This week I enrolled in blogging university – “nudiversity”, as run by the fab PR Company Naked Communications and guest hosted by uber bloggers Mrs Woog and Eden Riley, to learn more about the business of blogging.

The theme of the night was a casual chat with a focus on helping “brands and bloggers get it right”.

Without rehashing the entire presentation, I wanted to share the things I took away from the evening, in case it might help anyone else who wrestles with the whole PR/Blogging conundrum.

One of the most hotly debated discussions was the “Media Kit” (a term we all readily agreed we loathed and how we have hereby re branded it to a “position/brand statement”). It really is a necessary evil and you will need to include it in your blogging lexicon if you would like to professionally present your case to PR Agency’s. However, Eden is the first to say she has survived this far without one, and even though this has not held her back she begrudgingly admits she will have to embrace this notion soon.

Be sure to create one as if you are cooking a culinary masterpiece. Essential ingredients are required such as your mission statement (preferably in 15 words or less), a snapshot of your readers/interactions via social media and stats, along with brands you’ve worked with. A “brag file” is something easy to create (and we can all thank Ms Styling You for that tip!) and is a great way to keep track of testimonials to include.

When approaching a company be sure to do your research, find out who to contact and never spell out your concrete expectations in the initial introduction. Build a repore, create mutual trust.

Of course, no PR related piece would be complete without addressing the elephant in the room; the old “selling out” chestnut that oft gets trotted out if a blogger promotes or is paid to cover a product.

Personally, I don’t believe there is such a concept unless you do something that goes against your integrity. You always know when something is not right; you get that uncomfortable twinge in your tummy to confirm you feelings. If you don’t do those things, I don’t see you as a sell out at all. We all have bills to pay (or is that just me?) and I believe we deserve to be compensated for our time. Agencies shouldn’t dare view us as simply a free avenue to promote products and clientele. Yes we might get more traffic to our site, but when we know your client has a marketing budget, a small fee is surely not stretching the friendship to cover our time?

That being said, it is still hard to turn down a pitch. If nothing else, it’s a flattering as all get out when someone approaches you – it is like you have finally been recognised for being something other than a bum wiping mum…

I suppose for so long, and for so many, blogging is a hobby. I know that is how is mainly is for me. But I do have an expectation that if I’m asked to do something for a company, that it is recognised that either I, or anyone who reads my blog, will get something in return. I think it just makes good business sense. And I’d be lying if I didn’t hope that some day this little slice of cyber space enjoys some sort of regular monetary success.

As I left that night, my head was swimming with ideas and thoughts. It’s all very new territory to me so I am both excited and overwhelmed. Talking about what your readers wants, how to present yourself in “position statements” all sounds so professional and I feel like such small fry.

To be honest I’m not sure what my blog is quintessentially about, I don’t know who reads it. All I know is that I write to empty the words out of my head, and if I did not, I might explode. I love that it gives me an allowance to be creative, to tell a story. All I have ever wanted to do is write and I can do this without a university degree or stack of rejection letters to silence me.

I guess I am selfish in that I write about what I want to and think if I start writing what I think people want to read then its not me being authentic.

(And how on earth I will ever sum up on only 15 words what my blog is about is beyond me – look how long its taken me to get to this point? I am a rambler, clearly…)
But I truly do feel events such as this can help the humble blogger such as myself, who has no idea where to start, to gain an important insight into how the make the most of this burgeoning business in Australia. My thanks to Lorraine Murphy from Naked Communications who gave a fantastic, informative presentation, and of course, Mrs Woog and Eden put their personal stamp on the evening as only they could! 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on all things Media Kits/PR Agencies/Blogs working with Brand – do you agree or disagree that bloggers deserve compensation if they work with a brand? And is a Media Kit (aka Position Statement!) essential to prosper in the blogosphere?