Lately it has happened a lot. A company contacts me, because they want to collaborate with me. Okay, great. We can work something out, what do you want? And so it begins…
We are selling our products that costs xxx (usually really high) euros. You’d promote our product on blog/social media and if someone would buy it because of you, you’d get provision.”
Okay, this I can understand, especially from a company that hasn’t worked with bloggers before. No problem, if a product is something that I’m interested in or I can see something in this cooperation for me. But here comes the problem! I post my opinion about products and that is why I need to test them. I post only my photos on instagram and, again, I NEED THE PRODUCT! From here it can go a few ways.
ENDING #1:
Company understands what I mean, they send me the package and we start working together. But the ones that understad how blogging works, usually don’t aproach with such a suggestion.
ENDING #2:
If you want our product, we can offer you an EXCLUSIVE discount code for 30% discount which you can use to buy the product. Emm… Excusive me, did I understand you correctly? I am supposed to buy the product YOU wish for me to promote? And since you are such good people, I even get a slight discount? Haha, at least you tried. Bye!
ENDING #3:
Of course, you’ll get our products in the following value[input the value, usually really high, well over 100€, so it can sound even better], all you have to pay is shipping and handling that costs [amount higher then the value they have to pay for the product]. Oh, really? I will pay your shipping, because YOU want to send ME some products? Haha, all right. ThankYouVeryMuch. Bye!
Let us all realize something. Most of bloggers, especially beauty, haveAT LEAST A CUPBOARD of beauty products at home. Of course we all still buy them, but we buy the ones we find interesting. And most of those never even get to be featured on the blog! For a company to contact the blogger and wants us to DO OUR JOB (=promoting the products/company/…) and in the end wants us to PAY THE COMPANY for what we did… We’ll this is just plain rude!
Let’s try a different scenario. You are offered a job. You like it, you are working similar stuff already, the boss is really enthusiastic and is explaining everything you should to for the company, BUT at the end of each month you’ll get the bill for electricity, water, paper and everything you’ll use at your work place. AND if you’ll be successfull enough, you’ll get payed approximatelly the same amount back. Would you work in a company like this?
I am not angry at comapneis that offer compensation to bloggers for their work, it’s not wrong. Each person should decide for themselves what kind of payment they’d like to get. But don’t come to me and start telling me how a blogger should promote your company for you and pay for your products in order to do so. It’s not only rude, you are also underestimating our work.
So, to all of my blogger colleagues (and to everyone thinking about becoming one):
Let’s appreciate ourselves and not accept such and similar offensive offers. We should all know when it’s time to say NO (and also argument our decision). Value yourself and your work.
