I asked quite a while ago if you wanted a post dedicated entirely to how/why I started to approach brands and lots of you said yes (thank you!) so that’s what I wanted to discuss today!
THE WHY
The reason why is quite simple, I wanted to take my blog to a place where it could earn me income, start broadening my content and make partnerships with great brands. I also got to the point where I was fed up with getting random e-mails in my inbox from American brands I’ve never heard of and didn’t even look real if we’re being honest.
I’ve been lucky in that the majority of my sponsored posts have landed in my inbox, I haven’t needed to go out and search for them. (Massive tip here is making sure you have an email address on your social media so they know where to reach you.) But with other companies, I was the one who got in touch and asked them if they wanted to work with me.
You may be thinking, why does a big company want to work with a blogger who doesn’t have a 100k following? Well, for one, you are creating content that people engage with. Whatever the number count, you are getting recognition, your posts are being read and that should only increase with time.
THE HOW
What you need to do in this instance is TELL THEM WHAT YOU CAN OFFER. Google how to get in contact with their PR and a relevant email, tell them who you are and what you do. Detail a blog post in which you want to include their products, and mention important figures such as your monthly blog views, unique visitors, social media following.
Be polite, and don’t expect a reply. 98% of the e-mails I sent out didn’t get an reply or probably even read. But it’s worth it for the few that might politely decline or, for the one who e-mails back saying they would love to work with you.
Blogging isn’t a job for me, but that would be the amazing end goal. So I want to do as many positive steps as I can so that someday I might get there, and that includes widening my horizons and seeing what I can do.
I hope this post has helped you if you were wondering how to start approaching brands. It’s nerve-wracking to put yourself out there but like the good old quote says nothing amazing happens inside your comfort zone.
Have you ever approached a brand before?