Apparently Chris Anderson, had no effect, because for the past few months I have been getting news releases from PR professionals.
At first, I would open and quickly scan them to see if they had any useful ideas to write about. (Hey, it gets tough to keep coming up with great stuff). However, I never actually wrote about any of them because nine times out of ten the business wasn’t original, and the spin factor was riding high. The other times there would be no relevance to the topics I write about.
It seems to me that the same people sending out e-mail news releases blindly to bloggers don’t blog themselves, which puts them at a disadvantage.
How to be more successful when trying to get mentioned by a blogger
Below are some ways to become friends with a blogger, and will help you get your sh*t mentioned.
Don’t Just (First) Name Drop. Mention more than the person’s first name, such as a related post, or overriding theme you’ve noticed about the blogger.
Brag Them Up. Bloggers generally have egos. Butter them up by mentioning their book, e-book, videos, web site design, award(s), or work you’ve seen outside their blog.
Comment First. Send Second. Bloggers have opinions. That’s why they have a blog. Agree or disagree with them. Expand on their posts. Join the conversation first, before sending one-sided communication.
Provide exclusive information or media. Invite them on a private tour of the factory where you divulge secrets about the company.
Create something exclusive for the blogger. If they have a sense of humor, put their face on something goofy. Feature them in a video. Most bloggers won’t get uptight.
