Monday, January 13, 2014

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses....


As a blogger who has worked with various companies to facilitate product reviews and giveaways, I have heard pretty much every excuse in the book as to why I should write a post for a company without actually getting proper compensation for my time. I thought you might like to hear some of my favorites, and the reasons why I refuse to work with companies who use such excuses.


That's right, time is money. I spend a lot of time and effort in writing a past, making sure I take quality photographs, and promoting the post to you lovely readers. On average, it takes me about 6 hours per post between writing, photography and editing, graphic design, layout, and promoting the post. Now, if YOU were to work for 6 hours doing something for someone else, wouldn't you expect something in return?

I thought so.

Way too many companies I have been contacted by have tried to get me to post a giveaway or review of their product, for absolutely nothing. Not a sample of the item or service, not paying me for a sponsored post, nothing. Anytime I get an e-mail like that, it goes right into my "Fuck You" folder. Any company who tries to recruit hard working bloggers to write for free, is pure scum in my book.


Let me just say, that any company who thinks that the chance of getting more hits to your blog, and perhaps even a new follower or two is proper compensation, can suck a big fat dick. I swear to you, some of the PR reps I have gotten e-mails from where on some severe drugs to think that I was going to jump on the chance to maybe get some followers for all the work I put into their post. 

Not only have I had companies who asked me to promote them just for the followers, but also just for the prestige. One place actually told me that by working with them, it would look better to other companies, who would in turn want to work with me. 

YEAH.

Last week, I received this e-mail in response to me giving  my rates for a sponsored giveaway post:
 "We have worked with many bloggers who don't have this type of criteria. Most agree to work with us at our first request, and ask for no payment in return. By working with us, you will get lots of followers in return, and it looks like you could use them, since your blog doesn't have a lot of followers to begin with".
So...you contacted me to run a giveaway for you, but when I respond by asking for payment to do so, you try to guilt trip me into helping you for free, because 'everyone else is doing it'? My mother could probably get me to send her flowers with that kind of thing, but she housed me and pushed me out of her body. All you've managed to do was throw a fit when I didn't like your terms, and tell me that my blog is crap because it doesn't have the kind of following you like. Well, why the fuck did you e-mail me in the first place?


 I made the mistake of working with an overseas clothing company one time, who offered me some cosplay items in return for hosting a giveaway for them. I was thrilled, because cosplay accessories and garments can be expensive, and con season was coming up. Well, I got the post written, I placed in some of my own photographs where I had posed in my various cosplay's (one of which took 2 hours to get into and photo ready), and I promoted the daylights out of it in the various online cosplay communities I'm a part of. I waited for a week to hear back about my compensation. It was only after I had e-mailed then four times, and threatened to take down the post, that I finally received a response. Turns out, that since the post wasn't getting the hits they wanted, they didn't want to supply me with the items they promised....and that's why that post is no longer on this blog.

Sadly, far too many bloggers fall for these extremely lame tactics, and so companies keep using them.

Stop selling yourself and your blog short. Don't work for free unless it's a cause you can really stand behind. Your time is more valuable than you might think.

Love and Lightning Bugs,
  Photobucket

31 comments:

MikiHope said...

I agree totally--I rarely do product reviews and if I am not getting the product (which I will only agree to if I really happen to want or need it). I get lots of those emails also-generally I just do not reply. Book reviews I am getting the book for free which saves me a bundle over the year since I am an avid reader and would be buying books otherwise--Charities are the only ones I will put up without question and without charging a cent (if it is a legit charity!)

Gluten Free for Jen said...

Your response about lack of fans must of been from the same company I had to deal with! I never post with out obtaining the product first for that reason and I am glad I clarified on the terms of the review in my case- they told me it depended on the outcome of the giveaway! Sorry not gonna happen!

Megan said...

I'm still figuring out this whole blog world thing, but I think you hit the nail on the head here. While I don't have companies filling up my inbox with requests to be featured, I will keep this in mind for when (if ever) that does actually happen. Too often, we sell ourselves short (I know I underprice my handmade items ALL the time!).

jesicaj1 said...

I hear you. I need to pay the bills and that means my time is worth something. I very rarely will post for nothing, and if I do it will have to be for a really really good reason!

Masshole Mommy said...

I get those emails all the time. I just hit the delete button and don't give them another second of my time.

Unknown said...

I can NOT believe a PR person would be so insulting to you and your blog. WOW. Make sure I know who that is so I can stay AWAY from them and their mean business. @dapperhouse

Unknown said...

WOW, What kind of PR does that! Just down right rude! That company needs a new one!

Anonymous said...

I had so many tell me last year I had to post for free and I decided that they were all right. I finally hit a point where I decided to publish mainly articles that I do not receive compensation for - they are my articles and I am having more fun blogging now then I ever have. I now enjoy creating my own content and do not need anything from them. I am sure this is not what they had in mind, lol.
I actually fell for it a couple times when I first started and just this past weekend I was going through old posts and realized the few free posts I did never amounted to paid work like was promised. Most of the companies are big companies -it is insulting to me now. I still do some reviews/sponsored posts to allow me to support my cooking/crafting posts. I just had three agree to my terms to do product reviews and then when I receive the product they send me $6 or $18 in products when we agreed on $40. They then said - if you go ahead and do the review with those I would appreciate it, we will get the rest out to you. Uh - no, I will consider these gifts for dealing with your BS until I see for a fact that you send the rest.

Makeba Giles said...

I really needed to read this -- thanks so much! I learned my lesson the hard way last year with a person/brand that said my return would be "lots of traffic to my site". I'll never do that again.

Pam said...

I agree with you. I got a request during Christmas to make a recipe for a company, post about it with a mention of their product they didn't want to supply and then, if they liked it, they would share on social media. No.

Unknown said...

Some of the reasons they give me just make me want to throw up! "you should because we can give you good content; and your readers deserve that". Really? I've been running my blog for 2 years and got on YOUR radar, you don't think I'm capable of producing good content that my readers like?

Companies that ask us to work for free definitely aren't worth the time. They need to rethink their strategies.

Sarah Bailey said...

So true - there is many things going around at the moment - while I will never turn down helping someone out who I have built a strong relationship with - sometimes I look at things with my mouth open and think do you really think I am stupid...

Rebecca said...

i agree i usually get free items for my review or giveaway however i wish i could get more paid post the free stuff is awesome but it doesn't pay bills. i'm learning to be more vocal and ask for what i want when approached by companies

Unknown said...

It is frustrating when companies think they can get our hard work and time for nothing. I hope that some day they will see how wrong they are for asking, but I really don't think that will happen. Good for you for standing up for yourself

Anonymous said...

First of all, your blog is beautiful! Second of all, why don't you tell us how you really feel?! :) Third, I completely agree. I've noticed so much of this already, and I haven't been blogging for very long at all, in the grand scheme of things. Thank you for this post!

Tough Cookie Mommy said...

I completely agree with you. Bloggers who accept these kinds of propositions are selling all of us short. I'm also tired of PR companies who think that we do this for our health. We are business people just like they are.

The AnnMarie John said...

Oh I don't do anything for free unless it's something I really believe in. I'm not a big time blogger but I've worked with lots of companies and have received items costing as much as $500. When a company contacts me asking me to do a review for a product costing $10, I simply refer them to my media kit which states products need to be at least $25 in order for me to review it. It does take a lot of time and my time is money. :)

Kiittäkää Aina ja Kaikesta said...

Thank you for relating you experiences. I totally agree with you. Blogging in hard work and if you do it for a company and promote their product, they should give something back. After all, they are ones getting the profit from the sales.

Unknown said...

I'm brand new to the whole review for money and such. I have been blogging hardcore since September 2013. and only about 3 months ago I started following some blogs and getting ideas and seeing people writing reviews and doing reviews. How awful of that company refusing to give you what was promised! argg!

Liz Mays said...

I do believe that as more and more bloggers request compensation, it will become more the norm than the exception. There will always be those who will do it for free, but the professionalism and quality work provided by bloggers who request compensation should prove the value in making that choice in the long run.

Casa Vilora Interiors said...

I had no idea that these companies these companies think that they are doing you a favor. I've only just started doing posts as affiliate, so thanks for the heads up

Chubskulit Rose said...

You are so right and some companies are rude too when you tell them that you don't post for free! I had to laugh at the "F-Y-F" lol, I might copy you and put those kind of emails in that folder.

Unknown said...

Bloggers deserve to get fair pay. 100%! Our time is valuable!!!

The Frugal Greenish Mama said...

Yes, I think it is crazy when you are asked to post about an image? Are you kidding me!

Pam said...

We don't do too many reviews but I would never do them for free or without product. I think we become more assertive as we blog. Reviews do take hours and bloggers deserved to be compensated.

Unknown said...

i do think you make some valid points. At times I don't charge compensation for promtoions, but only if i truly believe in the idea or if i know for a fact it has value to my readers. Most things don't fit that though.

Melanie Payne said...

Good points, and it's really hard to work for some companies they just try to weed through bloggers these days. it's crazy

Courtney Pies said...

I have to agree - there are some crazy PR reps out there. I can't believe the one who basically said you need their help because you don't have that many followers to begin with. Crazy!

Ashley Gill said...

I am so new to this, I know I am going to be in this position one time or another. I just hope I'm smart enough to see the light before I get walked all over. This is a wonderful post!

ANNIE M said...

I love doing product reviews & I agree, they do take a lot of time & effort to write up! The least they can do is pay up, especially if it's a sponsored post. Time is money & you're not running a charity afterall =/

Cheap Is The *New* Classy said...

I had this company offer to pay me $25 for a post that they had crazy demands for. I said no and countered with a higher offer and told him why I couldn't work for $25. He then wrote me back and said that I needed to work on my professionalism.

So, I guess it's not real professional to expect to get paid a fair salary? Anyway, I didn't do the post and he proceeded to tell me my blog was crap. Okay, well then we won't work together. :)