In 2007, it was PR. In 2008, it will be the candidates.
This year, BlogHer was swarmed by PR professionals seeking to make connections with bloggers. A lot of us were receptive – after all, with Parent Bloggers, it’s my job to be receptive even when the pitches are awkward or blatantly insincere – but we took them to task.
We’re tired of receiving emails that address us by the wrong name, or by our blog name (when our first names are easily found on our sites), or by “XXX” (I got that one last week and wondered if they’d confused me with the Mominatrix).
We’re tired of opening lines like “I love your blog!” Those are especially entertaining when we’re able to compile a dozen or more of them addressed to different bloggers in which the same verbiage is used in each and every one.
We’re tired of being asked to “share information with our readers” when no incentive to do so is offered. And no – a dollar-off coupon does not qualify as an incentive.
We’re tired of five paragraph emails that essentially say nothing. If you want something from me, spell it out in plain terms, and be prepared to offer something in return.
And many of us are tired of not even hearing from PR professionals, who rarely reach out to minority bloggers. Why is that? We’d love to hear your reasons, if you are courageous enough to share them.
This not to say that all PR professionals are clumsy in their blogger outreach efforts. I’ve worked with several who are quite good – who understand the space (or are willing to learn) and who treat bloggers with respect, not as open billboards. But the vast majority need to learn from their mistakes.
While there was a strong PR presence at BlogHer, the political presence was nearly nonexistent. Apart from keynote speaker Elizabeth Edwards, I saw only a staffer for Hillary Clinton – no one from the Republican campaigns (although I understand that Mitt Romney had a staffer there as well).
This irks me on two levels. One, knowing that our keynote speaker was to be the wife of a presidential candidate, I can’t understand why more campaigns didn’t feel compelled to join us. As David said in my comments, it was a missed opportunity. A big one. And as PunditMom points out, it was insulting as well. Like the PR professionals, I think the politicians ought to learn from this mistake. Quickly.
Second, I have to wonder if the Republican candidates will even make an appearance next year. A point I’ve harped on before (and will continue to do so through November 2008) is that we don’t fit squarely into Dem/Rep, red/blue, conservative/liberal boxes. There aren’t “teams”, as Elizabeth Edwards stated in her keynote. There are political parties and associated platforms, but these platforms shift – and people’s ideas and priorities shift too, depending on circumstances and candidates. If the Republicans avoid BlogHer next year out of resignation or fear, it will cement perceptions on the parts of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike.
So I urge the politicians to do what I hope the PR professionals are doing now, post-BlogHer – that is, learning from their mistakes. Don’t alienate the women bloggers. We talk a lot, you know.
August 1st, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I was extremely upset when not a single Republican representative was in the Politics track sessions. It’s something I’m posting on BlogHer tomorrow. Many conservatives or right leaning bloghers were angry as well.
Thanks for writing this post, do you mind if I link to it?
August 1st, 2007 at 1:15 pm
I completely agree. I would expect next year there will be more show up… when its getting down to the wire, and our votes become more important to them. Sad, isn’t it?
August 1st, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Amen! Amen! On all of this!
Most bloggers I know tend to keep up with current events. They also tend to be the type where if information isn’t readily available, they will FIND it. They are missing out. We have voices and we aren’t afraid to use them.
August 1st, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Hear hear. By the time of the conference next year, the candidates will be winnowed down to 2 or 3. I’d like to think that they will engage us, but somehow I doubt it. Who knows, maybe they’ll surprise us next year.
(Oh, there was someone from the Edwards campaign there too, not just EE.)
August 1st, 2007 at 1:34 pm
It is amazing just how overlooked the women bloggers are in just about every arena. I was shocked to read CityMama’s post about the PR reps at BlogHer. And you are right about the lack of political presence. And media for that matter. UGH!
August 1st, 2007 at 1:38 pm
amen to Mothergoosemouse!
August 1st, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I didn’t go to BlogHer, but I learned so much from others who have made the same comments about PR people you’ve made above. I posted about this topic today, from the PR perspective, and I can only hope other PR people are paying attention. You certainly have mine.
August 1st, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Absolutely!
Did you see PunditMom’s post on this? Her letter to and from the candidates was rockin!
Julie
Ravin’ Picture Maven
August 1st, 2007 at 4:11 pm
i totally agree.
We’ve got influence. And we’re mouthy.
August 1st, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Excellent post, if I may say so, even though I wasn’t there.
August 1st, 2007 at 7:19 pm
I wasn’t in Chicago last weekend either, but I hope to be at BlogHer ‘08.
The idea of BlogHer being a political platform both excites and scares me. As a socially (very) liberal but fiscally (generally) conservative I rarely agree totally with candidates from either of the major parties (scary part).
On the other hand, I know I am not alone; most of us don’t fall strictly within party lines with regards to every issue…in fact, most voters don’t. Perhaps this will be an opportunity for some candidates to see that (exciting part).
August 1st, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Us? Talk? You bet!
August 1st, 2007 at 7:47 pm
I agree. Surely politicians know that bloggers (and the internet) are a huge part of how people get their information now. They are missing a huge opportunity by passing us by. I wonder if they will show up at other (more male) internet and blogging conferences?
August 1st, 2007 at 8:37 pm
right on.
August 1st, 2007 at 9:09 pm
not only do we talk a lot, but we carry big blogs around. and we band together on things. like issues. and we know our worth.
August 1st, 2007 at 9:20 pm
I’m currently planning to attend the BlogWorld Expo in Las Vegas this November, and I expect it will be much more male-centric. I’ll pay attention to what if any political candidates, representatives or literature is there, and report back.
Should I wear a t-shirt that reads “I’m a Mommyblogger, and I VOTE”??
August 2nd, 2007 at 7:01 am
Christine, my views are similar (socially liberal, fiscally conservative). More than ever, I think it’s important to speak up – to make it known that we’re not in lockstep with either party.
August 2nd, 2007 at 7:44 am
I am a conservative by most standards. Okay, not by local, rural Texas standards – b/c conservatives supposedly don’t “brand” their bodies with tattoos, enjoy sex as recreation, or think Al Gore actually has a strong point with his Inconvenient Truth.
I am offended that the Republican party thought so little of BlogHer to not participate.
And? Thank you for speaking out to the mass marketing PR that I trash immediately. Don’t know my name? Trash. Don’t say what you mean? Trash. Don’t think my voice has value – monetary value? Trash. Makes me wish I had a Mac – so I could use the *bounce* feature liberally.
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:45 am
Yes. Exactly. These people are missing the boat.
August 2nd, 2007 at 9:14 am
Wow. A big opportunity missed.
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:27 pm
That’s an interesting point — I hadn’t thought about it, but maybe that’s because I didn’t get a chance to go to any of the political panels (not for lack of interest, but for lack of ability to be several places at the same time).
It was great to meet you, by the way!