Kiss Our Sass Media

Subscribe to RSS feed Follow Kiss Our Sass Media on Twitter Visit Kiss Our Sass Media's Facebook page

article-1164600-05AA1EB50000044D-415_468x469

The Dating Game: Three Simple Rules For Brands Pitching Bloggers

View full post

284765_135099233246060_100002379510797_222002_4871602_n

The Kiss Our Sass Party Powered By Match.com BlogHer 2011

What inspired Melysa Schmitt to take a chance, follow her dreams, and become her own boss by launching Kiss Our Sass Media and Kiss Our Sass Events? The Kiss Our Sass Party Powered By Match.com Melysa successfully organized, acquired sponsorship for, and held her first Kiss Our Sass Event on 8/4/11 during BlogHer 2011, …

View full post

The Dating Game: Three Simple Rules For Brands Pitching Bloggers The Kiss Our Sass Party Powered By Match.com BlogHer 2011

Aug
30

The Dating Game: Three Simple Rules For Brands Pitching Bloggers

Categories:

Brands and Bloggers

by admin

As a blogger, I get a lot of bad pitches sent to my inbox. So many in fact, I now prefer brands initiate a conversation with me on Twitter since it feels more genuine than the all too often generic and agenda ridden emails I’m bombarded with. My blog is as much of a business as your brand. I completely understand the time constraints of PR firms and businesses, but if you’re looking to develop a lasting and meaningful relationship with me or any other blogger, there needs be a certain amount of wooing involved and less of a “wham bam thank you ma’am” mentality.

Please understand I’m not talking about supplying bloggers with lavish freebies or a large amount of monetary compensation, although those things are certainly nice. I’m talking about making me feel special and showing a genuine interest in who I am as a blogger and a person. When brands approach me it’s a lot like dating: I’m not interested in men who come on too strong or are only out for one thing. The same goes for PR firms and brands.

Below are three simple rules for brands pitching bloggers.

Don’t expect a blogger to “give it up” on the first date. My pet peeve is when a brand or PR firm sends me an email that contains a link to an article about them which they “hope I will share with my readers” before we’ve even had an actual exchange. It makes me feel icky and raises all sorts of red flags. I don’t give it up to a man before he buys me a drink, and I’m certainly not giving it up to a brand before they get to know me either. I’ve worked hard to get where I am. I’m worth more than being used for my “assets” and so are my readers.

Look into our eyes, not at our numbers. As a blogger I may be abreast, but that doesn’t mean I want you to treat me like one. Bloggers are more than their followers, subscribers, and likes, and deserve to be treated as such. No matter how large or small a fan base, a blogger is only as good as the quality of their influence. Get to know them and not just their numbers.

Establish a connection. As most bloggers will tell you, we’re not looking for a one-night stand. While there are some brand-whores who will give themselves up for a coupon or free sample, the majority of bloggers are looking for lasting partnerships that will mutually benefit both parties involved. Tell me why you think we’d be a good fit. Let me know why my readers and I would benefit from us connecting. My subscribers, followers, and fans respect and trust me. Before I begin to develop a relationship with you, I need to know that I can trust you too. The key to doing so is by taking the time to get to know me instead of treating me like a cheap floosy.

Bottom line; don’t treat bloggers like a piece of social media meat. No brand wants to be known as the douchey guy at the bar that preys on bloggers with low self-esteem who have yet to realize their worth. Take your time, buy us a drink, sit back, and get to know us. If you’re lucky, we might even give it up by the third date.

Tags: Bad PR Pitches, Brands Pitching Bloggers, Kiss Our Sass Media, Three Simple Rules For Pitching Bloggers

1 comment

Aug
15

The Kiss Our Sass Party Powered By Match.com BlogHer 2011

Categories:

Kiss Our Sass Events

by admin

What inspired Melysa Schmitt to take a chance, follow her dreams, and become her own boss by launching Kiss Our Sass Media and Kiss Our Sass Events?

The Kiss Our Sass Party Powered By Match.com

Melysa successfully organized, acquired sponsorship for, and held her first Kiss Our Sass Event on 8/4/11 during BlogHer 2011, connecting brands with 100 influential bloggers at The Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, CA.

Sponsors included Match.com, Little Black Robot, Crumbs Bake Shop, Glue Dots, Earnest Eats, City Slips, Star 50 Handbags, Happy Healthy Hip Parenting, Single Mommyhood, Lux Naturals, OhMiBod, Pop Chips, Penfluers, Indie Vinos, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Drink Mercy, Corazonas, Lovely Photo Booths, Single Edition Media, Booty Wraps, Invisibelt, and Sensa Weight Loss.

Wondering how this seemingly ordinary blogger pulled off an extraordinary BlogHer party? Continue reading to find out.

Five months ago Melysa had a dream about throwing a party during BlogHer 2011 for her fellow single bloggers. The idea for this party never stemmed from a desire for fame, to promote herself, or to even make money. Simply put, she wanted to do something nice for all those bloggers that often feel left out when invites to private events never land in their inbox.

Melysa had limited experience working with brands. Mostly because she was never THAT type of blogger. After all, the main focus of her blog was to tell her story, not to review products, write about brands, or discuss how much she loved motherhood.

Although she has developed quite a following, she knew brands weren’t apt to give her a second glance because she wasn’t like the rest of the traditional mommy bloggers they were used to working with. Prior to this experience she thought there wasn’t a brand out there that would want to touch her with a ten-foot pole before she’d been thoroughly exorcized and/or had her mouth washed out with soap.

Basically she knew she had her work cut out for her finding sponsorship to throw the party of her dreams.

Melysa sent out hundreds of pitches seeking sponsorship for The Kiss Our Sass Party, because as a single mom she obviously couldn’t afford it on her own. For weeks she worked diligently and received no response. Just when she was about to give up, an email came from Match.com requesting a conference call. She had one shot to convince them she was valuable and influential in spite of herself.

And convince them she did.

With four months of hard work, creativity, and her “can do” attitude, she was also able to convince twenty-one other brands to sponsor The Kiss Our Sass Party allowing her to create a fabulous event that bloggers and brands won’t soon forget.

What did people have to say about the Kiss Our Sass Party?

“I’m going to have to give the Kiss Our Sass party my award for most fun because they did it right. So many of the parties have gone so very corporate and lost what we all loved about them in the first place (IMO) but the Kiss Our Sass girls had fun and put together a party FOR people, not for the status or the ability to have a really overpriced cake and bragging rights.” – @JustOneMiss from JustOneMiss.com

You can read her full post here: http://www.justonemiss.com/2011/08/08/the-one-about-blogher11/

“… my last stop of the evening was at the Hard Rock Hotel where the lovely ladies behind Kiss Our Sass apparel hosted a party for singles. Sponsored by @Match, this had to be the best party I had been to in a long time. I dipped my feet in the jacuzzi and got to mingle with the single lady & guy friends that I have grown to love over the years I spent as a single mom, many of whom I finally got to meet face-to-face for the first time. Those ladies sure know how to throw a party! The photo booth was a hit as were the goodies found in the swag bag from their amazing sponsors.” – @Hip_M0m from HappyHealthyHip.com

You can read her full post here: http://happyhealthyhip.com/blog/2011/08/10/blogher-2011-unofficial-parties/

“The party was lovely, and to top it off we were treated to free drinks, plenty of swag, lots of great conversation and a chance to meet some great new people as well as catch up with oldfriends.”-@LindsayDianne from RunningScared.ca

You can read her full post here: http://runningscared.ca/UrbanMomtographer/kissoursass-and-then-some/

“Definitely connect @Melysa_S + @snglmomsurvives. Single mom bloggers who made #KissOurSass powered @Match happen. *Best* #BlogHer11 event.” – Dr. Leah Klungness from @SingleMommyhood via Twitter