Hello, if you don’t know me, my name is Tiffany Rose. I’ve been with REUTS for a long while now, and mostly have been in the background, (because that’s where the best coffee is) but I’m excited to take over Marketing Monday. So, get that coffee brewing because we are going to talk blogs!
The first task I had with REUTS was contacting bloggers, and I realize that some authors do not know how to do that. So, I’d like to go over three things you should do when messaging any blogger.
Number 1: Show respect
If you do not know this person, pretty please with extra cream and sugar be respectful. This means following the blogger’s contact information and rules, addressing them by their name, and remembering you are the one asking for something.
Blogging about books is an act of love. Even if bloggers can get money or score free books, it doesn’t mean they do. And if you broke it down into hours it takes and that the majority of bloggers get nothing it’s even more important to treat these people with respect. I’m so thankful as an industry professional every time someone decides to share a REUTS book with me, because at the end of the day they don’t have to. It’s no different as an author who is asking. You are making a humble request to share your own act of love with someone.
Number 2: Send individual emails
I can empathize with how many people you need to contact, and how long that can take, but unless you have an author subscription list do not send out a mass email to bloggers. In one way it goes back to respect, and it may be illegal.
I’m not a lawyer, but I can tell you in some cases it is breaking the law to send out a mass email. If you want more details about this you can check out the Federal Trade Commission’s CAN-SPAM Act. Point being, do yourself and strangers you’d like to befriend a favor and take the time to send individual emails
Number 3: Be flexible
Remember that you are the one asking for something so don’t demand the moon. Asking to be featured on the third Friday after they bought your book under the full moon is as fictitious as it is inconsiderate. Offer them a copy of your book, offer to write a guest post if that’s what their blog features. Think of what you can do for the blogger without letting ego come into the mix. An easy way to do this is having a flexible schedule and asking what they’d want. Offering ebook copies is a cost-effective way to give your book to anyone wants to review it.
TLDR-time: Bloggers are an author’s friends, not people you chum the marketing waters with.
