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,