Jenner California
Since I began blogging in 2008 I have received no less than 10,000 emails posing the same scenario below.
Think; do you email pros along similar lines?
Imagine reaching out to a stranger with this request.
Blogger Outreach Line of Thinking
Do me a favor.
I know I’m a stranger.
But please give me your bank account number. Send me your routing number too. Worry not; I will only take a little bit of your money. I am only a stranger, after all.
I promise to invest some of your money in a high yield savings account. You never met me before this email. But you have my word. I promise. I am a trustworthy person. Just ask me. I will prove it.
I, who never built a relationship with you, have no clue in hell what you value, and who have sized you up completely in 4 minutes, personally promise to work to make life easier on you. I need access to your money. I can work my magic after you send me your numbers.
Now if you do not reply in two days I will circle around again (RB loves that one!) to ask for your money.
The only modest ask is for you to send me your account numbers to gain full access to your money. It’s not asking much. I probably won’t take too much of it. But I will place some money in a high yield savings account first and foremost. You win. I win. You make money. I help you make money on autopilot.
Win-win!
This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for the past 18 years of your professional blogging career. I cannot imagine that 10,000 bloggers sent you this identical pitch, have they? None of them have been quite like me, have they?
Waiting for your positive response.
Signed,
Flossy Swedberg
Think Like a Blogging Pro Not a Blogging Pauper
I swear to GOD I did in fact receive a spam comment from a Flossy Swedberg once.
I am not kidding.
Anyway, any outreach specialist would deem the above email pitch to be ridiculous.
Yet every outreach specialist makes the same request multiple times daily via my Gmail inbox.
Blogging From Paradise Dot Com generates:
- organic traffic
- blogging income
- referral traffic
- referral business
based on:
- the depth, detail and relevance of my blog posts
- the depth, detail and relevance of genuine blog comments
- my hard-earned credibility gained over 18 years of patient, consistent, mindful effort
The split second I:
- offer guest blogging rights to anyone
- link offsite
- reference anyone here other than myself
I hand the guest blogger, owner of the website link or blogger referenced the account number to one of my bank accounts.
Blog posts on Blogging From Paradise Dot Com earn me money. Or blog posts here damage my credibility to lose me money. Links here earn me money. Or links here damage my credibility to lose me money. Bloggers referenced here earn me money or damage my credibility to lose me money.
Feel free to re-read the first dozen paragraphs above.
Do you understand my perspective?
Do you understand why I do not read cold pitches?
Let’s think this one through.
Outreach specialists want to give a little bit of work; write and submit a guest post. Or maybe they really want to mail it in by sending me a link. Perhaps they give me a little bit of money: $5 USD, $100 USD or $400 USD.
$400 USD seems like a lot but only if you cheapen your blog. Circling the globe for 12 years (and running) is NOT worth a $400 USD transaction to me. Every single backlink you point out becomes fully representative of your blog. Sorry; every content element represents the whole.
Do you want to develop blogging posture?
Follow someone who’s blogged consistently for 18 years.
He’s made all the mistakes you will probably make until you trust his 18 years of blogging experience.
So….a blogger wants to gain access to my name, brand, organic blog traffic, high DA blog and 18 years of mindful effort with high organic traffic and high income potential based on a personal promise from a stranger? Or for a guest post for $5 USD to $400 USD?
Asking for a ton while giving a little is silly.
I never entertain silly requests.
Silly blogger outreach requests boast an 18 year failure rate for me. 12 years for Blogging From Paradise Dot Com.
But what about personalized blogger outreach requests?
Warm Pitches from Strangers Who Did 15 Minutes of Research
I appreciate individuals who learn my first name.
I value folks who spend 15 minutes reading my blog.
I thank them for trying to convince me that I need them for a mutually beneficial partnership.
But I stopped reading their emails a dozen years ago too because my loyal readers have committed to serving me with no strings attached for 15 years not 15 minutes. Some served me freely for 2 years. Customers don’t bullshit me about personal promises for the future. Customers buy my stuff for $10 USD, $20 USD or $200 USD to access my premium content. Customers GIVE money and take my helpful resources. Warm outreach specialists GIVE a little bit (15 minutes) to TAKE a helluva lot from me: my blog, my brand, my traffic, high organic traffic potential and high income potential.
Who earns my full attention? Customers, loyal readers, former clients and anyone who helps me with no strings attached.
Who do I look past? Everyone in my inbox save the few who ask me genuine blogging questions.
Why?
For the same reason none of these outreach specialists gives strangers their bank account number and routing number.
Why do blogger outreach specialists send me these pitches day after day?
None have read this blog post.
But now some have, hopefully.
How Do You Earn Pro Blogger Trust?
Give a lot.
Ask a little if you ask anything at all.
Help pros with no strings attached. Buy their premium offerings. Hire pros. Endorse pros. Give freely. Earn credibility. Build relationships. Drop highly detailed, practical blog comments. Support pros.
Ask pros for guidance to act upon not for favors from them.
Never ask for endorsements; they would have already endorsed you.
Never ask for money; earn money with your detailed content.
Give Freely
Give, give then give some more.
Giving freely with no expectations earns pro blogger trust.
Prospering opportunities arise organically.
But only after you consistently help pro bloggers without asking for anything in return.