We would like to invite you to cover the online event and talk about it on your social feed. Depending on the association we can try to get some of these designers to share your posts. We will be associating with just 1o -15 fashion/lifestyle influencers. If you would like to be considered for this, please send us details on your circle of influence and the team will get in touch with you if you are shortlisted.
“We would like to invite you to cover…” When is this nonsense going to stop you ask? It will stop when you, dear blogger, decide to stop responding to these invitations. “If you would like to be considered…” and “shortlisted”. Yikes. They’ve got it ass-backwards.
See, dear person who wrote this email ( not that you’re going to be reading this piece here ), you wrote to me because you want someone to promote your event. Create awareness about your event. This is WORK. And WORK costs effort and resources, which need to be compensated for by MONEY.
So unless you’re paying me for work, what makes you think I’m interested in being “considered” to work for free for you? As if you taking me under your wing as a slave is something I need to be grateful for. “Yes Master! Please spank me so that I clean your floors faster, for free AND am grateful for the work and spanking.” Erhmgd.
“We will be associating with just 10-15 influencers…” You should publish their names so that everyone else can know who NOT to work with in the future. Seriously bloggers, don’t be idiots. It might SEEM like what you do is effortless but it is not. Do not fall for this twisted approach by brands. As if there is some form of prestige associated with working with them for free. You are not the “chosen one”, you’re the idiot. You won’t gain anything but will be poorer.
Such emails are huge fiery red flags and I never forget the name of the agency or brand that emails this kind of hogwash. I’m doubly cautious with them if they ever write a sane email about engaging with a professional. Which only ever happens if there’s a change in the team or if the old-guard’s dead.
“We can try to get these designers to share your posts…” Erm. Most of “these designers” have non-existent social media presence or networks. If they do have a presence, all they ever do anyway is post “This dress available at our boutique now! Come buy!”, which is the worst way to engage. How is this a carrot you’re attempting to dangle? In some cases, I’d probably not want to associate with “these designers’ even if they paid me to because there is thing known as a “brand fit” and many don’t fit with my Naina.co brand.
Shocking that such emails are allowed in 2017. Whoever approved it, is in all probability someone who has no idea that the world has moved on to much more open and transparent work practices. That attempting to disguise slavery as “the designer will write about you and that’s such a privilege”, is not only a waste of time – because no blogger/influencer worth anything will even respond to such an email – but also reflects poorly on not only the person sending out the email but also the agency and “these designers” who are part of this event that needs poor gullible sods to cover it for them.
That’s just one paragraph from the multi-paragraphed long email. But this was the one that has the most masala in it, so worked best for the #WTFNaina column. Until next week!
More anecdotes and stories in the #WTFNaina series. ( These are all inspired by true stories. Some written emails, some from face-to-face meetings. They have all been piling up for years now and I’ve decided to put them to use! )
