they would be too small but they were not and provided lots of room for my feet.
The boots are sturdy and very high quality that will stand up to any amount of hard work or just a day out running errands. The cushioned insoles keep my feet comfy and the sole provides lots of gripping traction to keep me on my feet and not slip sliding away on snowy or icy terrain. As long time Lugz lovers, our family knows their shoes and boots stand up to lots of wear and keep looking good. If you are looking for durable, good-looking footwear for your entire family, check out Lugz!
Right Now if you buy one pair of Lugz, you will get 50% Off another pair when you use the code BOGODEC but hurry this great offer ends December 30th!!! See the site for full details on this amazing offer.
The Women’s Shifter work boot provides a classic cool style and the comfort to last day and night.
Lugz is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win a pair of Women’s Shifter Boots! Thank you Lugz for the review boots and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Lugz, Women’s Shifter Work Boot Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!
Do you ever feel like you have so much on your plate you can never catch up? I feel like that most days. I always look around and feel that I just have so much going on. With a house in chaos because no less than 5 major home improvement projects are happening, a very busy career as a marketing director, busy blogger and writer, brand ambassador, and handling a few businesses that my husband and I have, added to the fact that we have 5 kids and a big house (ever see the movie The Money Pit?), where there is always something to be done, I can feel like things are swirling out of control. I am blessed to be able to work from home but I still work and work a lot! I make time to play but probably not as much as I should.
When I was picking out books to review from Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, I chose The Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide. Do you wonder how I made that decision? I didn’t think so. I love this book because it’s filled with stories with moms like me, some who juggle and wonder how to keep all those balls in the air just like I do. I have found that it’s okay to give yourself permission to say, “I am done for the day” and leave whatever for tomorrow and if it doesn’t get done then so be it.
I know that I need to prioritize what really needs to be done, my family needs, my needs, jobs that have deadlines are all first. Then the things we want to get done can come next, but if I don’t get something done, I’m going to stop beating myself up for it. The opposite is true to that too. I read in one story in the book, we are told over and over the importance of playing with our kids, that messy houses are signs of great moms, but our kids need to see that we do have to work. Whether it’s for a job or doing the laundry, we teach them important things by showing them we have responsibilities that need attention too. That really allows moms to release some of that mommy guilt we all carry in one or two large suitcases with us. Let’s unpack some of that today!
Stories that show the importance of a mom taking me time strike a very strong chord with me. Often times I want to put my needs last but really, when I do the things for me I need to do or just spend some down time doing something I enjoy, it really helps my mood, spirit and productivity. It’s just recognizing that if we don’t take care of our needs we can’t do a good job taking care of anything else and risk becoming resentful.
Stories about slowing down, learning from our kids, juggling a career and laughing after the fact among others will show you how other moms are surviving their multitasking years. Read some great tips, funny disaster stories, and fill your mind with great ideas for your own life. Best of all, you will know you are in good company and not alone. You can purchase the book on Amazon.com.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! 3 lucky blog readers will win their own copy of The Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide! Thank you to CSFTS Publishing for the review book and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.
Chicken Soup for the Soul; The Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!
This tote is great to pack a childs lunch in school. They can have a hot healthy lunch from home that will be nice and warm hours later. This allows us to make healthy food that our kids will eat. The tote comes with 1 reusable turbo heat pack that lasts for 5 hours hot and 8-10 hours cold. The heat pack is heated in the microwave or cooled in the freezer.
Take a look at their website-www.warmandtote.com- to see the variety of great products they carry like:
The Pre-School Bundle
The Husky Lunch & Go
Warm & Tote is providing a coupon code for any order my blog readers place-Use 20% Coupon Code “MommyRamblings”
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