Advanced Monetization: Make Your Own Opportunities #Blissdom

Advanced Monetization is Not for Whiny Complainers: Make Your Own Opportunities

Panel – Esther Crawford, Kim Moldofsky, Barbara Jones

Presenter: Sommer Poquette

Today’s social media Thought Leaders are making their own opportunities.

Beyond Advertising

Examples

• Freelance writing
• Spokesperson roles
• ebook
• Publishing a book
• Brand Ambassador
• Video Blogging
• Public Speaking
• Consulting
• Twitter Parties
• Connecting moms and brands (blog tours)
• Conferences
• Organizing focus groups

Fromblogtobusiness.com – Free book from Ester Crawford & Jennifer James

shouldiworkforfree.com – great chart

What are you worth?

The challenge of knowing and then asking.

Will talk about….

• Reports
• ROI
• Media kit
• Networking
• Strengths & Weaknesses
• Partnerships
• contracts and legal mumbo-jumbo

Entertainment lawyer helped Esther to weed through 30 page contract with Weight Watchers and it earned her 30 times what she would have earned without the lawyer during her relationship with Weight Watchers.

You can ask to add or remove or change any clauses in a contract.

What we know

• Increasing PR campaigns involving mom bloggers
• More blogging success stories
• Companies crediting bloggers for campaign success
• Increase in blogging conferences and professional development opportunities

you are an authority so the brands want to work with you.

Know your niche & your story.

The jealousy & envy will get you know where. Figure out how to get there.

Make your own opportunities.

Being nice & supportive will take you a lot farther….

Brands have long planning cycles. Start the relationships now. May take years

Brands are always flagging people they want to work with on projects that may be 2-3 yrs down the road.

Make it easy for brands & others to know what your story is. You will be recommended more.

Make “about me” easy to find and don’t use forms to get the info. Have it on your blog. (be sure to have general location on blog)

Success helps us all continually raise the bar

Survey results

(go to MomImpact to fill out survey)

Sponsored post – about $50 was the most (highest was $1000) 40% in $51 – 74 range, 18 % in 26 – 50 range

Twitter Party – average cost of running it is $550

Value capital and social capital are important – could be well respected people, but not have high traffic.

Brand Ambassadorships – Free, $50 – 100, $500 – 1000, $5k – 10k  These are the 4 ranges that were high.

Cost of Giveaway – Most were free (53%)

Five bloggers were making money from ebooks, making $100, $500 $1,000, $8,000, $15,000

Ave Hourly rate for social media consulting – $93 (has a lot to do with experience & what delivering) highest was $350/hr When paid hourly, you may be penalized because you are fast. someone slow will make more. Doesn’t make sense always. Flat rates eliminate that.

So many ways out there to monetize what you are doing. You have to keep trying. See what works for you, your brand & your blog.

If you don’t like doing something, then don’t!! Find something you do like doing.

Those who are doing this as full time job are making their income from a variety of sources. Know what you are good at.

The blog is where people find you. The money is made outside of blog most often.

If you are going to come back and give them a higher number for what you need for an offer, you need to be ready to lose the opportunity

Feedback from conference sponsorships – brands should get something after you are done. Tell them what you gave out, samples of screen shots of tweets, Facebook, anything other social media.

Memo of Understanding – e-mail with expectation from brand and from you.

Some bloggers now have agents.

You have to become your own salesperson.

Partner with other bloggers for these opportunities.

To Do:  Figure out your rate and then come up with 10 reasons why you are worth that number.

With pitches, be creative if you want it! Keep it short.

You are the boss of your company and you make the rules. If you not comfortable with something, don’t do it.

Related articles

• Mom Bloggers CAN Make Money Blogging (greenandcleanmom.org)
• Scott Stratten Put the Bliss in Blissdom (planetpookie.com)