I recently attended a conference, and had a great time. I am not going to lie to you – going to conferences are extremely exhausting and time consuming, it is time away from your family where someone else is required to pick up the slack. I almost always walk away from a conference feeling completely drained. And that is not even mentioning the cost – each conference costs me somewhere around the $1,000 – $1,500 range depending on ticket cost, airfare, hotel, and meals. You have to look at a conference as an investment in your future business, and with that in mind you expect to get certain knowledge out of a conference that you would not be able to get easily on-line. But if you put your nose to the grindstone and go in with a game plan, conferences have the potential for big returns in either blog growth or company partnerships.
At this particular conference, I got to talk with a lot of companies as well as fellow bloggers. One of the topics that came up a lot between friends and companies, was the topic of working for free product. This is not a new topic for bloggers, and in fact has been covered pretty competently.
There are those that are pro-free product, and those that are adamantly against. Here is where I stand, and my take away from the conference as to where some companies stand.
*Please note – I will not mention any company names, nor will I tell you who they are if you e-mail me privately.
Working for Free Product.
Is it legit?
Companies attend these conference because it is a great way to get their latest product that they are marketing in front of bloggers eyeballs. Their goal and hope is that bloggers will promote said product via Social Media and posts. Multiply that by each bloggers followers = this is essentially cheap advertising. It is extremely smart on the companies behalf. Especially when you factor in the booth prizes. Give away a T-shirt for a social media share. Hello – most of these companies have stockpiles of t-shirts in their office closet. And who doesn’t love a free t-shirt? I know I do, and I am willing to share something via one of my social media channels to get it. Especially if it is say, Twitter – where the tweet is literally here one second, gone the next.
But here is what I saw happening. Bloggers would Instagram the crappy taken-in-a-booth-photo for the product, then immediately delete the photo once they walked away. Is this kosher? No. But guess what…neither is the company demanding a free social media share for their product.
But this is the easiest way for a company to justify to the CEO the cost of being a sponsor at a conference. The number of social media reach needs to outweigh conference cost to justify conference sponsorship.
That being said, companies have now spent some of their blogging advertising budget by simply sponsoring the conference. Some companies do not have a huge blogger budget, and need to be extremely resourceful in who they choose to work with. We all need to be smart with our money, am I right?
SO DON’T BE FOOLED BY BLOGGERS SAYING THEY NEVER WORK FOR FREE!
Some of the biggest bloggers I know were privately talking about free product posts at this conference. I am not against working for product…on occasion. If there is a large ticket item, that I happen to WANT and was going to spend my own money on, then I would consider working for free for said product on a one-off post. Let me give an example. Say there is a $1,000 sewing machine that I desperately wanted. I would consider contacting the company for the product to be used as compensation for the post.
This is not working for free. This is saving me $1,000 out of my own pocket – and getting the product I wanted. Meanwhile, I am doing the work for the product by promoting it properly through blog posts and social media channels.
I still have to pay taxes on that ‘free’ product. Furthermore, government laws state that I need to promote that post as an advertisement with sponsored content.
I will reiterate, the only way I find this form of ‘payment’ acceptable is if I already happened to want that product and was going to purchase it on my own. And of course it has to fall above the price tag of a sponsored blog post for my rates.
WHAT FREE-PRODUCT COMPANIES SAY.
Before I begin, I will state for the record that not all companies feel this way. In fact, it was a pleasant surprise to hear that many companies at this conference were talking money. So a big huge YEAH for the turn around.
But not all. In fact, I was shocked that not all had come around. Many were still defending their product for posts stance. I did not ask them specifically, after all – I was not a reporter at this conference grilling companies on their financial stance or anything. But some marketing people at this conference were surprisingly defensive on their stance of free product when discussing their companies focus and desires.
I had one company representative LAUGH when talking to me about free product for post. I believe her quote was, “How dare they ask for $50 per post, when we are sending them a $300 machine!”. And this was the main woman there representing their huge brand!!! My head just about fell off my body. Ummmmmm…yeah, ok. Let me just call my cable company and see if they will accept a machine for paying my bill this month. And furthermore, I am pretty sure her company is not giving her a machine at the end of the week to pay her employment check.
Some people are just stupid. Or maybe not stupid, but quite simply don’t have the capacity for putting themselves in other’s shoes. There is a huge disconnect between their brand and bloggers as PEOPLE with bills to pay, instead of vehicles for promotion.
And she was not alone. Although she was the only person who was boldly proclaiming it. Many fliers I picked up from the sponsor companies were looking for ‘product post partnerships’. Where you would be a part of some cool-kid inner club, and they would send you free product.
But I guess if you happen to want the product and were going to pay for it anyway…than revert to my first section. Just know beforehand, this will probably never turn into a paying gig so keep in mind it is a one-off deal. There is no goodwill or harbor for your personal livelihood by companies that expect you to work for free product. They simply want the promotion that goes hand in hand with their product.
WHAT PAYING COMPANIES SAY.
Many, if not most, companies have jumped on the affiliate bandwagon. And while this is not an all-out compensation for your work – it is at least a willingness to share the profit of your work. Which is kind of a win/win as it really puts the ball in your court to be successful. Do you have an engaged audience, that trusts what you say? Then an affiliate program could be really lucrative for you. This is really easy for a company to set up, and at least puts forward an effort on their part. So while they may not have a budget in place for bloggers, they are willing to share profit income if you bring them sales.
Fewer companies are willing to outright sponsor / pay for post content. Well, actually, I tend to believe that ALL companies are willing to pay for sponsored post. It all depends on if they want to work with you. Many companies will not admit this to a group of 300+ bloggers though, as the response and demand would be overwhelming. But there were indeed a few who marketed paid sponsorship posts, and my hats are off to them in a huge way!
STAND OUT IN A CROWD.
The problem with these conferences is that you really need to stand out in order to make an impression. Often the companies only see the larger fish in the sea, and will court them in private parties and meetings. So smaller fish need to really jump up and down on a couch, ala Tom Cruise style, in order to be heard. But hey – if jumping up and down is what it takes – then get your shoes ready and hustle baby!
For example, I had the absolute BEST conversation with one company in particular at this conference. I walked away thinking, I’ve GOT this. You know that feeling? Everything was coming up Jessica. Later on that night I was at one of the parties, and the sponsor lady came over. She completely ignored me and talked with the lady in front of me who happened to have a huge blog…and they made plans for a private meeting. I mean – this company lady looked straight at me, and looked away. Humbling to say the least.
But guess what, the ball is truly in my court. Don’t expect for these companies to come knocking at your door after a conference. YOU need to follow up, and follow up again and again and again. make yourself known to them in a way that cannot be ignored. And DO NOT BE SHY about asking for money. The woman who laughed over your $50 post rate compared to her machine cost? Forget her. Keep moving on and keep knocking, and the right company will open their door to you.
LASTLY, I BELIEVE THAT SPONSORSHIPS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT LIKE PARTNERSHIPS.
Just like we want companies to view us as real people with real bills, we need to look at companies as real people who need to make money to pay their bills. A company does not just have free product or cash lying around that they want to throw out the window. So if you are going to take on working with a big company, then you need to accept the responsibility that goes with it. Don’t write a ‘throw-away’ post that no one engages with, and expect the company to be okay with that. You need to do your absolute best to let the company have a return on their investment. When they work with you, they are viewing you as an investment. Which is why accepting the right partnerships for your brand is KEY.
So working for free product, is it legit?
No one person can answer this for you. You can only do what is right for you. But here are my final thoughts…
If you are going to work for free product, than let it be the right product. Not just anything. And view that post as a stepping stone into paid content posting. Do your absolute best, and put that company name on your media kit as a resource for future company pitches. You want to do such a good job, that when the free-product company returns to work with you again – you have positioned yourself to ask for a paying rate that they will be unable to refuse. Why? Because they know working with you is worth the investment.
I agree on all points. I will occasionally do an unpaid product post for an item I would buy; even on a much smaller scale than a $1000 sewing machine. But I’m not sure why bloggers are treated as if they are the lowest form of advertising, when it’s one of the most effective ways to promote a brand. If you compare price a sponsored blog post to a magazine ad, tv commercial, or almost any other form of online advertisement with the same amount of viewers; we are getting pennies.
I recently responded to a brand I admire when they reached out to bloggers for product posts. I recieved an email that they would love to work with me, and for the free product I would only need to write instructions with 5 photos for each step. I was shocked…they wanted me to write their instructions in a post with 50 photos? It wasn’t an expensive product- it equaled out to less than a couple dollars an hour. Never mind!
I’ve also almost completely stopped pattern testing, because a designer once expected me to sew a garment several times. After $300 in fabric for a $20 pattern, I felt like a sucker. I’ve been asked to sew a second round in the past, and sometimes comply if my schedule and budget allows. I wasn’t asked in this case…it was assumed that we would be okay with spending over a week honing a designer’s drafting skills through 3+ test versions. That should’ve been a paid job.
A free product is not the same thing as being paid. It’s fine for brands and bloggers to parter up with product deals, but I’m tired of brands treating bloggers as if we are being paid a wage. I am not an employee unless I’m getting a paycheck. Am I being to rant-y? I guess this is all pretty fresh on my mind.
A 50 photo blog post?! I don’t even want to know the load time on that web page! Ha! I had never quite thought of the pattern testing world, I know some people really love to be testers. But I guess it all depends on who you work with! Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting, I love hearing from you!
Amen sister! I was at Snap too and am following up with just a few brands who I feel would be a great fit for my very niche blog…the majority of the responses: ‘ We can send you free product for promotion on your blog, but we don’t have a budget for sponsored posts.” Guess what I can’t feed my family with fake flowers or a drill bit, so this doesn’t seem like it’s going to work out.
Wow Melissa, just wow. I am so sorry to hear the responses you are getting. I have only e-mailed one person, and look forward to hitting the follow up e-mail train next week.
On a side note – I actually took your class at Snap! It was one of my favorites. I got so much good info from it, and found myself taking notes like a mad woman. It was one of the few classes that propelled me into action – and I immediately came home and started writing my first eBook. So THANK YOU for that!! Your information was spot on.
This is the kind of mindset I have when offering to test PDF patterns, though it is definitely on a smaller scale! Thanks for putting your thoughts into words…I’m sure this can be the elephant in the room at a big conference like SNAP
Thanks so much Sora!
This is such a well thought out post – thank you for putting all those thoughts & ideas out there. I often see people asking for stuff for basically for free ie… proof-read a document and in return you’ll get the finished, published document for free — huh, they already have the document!!
I think, as makers & bloggers, we under-estimate our own worth. My own mum will spin some wool, knit it into a jumper and then only charge a person $60 for the finished product. I have tried to tell her again & again that she needs to put her prices up but she doesn’t think it is worth it and she’d lose that customer. She may lose that customer but she’d probably gain another because they think the product is worth it. Make sense? Anyway, thanks for the blog post, it’s refreshing to find someone that thinks a little like me!
I know that feeling all too well, of not feeling ‘worth it’. We compare our handmade creations with Target prices, and fear that nobody will want a hundred dollar handmade sweater. But you are so RIGHT with the advice you give her. She may lose one set of customers, but will gain a whole new set that values handmade, indie designers. And really, isn’t that the kind of customer we want anyway? They may be smaller in number, but greater in appreciation! And getting the true value of what we make/do – it is just good for the soul.
Right on. This is an awesome post and one that needs to be voiced loudly. It’s so funny to hear you talk about feeling like a small fish because of course in the sewing blogger community you are a giant fish. I just had a company that offered me a product for post and said yes only because I really like their product and would have bought it. But like Amy said I have stopped pattern testing and all that hoopla as well since that should really be a paid service. I really love hearing your candid thoughts on his topic. Especially since I am wanting to go to SNAP next year. My recent thoughts have been to remind myself that my time is valuable, whether it be in a monetary form or time spent with my family. And to prioritize accordingly.
Snap! was so much fun, and I learned a lot in some of the classes. I think you are going to have a great time!!! It is like Amy says below – everything on a case by case basis. If it works for you? GREAT! And if not, then don’t be afraid to say no and move on. Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting, I love hearing from you!!!
Another thing to remember is that a product doesn’t cost a company the retail price to produce that product. A good rule of thumb is about 25% of the retail. So for a $300 product . . . it probably cost them about $70 to make it. That’s not always true as it depends on the industry (I worked in marketing for years), but it’s a smart starting point when evaluating opportunities. Having said that, I understand that bloggers can’t purchase at wholesale. But for a company to complain about giving a person $50 and a $300 product? No. That’s a little over $100 for them at cost to reach thousands of people, and you can’t do that any other way for that kind of money.
I try not to judge bloggers for the decisions they make since we’re all at different points in our lives and blogging career, and unless you are walking in someone else’s shoes, it’s not fair to comment. However, I would encourage any blogger to learn as much as they can about negotiating as well as talk to other bloggers/freelance about how they charge and their approach to free product. I have worked for free product in the past and would definitely do so in the future. But it’s a case-by-case basis, and I take a lot of time and thought in evaluating each opportunity to make sure it’s a good fit for me and I’m valuing my blog/brand!
Yes, yes, and YES!!! You hit the nail on the head Amy. Every person is different, and we cannot judge what others do. We are all in different places in our walk – and everything is a case by case basis. Thank you so much for putting this so much more eloquently than I could have. Your info is SPOT ON.
I used to post for free product, fabric, etc. but found I was getting lots of craft products i wasn’t interested in or wouldn’t have bought. and then started to feel resentful so I stopped.But I would do it for Mood fabric maybe since I love their fabrics anyway and buy them.
THANK YOU FOR THIS POST! I have told THREE companies who’ve approached me in the past two weeks, “no” because I am just plain sick of not being compensated for my time, my audience, etc. This really just reiterates to me what I’ve been telling myself…. but then doubt creeps in: should I have said yes? What if I had asked for less money? What if I just burned a bridge? What if they think I’m crazy/narcissistic for wanting product + payment? Bottom line? I can’t contribute to paying our mortgage with [enter free product here]. I can’t go on a fun vacation with my family by trading in [enter free product here]. Of course there are exceptions to this, but for the most part I can’t go on giving my time and resources away for free. And I don’t think others should either! We are worth more than that!! Thanks for shedding light on this topic, Jess. <3
Caroline – I think COMPANIES are crazy and narcissistic for asking you to work for anything less than your terms! You and your blog are freaking awesome!! If I were you, I’d make people pay me top dolla! Haha 🙂
I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain around $50 for a post. Sewing, writing, editing, photography, photo-editing, materials… Am I missing something? If a company were to offer me $50 to write a post I would be the one laughing at them.
Jess! What a great post! As a newbie, it’s been hard to realize what my time and effort is worth since I don’t yet have a huge reach with my blog alone. But an interesting thing happened recently: I did a sponsored post through a 3rd party marketing company and when it went live, the client contacted me to let me know they’d be promoting my post as a paid ad on facebook. I thought, “Well, cool. More traffic for me.” And it was…about 1000 times more than my usual traffic for a whole week! What it made me realize was that producing quality content is really valuable – regardless of how many regular readers a blog has. They paid me a very negligible amount of money in marketing terms and they got a HUGE payout…so DANGIT! I’m worth it! I actually still get emails from people asking for posts highlighting their product and offer NOTHING in return, no product, no money. That’s right – I would just get the pleasure of promoting their product in my post that took 7 hours to produce. Ummmm, yeahnothanks.
Anywho – thanks for your honesty and encouragement in pricing ourselves fairly. Keep up the amazing content, girl! (and it was so nice meeting you at Snap!)
I totally agree with everything. I also recently wrote a blog post about scaling down a project to meet a client’s budget, which also falls in line with this. Bottom line, if we don’t value our services, we can’t expect anyone else to.
My blog has slowly turned into a full time, well paid job that I still mostly enjoy. Over the last couple of years, I’ve moved away from sewing as the main my focus and have switched to a more recipe/lifestyle website, for this exact reason! Food/beauty/lifestyle brands/sponsors compensate what I consider fair and sewing related brands mostly don’t. (IMO) Though I would definitely consider product for a post if it was worth the cost and was something I wanted. (However, I pretty much already have everything I want, paid for by me with my blogging income, and written off as an expense of course. Just my 2 cents…