AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PR MANAGER THAT MADE ME MAD

Make way people, I’m fuming. And I’m about to write a fuming blog post.

I’ve received an email that has RILED me.

At first I was gonna write a pissy email in return. And then I was like nah ah, gal got more professionalism than that. Then (after eating a whole bag of chocolate buttons in anger), I was like ‘maybe I’ll call them out on Insta stories’. But I was like nah, that could get messy.

So here I am. Writing a post about it. Because I’m angry and I’ve got a lot to say. So go grab a cuppa.

Let me start by saying that this blog is a labour of love. And I write about things I want to write about. And occasionally, paid opportunities come up and if it fits with my blog and it excites me, then yeah I like to work with people.

And sometimes I write about things and people don’t pay me. Those times it’s usually because it’s something I really wanna do anyway or I get something back in return, like a cool product or an experience (a worthwhile experience, may I add). But usually, it’s because I want to. And when I do, people never stipulate what I have to do, because hello, they aren’t paying me.

So this week, I received the usual email invitation ‘we have a really exciting opportunity for you yada yada yada’. The event itinerary in question stipulated that I must be there 8.45am-5.20pm (longer than a flippin’ work day) and that I must use social media throughout and that they require my DA to come along. And no there’s no payment, because isn’t it just wonderful that I’ve been invited. And that yes, in exchange for the ‘wonderful’ invitation, I must write a blog post for them.

Um excuse me, are you okay hun?

I get a lot of emails like this. And I always go back and very politely explain that I’m super busy and what they are asking for is 1 and a half days of my time, and therefore that costs ‘x’ amount. I always say I understand if there isn’t a budget, but please get back in touch if you’d like to work together.

The response I received back, for some reason, really got my back up.

‘Hi sorry Jade but I do not pay for the privilege of having a blog post – I have 25 bloggers booked on the trip who I am not paying, so I’m going to have to say thanks, but no thanks.’

FYI putting a smiley face on the end does not make this light hearted. It makes me madder. Also, a ‘thanks, but no thanks’ is the equivalent of ‘Soz not soz’.

I’m not mad because you said no. I completely understand if there is no budget. I am mad at the phrase ‘pay for the privilege’ like my writing and my time are worthless.

To come along to your soiree I would have had to turn down a days worth of work, and then spend another half a day working on a post for you because no, I don’t just poop out these posts willy-nilly, I work really hard to create something that people want to read and look at.

I know that in life, sometimes you have to do a little something for nothing. I’ve done my fair share of freebie blog posts & I often love, love, love writing about small local businesses that can’t afford the blogger outreach – because I’m a champion of that. But I’m totally over people (usually big organisations) asking me to move mountains for them, just because.

Little heads up – the people that get in touch with me & don’t have a budget, but are really, really nice – you’re the kinda people I wanna work with, budget or no budget. You guys keep on coming.

Also, side note, come on Blogger Community – the more you work for free, the less likely it is that people are going to pay for bloggers in the long run. Value yourself, your writing and your time.

I have so much more to say on this subject but I’m gonna wrap it up. I’d love to hear bloggers & non-bloggers views on this one. Hit me up.

Rant over.

Imma go cuddle some dogs & eat some ice-cream. Maybe have a gin.