Good Outreach vs. Bad Outreach – From a Blogger’s Point of View

Written by Dana Forman 19 Comments < back to blog home

I hit an exciting milestone last week – it was my six-year blogging anniversary! My little fashion blog that nobody used to read (except for my mom) has slowly but steadily grown. People actually read it! People who aren’t related to me!

About three years ago, I started receiving outreach from brands. As a blogger, this was super exciting: brands actually liked my blog enough that they wanted to work with me! But as someone who works in SEO, I can’t help but critique every outreach email I receive.

When doing outreach for my own clients, I always think about the outreach that I receive as a blogger. Which pitches did I like and respond to? Which did I delete without even a reply? And I use this knowledge while writing my own outreach.

Today, I’m going to show you a handful of examples of outreach I’ve received in the past few months. It runs the gamut from very, very bad to pretty damned good. And then, I’ll share what I’ve learned.

The Outreach – Upscale Clothing Retailer

Hello,

My name is _____ and I recently began working with an upscale clothing retailer who is attempting to increase their online presence.

I came across your site (what-the-frock.com) and think it would be a great fit for my client.

I am particularly interested in sponsored posts, but would love to hear what else is available. Please let me know if you have any information on your sponsored post rates.

Thanks so much! I look forward to hearing back from you!

Sincerely,

_____

What they did wrong:

It’s not personalized. She could’ve taken 30 seconds to find my name – it’s only in the footer of every single post on my blog, as well as on my about page. And she used my URL instead of my blog name in the post, which is an obvious clue that this is a form email.
She didn’t tell me upfront who the brand is. This is no good for two reasons: First, It requires an additional step in communication. If I was interested in this opportunity, I’d have to respond by asking her who the brand was, and await her reply. Second, It’s a trust issue. Does she not trust me enough to tell me what the brand is? Or is she trying to pull a bait and switch by telling me that it’s an upscale brand, only to reveal that it’s something low-quality or otherwise shady?

What they did right:

It’s brief, to the point, and seems to be a relevant brand to pitch to a fashion blogger.

The Outreach – Credit Counseling Solutions

Hello,

I was just going through few sites yesterday and came across your http://www.what-the-frock.com/ too.

I really liked the way you have presented your site. I was reading some of your content and really found them interesting and informative. So I was just wondering if I can also do something for your site. Actually I am a freelance writer and I love writing articles as a hobby on topics related to Fashion and LIfestyle.

What if I provide you with an unique article as a Guest Post. An article that will be informative for your readers. The article will be related to your website and will be apprciated by your readers.

It would be great if you can add a small BIO of mine at the end of the article with my related site’s links. I guarantee you that hte article will be 100% copy scape protected and will be of around 700 words.

Please let me know if this sound good to you, so that we can start working on your article.

Regards,

___________

What they did wrong

I mean, just read it! Even if I accepted unsolicited guest posts (which I don’t), why would I want one from someone who writes so poorly?
The brand is irrelevant. A quick Google search revealed that the sender of this email worked for a credit counseling service, and all of her guest posts across the web linked back to that site. Why she thought a fashion blogger would be interested in this, I’ll never know.

What they did right.

Absolutely nothing.

The Outreach – Independent Accessory Brand

Hi!

My name is ______ and I work for [accessory brand]. I wanted to fill you in on an amazing opportunity for bloggers like you to get involved, gain exposure, and be entered into a giveaway to win some amazing [product]!

Celebrate the season with a chance to win $1,000 worth of [brand product] (including some new items from the Spring/Summer Collection). There is also an opportunity to be chosen as a highlighted blogger on our website, blog and email campaign. This is an amazing opportunity for exposure for your personal blog!

Interested? To enter, post the attached image to your blog and make sure to link back to [brand website]! And have your readers follow the steps on the editorial. The contest lasts from [dates]. The winner will be chosen at random and posted on [date] for both the blogger contest as well as the $1,000 winner. PLEASE be sure to e-mail your post to [email address] with subject “Bloggers Opportunity” so that we have record of your entry! For each blog post you share the editorial, you will gain an additional entry into the blogger-highlighted contest. If you instagram the editorial make sure to reference [twitter account] (another entry)!

*International bloggers welcome!!!

**As a blogger you will be eligible for both winning the $1000 [product] as well as the highlighted blogger opportunity.

DON’T FORGET- AS A BLOGGER

These are the 4 steps to complete in order to enter!

Like [brand] on Facebook

Follow [brand] on Twitter

Follow [brand] on instagram

Post above image to your blog, hyperlink to [website] & send an email with a link to your post to [email address]

*Be sure to email every time you post it for extra entries!

What they did wrong:

It’s soooooooooooooooooooo long. When it comes to outreach, it’s best to do the whole brevity thing (TM the Dude). Get your point across, but be concise.
They’re asking a lot. A blog post, an email, a Facebook like, a Twitter follow, an Instagram follow, and a link, just for a chance to win a contest?
A blog post that serves as a contest entry for me has no value to my readers.
Once again, this email isn’t personalized.

What they did right:

Not much, but at least it’s an appropriate brand to pitch to a fashion blogger.

The Outreach – Exchange Electronics for Cash

Hi,

I am just emailing to ask whether you are open to any potential text link placement? I have been looking for relevant sites to use for my client and this campaign, as well as building relationships with webmasters. Your site would be a good match and I’d like to discuss some opportunities with you.

I am actually looking to place a text link within a recent, relevant article on your site. This will link back to my clients site, and will be placed within a short sentence at the end of the article. My client is a website where you can exchange electronic products for cash, therefore I feel that this is highly relevant to your site.

If this would be possible, then please let me know and I will send you the details, including costs. I would really appreciate it if you could get back to me regarding this opportunity as soon as possible.

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Kind Regards.

_________

What they did wrong:

Not to sound like a broken record, but it’s not personalized.
It’s completely irrelevant. I have no idea how they decided that selling used electronics had anything to do with fashion.
A random link shoehorned into an already-existing post is too spammy for my tastes.

What they did right:

Ummmm… at least she was polite?

The Outreach – Health Supplements

Hi, Whitney.

My name is _____. I work as the outreach manager for a health supplements company called [brand]. I stumbled across http://what-the-frock.com, and I really like how approachable your site is! Because you love providing giveaway opportunities as much as we do, I would love to send you a one month supply of [product] for your own personal review, as well as a second one for a contest/giveaway as you see fit.

[product] is wildly good for you. Take a look at some of the benefits: [link to site]

If you’re interested, I can have both bottles shipped to your doorstep ASAP! Let me know if you’re interested, or if you have any other exciting ideas for collaboration. I’d just love to work with you!

Warmest of Regards,
_____

What they did wrong:

Who is Whitney? I’m not Whitney.
I do not blog, nor have I ever blogged, about health supplements or anything related to health supplements.
I actually got this email twice in a row, from two different email addresses, and neither email address matched the name of the person who signed the email. Shady city.

What they did right:

They asked for my input on other collaboration ideas.

The Outreach – Online Fashion Site

Hi,

I just wanted to introduce myself to you, My name is ____ and I am the buyer for [online fashion site] – I just want to say that I LOVE your blog, its amazing! I would love to work together in some way. What do you think? Do you have any ideas about how we can partner?

Looking forward to speaking with you,

______

What they did wrong:

It’s not personalized
The compliment seems completely phony.
She didn’t offer any ideas, but asked me for some of mine. Sorry, lady, I’m not in charge of marketing for your website.

And finally, a few examples of good outreach.

I didn’t end up accepting the opportunity below, but I really, really wanted to. It just wasn’t the best fit for my blog, as it’s an expensive brand and I only blog about affordable fashion. It’s a solid pitch, though.

The Outreach – New Local Store Opening

Hi Dana,

I have been a big fan of what the frock? for a while now. Love your voice and content – you have truly defined yourself as an influencer in the blogging and fashion world!

I am writing you today to invite you to check out our new [local store for a women’s fashion brand]. We are super excited about this store opening and think you will be too once you see the design and layout.

I wanted to personally invite you to visit the store to see the new design (if you haven’t already) and to take home your favorite top and bottom from our brand-new collection. After your visit, I would love if you could write about/tweet/post your trip to the store as it is something that I’m sure your fans will love to see!

Please let me know what you think and I will get you set up with a personal styling session. What is your availability like to go in?

Thanks!

_____

What they did right:

It’s concise and relevant. They told me exactly what they’re offering and what they’d like in return.
It’s personalized and friendly.

The Outreach – Affordable Online Fashion Brand

Hi Dana,

How are you?

I’m writing on behalf of [affordable fashion brand] and I wanted to get in touch to see if you would be interested in being sponsored to write a post on your blog for them? I’ve been looking at your blog, I see that you’ve featured [the brand] several times already, and think you would be perfect.

We would like you to create a post in your own style about [brand] and we’ll compensate you for the time you’ve taken to do this. You can choose whatever you want as long as it fits one of the following categories:

Dresses

Jeans

Leather jackets

Beyond that, you have creative freedom to do whatever you want – the only thing that we require is that we approve of the post, and that you link to [brand website]

If this sounds like something you would like to go forward with, let me know. Or, if you have any other ideas as to how you can partner with [brand], I’d love to hear them!

I look forward to hearing from you,

______

What they did right:

They researched ahead of time and found that I’d already written about their brand several times. Good prospecting!
Their email was clear and to the point.
They made it clear that they’re open to hearing any partnership ideas that I may have.

The Outreach – Ecommerce/Brick & Mortar Retail Brand

Hi Dana,

I wanted to personally present you with an opportunity I have coming up for [affordable clothing brand] this month.

This opportunity promotes their deals for around $20 and under. Here are the details:

We will provide a $50 gift card to [store]

Shop at [brand store] for their $20 deals.

Upload 1 photo of yourself shopping in-store to Instagram with the hashtag #[custom hashtag]

Use items purchased at [store] to create your look (styled with your own clothes/accessories).

Post your look on your blog.

Promote post on Facebook/Twitter

Can you please let me know if you are interested? I would love to send you more details.

Thanks so much! Hope to work with you again soon.

Best,

_______

What they did right:

It’s direct and straightforward.
It’s the perfect brand match for a frugal shopping blog.

And now, what I’ve learned.

When doing my own outreach, here’s what I always try to keep in mind:

Personalize. Take the time to look up the blogger’s name, and address it directly to him or her. Use the blog name instead of the URL. Not doing so isn’t just impersonal, it’s lazy.
Pay attention to detail. We know that you’re just copying and pasting most of your email, and that’s okay. But make sure that you update all of the personal details and that you do it correctly.
Research. If you’re pitching a giveaway, make sure the blogger actually does giveaways. If you’re pitching a product, check to see if the blogger has ever posted about something similar. If you’re inviting the blogger to an event, make sure she lives in the area. Yes, this takes more time than just blindly sending out emails, but it will yield much better results in the end.
Only compliment if you mean it. If you truly are a fan of the blog you’re reaching out to, then by all means let them know! But don’t give hollow compliments just to get into a blogger’s good graces. We don’t expect everyone to be long-time fans, and phony praise is pretty obvious.
Be specific, but flexible. Don’t beat around the bush or be wishy-washy; just tell the blogger what you’d like from them and what you’re offering in return. But if the blogger has another idea about how you can work together, listen to them. We know our content and audience better than anyone else does
Have something to offer. Most bloggers aren’t going to blog about your brand out of the kindness of their hearts. We need something in return. It doesn’t have to be monetary; it can be something that our readers would find useful, informative, or entertaining, like a coupon code, a giveaway, or some really kick-ass content.
Be gracious. If a blogger responds with a polite “no thank you,” be polite in kind, and maybe you’ll have the opportunity to pitch them something else again.

Are there any other blogger/SEOs in the house? What have the pitches you’ve received taught you?

Posted: 03.11.13

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http://twitter.com/nickduddy Nicholas Duddy

It’s amazing how people won’t put effort in to their outreach. I think some folk forget they are actually talking to another human.
Zach Russell

I really like the insights on blogger outreach you provided. I am in the process of writing outreach emails as we speak, and its scary to see how little effort people can put into them.
KristenMatthews

Thanks for the real life examples, Dana. Great article. When I want to collaborate with another blogger, I always read through their blog and reference the post that made me realize why we’d be a good fit for collaboration. This does take time so I probably reach out to less bloggers than other people but I get a lot of positive responses!
http://www.what-the-frock.com Dana WhatTheFrock

Thanks, Zach!
http://www.what-the-frock.com Dana WhatTheFrock

Thanks, Kristen. It’s true that it takes a lot more time, but, like you said, the response is always much greater when you spend the time and effort to draft good outreach.
Mihai Aperghis

Awesome post, “Whitney” :) I recommend A/B testing outreach e-mails. Some software have this implemented, like BuzzStream.
http://twitter.com/sunshinetricia Tricia Meyer

Two other things that always rub me the wrong way are 1) when they send a copy of the post they want me to put up for them like a command that I am supposed to use it, and 2) when they include the line “at absolutely no cost to you.” I don’t know why that rubs me the wrong way. I guess they think that I am naive enough to blindly take content and links just because they are free??
http://riyas.in/ Muhammed Riyas

Thanks for sharing this Dana. Just curious to know how important is sender’s email ID in outreach emails to you? example: some-name@gmail.com vs name@brand.com
http://www.what-the-frock.com Dana WhatTheFrock

Yes, that’s a really effective way to determine what works best for the brand.
http://www.what-the-frock.com Dana WhatTheFrock

Yeah, at this point, every blogger is savvy enough to know the deal.
http://www.what-the-frock.com Dana WhatTheFrock

You’re welcome! I personally don’t mind too much if the email comes from the brand, a marketing agency, or an individual, but that may be that I do outreach on behalf of brands from my SEER email.

That’s a good opportunity for some A/B testing like Mihai suggested in an above comment. Send some emails from an agency account, a Gmail, and a brand account, and see if there’s a notable difference.
Michael Gocia

Thanks Dana that’s really good comparison you have explained in very impressive way it helped me to read very curiously and gained more stuff from that .
http://twitter.com/Mszjackiechu Jackie Chu

Dana this was so spot on!

My favorite is when they open the letter with a “Hi ,” <— forgot to copy and paste my name.
I agree that a personal touch and sincere outreach is always more effective. Ive been seing a lot of companies trying to give me their content and pay me to publish it, and I think for the most part they're low budget companies not based in the United States. The same company keeps trying to offer me $5 for a blog post and they have terrrrible English. But thats what? 30 Yuan? Guess I should consider that generous *shrug* ;]

And I agree with Tricia below about the "at absolutely no cost to you" part. Even if you're not an SEO and don't work in marketing, a seasoned blogger is already aware of the power of their influence
http://twitter.com/Darren_Moloney Darren Moloney

In most cases just 5 or 10 minutes research into finding out who you are, making their request far more relevant and keeping it concise would have given them a better chance of opening a door to your blog. :)

Just shows how desperate some are to get any link from any blog (or think that bloggers are naive/ignorant when it comes to links)
http://twitter.com/RockPap3r Kelly

I have been busy occupying myself this afternoon with horrible blogger outreach stories because some of them are just hilarious and these were great! The health supplement one I also spotted here http://www.jemjabella.co.uk/2013/how-not-to-do-blogger-outreach/ so clearly they are making the rounds this month! I find it strange (I blog and work at an agency) that other agenices aren’t making just a little more effort to speak to bloggers like they are actual humans!! It’s almost as if they forget that they are dealing with real people and are expecting an automated “oh yes that would be lovely, thanks so much for allowing me to be part of your campaign”.
http://twitter.com/Koozai_Harry Harry Gardiner

Some fantastically terrible outreach examples here Dana, thanks for sharing them.
I must admit, I’m still relatively new to the world of blogger outreach myself, but in the few short months I’ve been doing it I’ve quickly learnt what’s acceptable and whats not, and I’ve seen some true horror stories myself.
I understand that people don’t always have unlimited time to sit down and work on a suitably personal post, but emailing people with the wrong name, about completely unrelated topics?!? It’s not on.
It’s like Nicholas said above, people must forget they’re talking to actual people.
http://twitter.com/mklein86 michael h. klein

this is a great post Dana. We have had a lot of conversation about this topic in house lately. Just out of curiosity, what are your thoughts about subject lines? what is most effective? what subject lines annoy you the most? My concern is putting so much effort into emails that many blog editors never read! thanks in advance!
http://www.boom-online.co.uk/ Amy Fowler

My ‘favourite’ bad outreaches are the ones I’ve had from people asking to blog on one of my client’s blogs – for a client that doesn’t even have a blog. What fab research they’ve done.

These same emails also don’t make any reference to the site they want to write for or what it’s about. Just that they will write something ‘relevant’. Pretty obvious they’ve got one email that they just send out to as many people as possible.
http://twitter.com/sspwriterlilly Gina Jennings

It depends on the blogmaster. Some want the personalization in the email. Others will post in their guidelines, “Be sure to put ‘guest post’ in the subject lines”. So it’ll be up to each blogmaster.

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