Day One, BlogHer

Day one of BlogHer was exciting and eventful. Not only did I have the
opportunity to finally meet (face to face) so many of the bloggers
I’ve been working with virtually, but I was able to have a great
conversation with some of the most influential bloggers (and
Twitterers) at the conference, gain valuable insight into the mom
blogger community, and learn a good deal about our expectations as PR
people.

A few take aways regarding marketing to the mom blogger community:

1. The most obvious: Know our blogs! One blogger pointed out that she
recently received a pitch that began, “Dear Sir.” There is a lot of
pressure for PR pros to get large amounts of coverage, and sometimes
we sacrifice the time to research our bloggers, learn what they write
about, or “get to know” them – their families, hobbies, interests. But
resist the mail merge temptation – email blasts only serve to make
bloggers irritated, and they give PR pros a bad name.

2. The days of traditional media are ending, and a new form of media,
with new rules, is emerging. Getting coverage for your product or
service is no longer just about sending out a cleverly worded press
release. Mom bloggers aren’t interested in just rehashing PR
materials. To get coverage, they need interaction with the products
that they’re reviewing – and that is going to involve spend on your
company’s part. Sending out product samples, or even paying a fee for
a “sponsored review” is the new name of the PR game.

3. Companies are LOVING the mom blogger community. By the end of the
People’s Party last night, moms were toting around multiple swag bags,
full of everything from children’s toys and activity books, to full
bottles of liquor, snack packs – even easy frosting from Pillsbury. If
your company hasn’t targeted these moms – chances are, your
competitors will (if they haven’t, already). These bloggers want to
hear from you. They want to try your products.

4. Finding creative ways to engage bloggers – will guarantee not only
a positive review (if you have a good product) – but a brand
ambassador. Women talk – and they listen to each others’ advice on
products and companies. Send them something they love, and they’ll
tell the world. One blogger explained to me that a PR rep from lane
Bryant had offered to send her some new clothes for the conference.
The rep knew she’d recently had a child, and that her newest clothes
were maternity clothes. Not only did Lane Bryant get a positive review
(for a VERY chic new line that they’re putting out), but this blogger
became their brand ambassador, telling all the fellow moms how kind
the company had been, as well as pitching their clothes.

5. Tweeting is just as important as posting. The traditional
expectation of a long review should be modified to include the
importance of Twitter as a broadcast/communications tool for mom
bloggers. “If you’re not on Twitter, you don’t exist,” as one (very
influential) mom blogger pointed out.

Stay tuned for more updates, or follow @SheBlogsNetwork for tweets
from BlogHer ‘09!