a peek inside the fishbowl

Awhile back I was at a blogging conference, in the audience, listening to a panel of speakers. I can’t even remember what the topic was about, but someone I knew from the blogging world stood up during the question and answer time and shared her exasperation about (a) not being on the receiving end of swag and (b) not getting invited to exclusive blogger-related events. I was shocked at her outburst at the time, but I get it. Some people don’t like seeing other people getting stuff all of the time. I guess it’s because the person on the receiving end of those invites has achieved something he or she hasn’t, whether it’s in the form free stuff, an invitation to an exclusive event, a trip, or a book deal. Instead of stewing, I think it’s healthier to accept the fact that some people make different choices, and choose to spend time on different things. I ALSO think it’s healthier to channel bitterness or envy or exasperation into something else and see where that takes us, but I digress.

The other day I wrote this post about the Secret Supper, and then Marilou at 20 York Street wrote this one, and THEN there were a few twitter conversations, and now I find myself here in front of my computer mulling it all over.

So how does a blogger get invited to exclusive events?*

*By this I mean invite-only movie premieres, store and restaurant openings, product launches etc.

It’s no big secret really. Most bloggers who are invited to attend special events are frequent and reliable content creators. They write, they take photos, they tweet. And they do it well, to an engaged audience who respects and trusts them.

The bloggers on that invite list match a target demographic that a brand wants to reach. So, for example, at the Secret Supper, the participants were evenly split between local TV and print media, and parenting and lifestyle bloggers. Generally they all had one thing in common, they were the most likely to write about the event because they are already writing about food/fashion/gear in Ottawa. Makes sense, considering the client was Giant Tiger, right?

Bloggers who have a declared interest for a particular area, are more likely to be invited to an event in that area. So fashion bloggers might land invites to fashion-related events such as store openings and fashion shows. Political bloggers, pet bloggers, poets, and knitters are probably NOT going to get invites to fashion shows and store openings because it doesn’t make sense from the brand’s perspective. Brands generally invite people who might tweet and write about them. In other words, the reason bloggers get invited is not because they’re cool, it’s because the brands hope they’ll get something. That something is exposure. This is huge.

HERE’s the secret you may not know: brands are already be looking for people like you, even if you have a blog or social media presence with a relatively small following. Not every agency is looking for blog veterans with legions of followers. In fact, many are actively avoiding those people because they’re less likely to be interested or have time.

Am I bothered when I don’t receive an invite to some event? No. I can’t expect to be invited to everything, nor do I want to. Many of these events take place in the evenings and I do like to spend time with my family too!

So. Do you want to be invited to those special events? If not, that’s ok. You have other priorities, and that’s fine, but if you do, and you’re not hearing from anyone, please consider the following:

• Maybe you haven’t been online very long, and you aren’t on anyone’s radar yet. That’s ok. Give it time, and keep working at it. The next time you hear about an event about to take place, ask the organizer for an invite. (What’s the worst thing that can happen?) If it’s a no-go, follow along at home on Twitter and get involved that way. The event organizer will notice, and who knows, maybe you’ll be put on the list for next time. Here’s a thought, you can blog about the event, if you didn’t attend.
• Look at your last 10 blog posts right now. Next, look over your last 25 tweets. What do they say about you? Do you only talk about yourself, or do you engage with others? Do you seem like someone that an organization or company would like to work with? Here’s something to consider: personal chemistry is actually pretty important here. The people who are choosing which bloggers to work with – regardless of whether the hosting company or organization is the Government of Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society, or Big Company X  – will naturally gravitate to people they like. Is this person friendly, and funny? Do they know how to turn a phrase, and get people talking? Are they professional? These people are making their lists, and consciously or subconsciously considering all of these factors… and more. Depending on the situation, the PR people might also be choosing people they will be working with directly, over a longer period of time. There is no way they’d choose someone who is a bully or a jerk online. This is why it’s always good to be your best, most authentic, professional self at all times.

Related: So where does swearing fall into all of this? Good question. I totally support writers who want to be their true selves online, but if you are using your social media presence to find work, I’d personally put a lid on the bad language. You don’t know who’s reading, and how many opportunities you may be losing. No one wants to work with someone who appears to be a loose cannon or have anger issues.

If you want to take your blog to the next level – whatever that may mean for you – you need to invest in yourself. Keep your blog and all social media channels current. Get business cards. Get a professional headshot. And make it easy for companies and PR agencies to find and contact you. Before you know it you’ll be reaching your blogging goals, no matter what they are.

RT @BillAdairDuke: Great headline in jump of the Nimoy obit in Washington Post pic.twitter.com/AV9FEZTAFd

— Chris Taylor (@christaylor_nyc) February 28, 2015

• The girl who gets gifts from birds, bbc.com
• The End of the Big Mac, theatlantic.com
• I Can Sum Up Marriage In These 11 Texts I’ve Sent My Husband, yourtango.com
• Are you emotionally intelligent? Here’s how to know for sure, theglobeandmail.com
• The Science of Why No One Agrees on the Color of This Dress, wired.com

On the nightstand: Eleanor & Park

I’ve been thinking about THE TWITTER and the power of social media a lot this past week. Mostly because (a) I’ve had two meetings with two different agencies about working with social media influencers and (b) I attended an affair called The Secret Supper, which REALLY got me thinking about the intersection of social media and marketing, and how it’s increasingly taking centre stage for a new campaign.

Back in January I received an email from Blackbook Lifestyle – a local PR agency – asking for my mailing address. As soon as I sent it to them I wondered what I was getting myself into, as most people probably wouldn’t share their mailing address with any stranger who asks for it. Sigh.

The invite arrived in the mail in a sleek black envelope. It contained an invitation to a “secret supper” hosted by “one of Canada’s top food brands.” There was not much else, and the location of this event could be only be figured out by going to a website on a certain date and typing in an personalize access code.

The secret location turned out to be the Elmdale Oyster House, which I was happy about because it’s a close drive and I’ve never actually been before. So on the appointed night, Mark and I set out together. When we arrived we gave our names which were checked against the list, and were asked to sign a release form (although I was assured my image won’t show up on a billboard anywhere). We made our way in.

I thought the idea of creating and promoting this event as a secret was pretty smart. It was an easy way to create some buzz, and people were definitely buzzing, long before the event started. (“Who’s going?” “Are you going?” “Oh, I wasn’t invited, were you?”) It all taps into the same feelings that are part of elementary school birthday parties and high school proms, doesn’t it. :)

The invitation list was a relatively small one. Media people, and bloggers, love exclusivity of any kind, for starters, and the talk of the night was WHO. Who was hosting this event? I was worried it was going to be a company I could not publicly support, such as Walmart or McDonalds. In fact, I could not stop thinking about this food blogger related fiasco. Planning this kind of event was a risk, no matter how you sliced it. The very “live” nature of it can be a huge success or an abysmal failure, and to be honest, I was prepared to walk out at any time.

The emcee was a fellow by the name of Derek Fage. I do like Derek. He’s the host of a Daytime Ottawa on Rogers and is very amiable and outgoing, and great at connecting with people. He is perfect for this kind of gig. During the evening he walked around and asked us all what we thought about each course. He dropped hints about the host (“note the colour of the decor”) and kept us guessing. I had no idea what I’d say if he came over to me.

People speculated that the host might be Whole Foods or Sobey’s as both have green in their logo. Someone guessed Roots, because of the decor. I wasn’t sure what to think. But as he wandered around the crowded room, I wondered, what are my responsibilities here? I wrestled with what I should be saying publicly, especially knowing I had signed that media release. And what should I be tweeting, if anything? Tweeting all night while sitting at a table for six is anti-social, but it’s the unspoken deal here. This is ultimately why I was invited, right? How many tweets are too many from a social standpoint? From a social media standpoint? And what’s my responsibility to Twitter followers if something bad happens? What if it the food wasn’t good? Some bloggers have stated publicly that they never publish negative reviews. I decided long ago that I had to deliver the straight goods in a fair and balanced way, but is it my DUTY to tweet it all?

The way this event was set up, I was essentially tweeting out endorsements BEFORE I actually knew what the brand was. As someone who’s built her business around authentic and honest storytelling, this didn’t exactly sit well with me, I admit. What if I commented, on camera, about how good the cheese croquettes were (fried cheese will always get a thumbs up in my books) and then it was revealed it was a new menu item at McDonald’s? And then what if my tweet and image was used to sell them to other parents? Gah.

This is something I think about, because all I’m bringing to the table is my reputation, and it’s one that I’ve spent 15 years building in this community. So the optics of these kinds of highly public events are important to me.

In the end, the food was good and the host turned out to be Giant Tiger. This was a company I felt ok about tweeting about. GT, if you didn’t know, is a home-grown success story. In fact, Mark works right across the street from the first GT in the Byward Market.

The premise of the evening was to show that GT groceries can make a very economical “fancy” dinner. I should point out that The Secret Supper menu was prepared by Elmdale Oyster House and Tavern chef Michael Radford, and included those “croquettes au fromage,” baby scallop ceviche, herb roasted lamb poutine, grilled pork tenderloin and a deconstructed key lime and coconut pie. Every item on the menu, right down to the seasonings, was sourced entirely from  GT. Even the table decor was provided by GT.

I believe now that Target is pulling out, GT is working hard to remind people that they’re a contender in this particular category. And so far they’re doing a good job. So was the evening a success from a social media point of view? I would say yes. With about 40 media types in the room, many of whom were online before, during, and after, the word got out. #Thesecretsupper was a trending topic on Twitter. These conversations, whether they happen between neighbours at the bus stop or are amplified online, are what drive sales. Did you know that GT sells amazing sweet potato fries? Well now you do.

The other day I received a copy of a press release which was titled: GIANT TIGER IMPRESSES UNSUSPECTING FOODIES WITH THE SECRET SUPPER. (And yes, it was in all caps.) I wasn’t included or mentioned (which is a-ok by me) but I think they’re walking a fine line between impressing and fooling. You know what I mean?

So, in each of those two conversations I had with agency folks this week, they each asked me: what kinds of things can brands offer, that will appeal to an influencer? I told them that this is different for everyone. Some bloggers will welcome a case of hot dogs or a box of cereal, and others will balk. Ultimately, I think, many influencers are looking for a unique opportunity or experience that they can’t find elsewhere. Exclusivity helps, as does fried cheese and bottomless glasses of wine. :)

So in effect, I guess I got what I wanted eh?

Edited to add:

I thought it might be interesting to see what other attendees wrote about the event so I’m listing them below as I become aware of them. If there are any Ottawa Secret Supper posts missing from this list, let me know!

• #TheSecretSupper – A Giant (Tiger) Surprise
• Oh What a Night #thesecretsupper
• Giant Tiger Surprises Fans with Amazing Secret Supper