I don't really read many (if any) blogs who do sponsored posts. I'm mostly here because I like to write and to check in with the people I've come to see as friends. But I remember this being a topic I was much more concerned with a couple years ago.
Do you guys remember when I got the free dress? I was intrigued by the "look at this awesome free dress!" posts going around and deliberately commented on a few to see if I'd get an offer. I was pretty excited when I did and decided to make an exception to my rule about not posting for stuff.
I thought I could do it and be genuine and still get a free dress and everything would be awesome.
And I think I even convinced myself that this was the case. The dress arrived, I decided it was awesome, took photos, and wrote a glowing review. But you know what?
I don't have that dress anymore.
Because it was really just ok. It wasn't my style. The fit was good (because that's what eShakti does - they have you send measurements and make you fitted clothes) but it wasn't a flattering cut. The option to customize was cool, but the fabric wasn't what I had expected.
And as much as I told myself I was being totally honest, I do remember feeling somewhat obligated to write something nice. I mean, it was free! How can I bash a free item?
And that's what killed sponsored posts for me. I do not think it is possible for most people to write truly unbiased posts when they're sponsored. Being given free stuff makes you feel like A) You got so much value because it was free! and B) A sense of obligation to return some of that value by not trashing the item.
So I stopped reading sponsored posts. And then certain bloggers started doing this truly horrendous thing where they buried the promo at the end after a somewhat interesting story. This killed all credibility for me because I was being tricked into reading a sponsored post and, now that I think of it, isn't it interesting that that particular blogger has never mentioned fitness before but is all about when a free product is to be had?
So I stopped reading "big blogs" and stuck with the people who felt more like friends and less like profiteers and all was well and I haven't thought about it until this week.
Because Tuesday I went to a networking lunch with a referral group. And you know, I had a really good time. I made good connections that I like. But...
The group requires 1 referral every month. I need to go to that next meeting with a name and phone number of someone I have talked to and prepared to buy someone else's services.
Not only do I have to be actively looking for people who might be good referral candidates all the time, but I have to refer them to people whose services I haven't even used. Sure, I might have enjoyed that person's conversation but if they didn't take my photos or write my will, how do I know they're good at what they do?
And if I can't find someone who's genuinely interested, do I just write down a number and hope for the best? Throw other people's products and services in front of my friends and family members regardless of interest?
It feels so forced. It feels like a sponsored post. And I don't think I can do that.
Do you guys remember when I got the free dress? I was intrigued by the "look at this awesome free dress!" posts going around and deliberately commented on a few to see if I'd get an offer. I was pretty excited when I did and decided to make an exception to my rule about not posting for stuff.
I thought I could do it and be genuine and still get a free dress and everything would be awesome.
And I think I even convinced myself that this was the case. The dress arrived, I decided it was awesome, took photos, and wrote a glowing review. But you know what?
I don't have that dress anymore.
Because it was really just ok. It wasn't my style. The fit was good (because that's what eShakti does - they have you send measurements and make you fitted clothes) but it wasn't a flattering cut. The option to customize was cool, but the fabric wasn't what I had expected.
And as much as I told myself I was being totally honest, I do remember feeling somewhat obligated to write something nice. I mean, it was free! How can I bash a free item?
And that's what killed sponsored posts for me. I do not think it is possible for most people to write truly unbiased posts when they're sponsored. Being given free stuff makes you feel like A) You got so much value because it was free! and B) A sense of obligation to return some of that value by not trashing the item.
So I stopped reading sponsored posts. And then certain bloggers started doing this truly horrendous thing where they buried the promo at the end after a somewhat interesting story. This killed all credibility for me because I was being tricked into reading a sponsored post and, now that I think of it, isn't it interesting that that particular blogger has never mentioned fitness before but is all about when a free product is to be had?
So I stopped reading "big blogs" and stuck with the people who felt more like friends and less like profiteers and all was well and I haven't thought about it until this week.
Because Tuesday I went to a networking lunch with a referral group. And you know, I had a really good time. I made good connections that I like. But...
The group requires 1 referral every month. I need to go to that next meeting with a name and phone number of someone I have talked to and prepared to buy someone else's services.
Not only do I have to be actively looking for people who might be good referral candidates all the time, but I have to refer them to people whose services I haven't even used. Sure, I might have enjoyed that person's conversation but if they didn't take my photos or write my will, how do I know they're good at what they do?
And if I can't find someone who's genuinely interested, do I just write down a number and hope for the best? Throw other people's products and services in front of my friends and family members regardless of interest?
It feels so forced. It feels like a sponsored post. And I don't think I can do that.
Have you ever participated in referral groups or written sponsored posts? How do you feel when other people do?
