PR

SSPR - Please Stop Spamming Bloggers (Updated with SSPR Response)

leelefever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:29 -0400

Dear SSPR,
You have been sending me emails for months now, apparently from someone named Sarah who always has a "Story Idea:" for me. Since then I have asked three times (including a voicemail) to be removed from your distribution list. What happened today? I received another email from Sarah about another awesome "STORY IDEA".

I've given up trying to stop your emails. You obviously don't care about my requests, or care that you're proving to me and a lot of others that you accomplish the opposite effect of PR - you demean your clients in front of the very people you're trying to reach. I would never write a story after receiving a pitch from you.

I know that stories from bloggers mean a lot to your clients. Do they know your tactics? Do they know that you don't respect requests from the very people you are asking to write stories? Do they know people like me consider you spammers?

I think the PR industry has a place in the online world and there are hordes of smart people in PR who have found the right ways to work with bloggers. I just received a pitch today from someone who had read this site and personalized their message. I respect them for taking the time.

You, SSPR, have a very long way to go. Like any relationship, your efforts must be built on honesty and respect. It has to be built on personal connections. Every time you send an unwanted email and ignore removal requests, you are insulting me, yourselves and PR industry as a whole. It's called spam and no one wants more of it.

What I want is for you to understand what is wrong with what you're doing. Here are a number of resources and perspectives for understanding how to pitch bloggers.

Matt Haughey: How to Pitch Bloggers

Getting to First Base: Social Media Marketing Playbook (e-book)

Pro Blogger: 21 Tips on Pitching Bloggers

Stowe Boyd: The Growing Backlash Against PR Spam

I suppose I should be thankful in some ways, you've suceeded in giving me a "STORY IDEA", though I doubt it's what you wanted.

PS - I see you've made it onto the PR Spammers wiki. Congrats on that.

Updated:

Just after posting this entry, I was contacted by Belinda Banks, Executive Vice President at SSPR, who was apologetic and said that change is happening in the company. From her message:

We have addressed this situation internally, not only with Sarah but with our entire staff, especially all of our new team members. Inaccurate pitching is a personal pet peeve of mine and we are striving for each staff member to resonate that same theme.
I appreciate Belinda's response, but at the same time, the proof is in the pudding. I hope we'll see real change from them and others in the industry.

SSPR - Please Stop Spamming Bloggers (Updated with SSPR Response)

leelefever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:29 -0400

Updated:

SSPR - Please Stop Spamming Bloggers (Updated with SSPR Response)

leelefever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:29 -0400

Updated:

SSPR - Please Stop Spamming Bloggers (Updated with SSPR Response)

leelefever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:29 -0400

Updated:

SSPR - Please Stop Spamming Bloggers (Updated with SSPR Response)

leelefever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:29 -0400

Updated:

SSPR - Please Stop Spamming Bloggers (Updated with SSPR Response)

leelefever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:29 -0400

Updated:

SSPR - Please Stop Spamming Bloggers (Updated with SSPR Response)

leelefever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:29 -0400

Updated:

SSPR - Please Stop Spamming Bloggers (Updated with SSPR Response)

leelefever — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:09:29 -0400

Updated:

Rubel Says Fortune 500s Need to Listen to Common Craft

leelefever — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 20:34:46 -0400

I write that title with tongue firmly in-cheek. I do work with a couple of Fortune 500s, but Steve is reacting to the survey results that show that Google Results = Bad PR and referring to a case study I wrote a while back about using blogs to get better search results. He says:

Fortune 500 companies need to tear a page out of Common Craft's Google playbook. They boosted their Google rankings by defining a niche for their blog, targeting search phrases, naming categories for each phrase, and writing effectively about subjects related to each category.

I'm flattered, but I think it is an odd comparison to make. Here's an excerpt from the comment I left on the entry:

From my perspective, what Coke needs is the ability to have a voice in the "conversation". By having (something like) an authoritative blog on the soft drink industry, they can become a more powerful voice among the negative press. They can stand up for themselves and perhaps earn better Google rankings in the process.
They should be doing the same thing that brought me to this post -- listening to what the blog world is saying and responding like a person.