Centsible Life

Helping Women Live Healthier, Happier, and Wealthier

  • Home
  • All Posts
  • About
    • Disclosure
    • Press
    • Privacy Policy
  • Health
  • Money
    • Make Money from Home
    • What To Buy Series
  • Fashion
    • Beauty
  • Food
    • Menu Plans
    • Recipes
  • Personal Posts
  • Travel
  • Work With Me

Pitches & Proposals: Social Media Saturday

February 25, 2012 By Kelly 6 Comments

Way back when I shared my reader survey (around the New Year) I got lots of great feedback from readers who responded. One thing a good percentage of respondents wanted more of is social media posts. Since I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea I decided to share social media posts on Saturdays. Social Media Saturday was born.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of speaking to a local group of social media savvy women at the Philly Social Media Moms workshop. I’ve been an active group member for two years, and in that time the group has grown exponentially, and Jo-Lynne has started a series of workshops to help members (and non-members alike) to learn more about blogging.

Photo courtesy of Jo-Lynne Shane

Julie and I spoke at BlogHer last year alongside Leticia and Andrea  on a panel we called ‘How to Create a Kick-A$$ Proposal.’ Our room was packed (people sat on the floor!), and the feedback we had was overwhelmingly positive.

Julie and I decided to adapt some of that presentation for the PSMM Workshop. Taking questions from the group beforehand our focus shifted slightly to focus on pitches, proposals, and sponsorships. We talked about representing your brand across platforms, about.me, LinkedIn, and so much more.

The attendees are people we chat with online frequently, so while we were presenting we had lots of questions peppered in. I love that kind of interaction while I’m presenting. It makes it much more fun and really gets everyone’s questions answered.

While I can’t possibly cover all the material we covered, I can share a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

5 Tips to Successful Pitches and Proposals

1. Know your Core Message: What’s your story? Why did you start blogging? What does your about me page say? If you have trouble answering these questions take time to write down your answers. Practice sharing a concise answer to what your blog is about in under a minute. (That’s your elevator pitch.)

2. Build your Network: Whether it’s attending events, reaching out on LinkedIn or twitter, or attending conferences; building your network is the key to success. Consider joining a blogging group (like PSMM) or a blogger to brand group (like Clever Girls Collective).

3. Know your Goals: What are your goals in working with brands? Do you want to share info on the latest trends in toys? Do you want to be a brand spokesperson? If you blindly pitch and propose ideas without an idea of what your goals are you won’t be successful. It’s ok if those goals change, just be sure you know what they are.

4. Know the Brand’s Needs: A quick phone call will help you understand what a brand’s upcoming focus is, and how you can align with their goals. If it’s not a good fit, don’t give up hope. If you maintain that relationship they will come back to you when it is good timing, and a good fit. If you know you have a great way to market a brand (like a baby shower event would be a great fit for a diaper brand) they will find a way to make it work in their budget if it’s a great fit and you can share how you can help.

5. Be Professional: If you get a ‘no’, don’t get discouraged. Just because it’s not a good fit right now doesn’t mean it’s always going to be ‘no.’ If something is a great opportunity but not a good fit for you or your blog recommend someone in your network who would be a great fit for the brand. Be polite and professional in your emails, own your mistakes, and vent in private. Being professional also means having a professional looking site design (hire someone if you need to), a professional photo, and a great bio.

About Kelly


Kelly Whalen is the founder and editor of the Centsible Life. She started the blog in 2008 as her family faced a mountain of debt and the fixer upper they purchased became a FIXER UPPER. The website was born out of her desire to share what was working (and what was not) on her family's journey to financial security. Kelly lives in Minneapolis with her family.

  • View all posts by Kelly →
  • Blog
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+

Share:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Print

Related

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: social media, social media saturday


Comments

  1. Meredith says

    April 23, 2012 at 6:51 am

    This was really helpful, thanks Kelly!  I have so, so much to learn 😉

  2. The Whole Bag of Chips says

    February 25, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    This was excellent information, and answered questions I’ve had for a while now. Thanks so much for sharing!
    Jen
    http://www.thewholebagofchips.com

  3. Kelly Whalen says

    February 25, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    Thanks for the compliment. 🙂 I really believe there’s no reason to ‘hoard’ any info I know-I’m always happy to share.  

  4. Kelly Whalen says

    February 25, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    Thank you Brandi! Loved your observations. 🙂

  5. Brandi Jordan says

    February 25, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    Thanks so much for hosting Social Media Saturday (and for stopping by and commenting!).  I loved the workshop last weekend.  You did a great job!

  6. mommabrown says

    February 25, 2012 at 1:50 pm

    You ladies were amazing last Saturday (and of course every other day). Thanks so much for sharing you wealth of knowledge with us. I know we all learned a lot!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pinterest
INSTAGRAM
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Follow by Email
RSS

Hi! I'm Kelly Whalen, writer, frugality expert, debt slayer, and money nerd. Welcome to the Centsible Life, my corner of the internet, where I help women live happier, healthier, and wealthier lives. My goal is to help you save time + money, so you can spend both how you want.

Want to know more about me and learn how Centsible Life has helped readers like you? Click here.

As seen on:

Quick Money Savings Links

10% of LifeLock services

Track your net worth FREE with Personal Capital

FREE month of Rocksbox, a monthly jewelry subscription box customized to you!

Get cashback when you shop with ebates.

Take surveys to earn cash at Swagbucks.

Top Posts & Pages

  • Owl Paper Roll Craft
    Owl Paper Roll Craft
  • 365 Day Meal Plan with Free Templates & Grocery List
    365 Day Meal Plan with Free Templates & Grocery List
  • Spray Paint Closet Door Makeover for $21
    Spray Paint Closet Door Makeover for $21
  • 50 Activities For Kids When There Is No School
    50 Activities For Kids When There Is No School
  • Easter Crafts: Paper Roll Bunnies
    Easter Crafts: Paper Roll Bunnies
  • Chores & Allowances
    Chores & Allowances
  • LEGO Mini Marble Maze Valentine's Day Gift for Kids
    LEGO Mini Marble Maze Valentine's Day Gift for Kids
  • How to Update Railings and Spindles on Stairs
    How to Update Railings and Spindles on Stairs
  • DIY Cardboard Box Lap Tray
    DIY Cardboard Box Lap Tray
  • Grout Makeover with Grout Renew
    Grout Makeover with Grout Renew

Archives

Categories

Copyright © 2021 ·Metro Pro Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.