I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about why I started my blog, and what I wanted to accomplish by starting a blog. I am simply a woman, wife, mom, consumer who would love to shape the way products are made, sold, packaged, and advertised. I would like to let companies AKA brands know what I like and dislike about their product or services and what I don’t like, and what I would love to see, and what I think as a consumer can be made better.

My goal was to use blogging as the platform in which my voice is heard. I felt that my blog, which potentially can be read by millions, although still read by thousands, was able to have a bigger voice than me alone writing a review on another website, or sending a lonely letter to a company.

This all happened about a year ago when I was introduced to the concept of the Walmart 11moms. When I saw these woman and how powerful and meaningful they were to Walmart (a huge corporation) I knew this is what I wanted to be doing. Not just for Walmart but any company whose products I love, like, would love to like, and even companies for products/services that I never even heard of or used before. As a consumer you never know what you will come across in the ways of product. There are so many, and so many companies vying for your purchase. I love to be the first to get the opportunity to try out products and let others know what I think. It has always been exciting to me.

I have done a ton of product reviews this past year, and I love almost every product I have been sent to try. I would never write a “bad” post of a product I didn’t like, but what I would do, is let others know what I feel could be made differently or better IN MY OPINION. I have no certificates in product testing or degree’s in marketing. But what I do have is the knowledge of a consumer, mother, wife, and woman. I know what I like,  I know what I don’t like, and I feel I am valued by my friends and family, and now my readers, as a voice who can be trusted and who is entitled to my quality opinion.

I would hope that I can build strong relationships with Brands/Companies, and also with the wonderful PR people who I work with on different campaigns and posts that I write.

This said, recently I have felt an almost “coldness” if you will from PR folks and a few companies who have wanted me to write a post or do a review for them. I am not talking “coldness” as if they are rude, no way, in fact most of them are really nice and cool to work with. What I am talking about is I will get a “pitch” to write about a product or review a product, then I may write back saying I am interested in doing so, and then I get a follow up email telling me to send my address and they will get me the product to review. Next thing I know the product is at my door, I do the review, post it, write back to the company or PR rep. to let them know, and then this is where it stops, COLD in it’s tracks…..

This isn’t really at all what I was looking for when I started my blog, but this seems to be “the norm”. I am hardly ever asked to do anything further, not asked what can be made better, if anything, not asked about any sequel to the product or service at all, well until they have another product they may want me to review, if that ever happens.

So in evaluating this, I am starting to feel like a “Generic Product Reviewer” and not a “Blogger who wants her voice heard”. So I am going to make some changes on this. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the products and giveaways, but this isn’t what I wanted my blog to be.

I saw how IMPORTANT the 11moms are to Walmart. I mean, the CEO of Walmart met with them to HEAR them. He sat in an hour conference with just us. I saw how powerful he KNOWS they can be. I know how 1 voice can turn into millions. THIS is what Word of Mouth Marketing IS. When a person loves a product/service and they in turn tell a person or a few people and then it spirals out of control into millions of people. I know how powerful to a company I can be and I know that if they want my consumer dollars then they need to and will listen to me via my blog.

What I want to gain from my blog is relationships with companies, networking through people I know and trust. Relationships with the wonderful PR people. I want them to value me and my voice and my blog, in the same way I value their products and services. I want the reciprical trust factor. Where if I can say hey you know product “XYZ” can be better if..  and the company will take this under consideration and possibly make changes because they can trust me due to this relationship. Or if I have a really cool idea for a campaign maybe they would listen to me because they know and value what I have to say.

A “cold” email cannot build the kind of relationship I am seeking. One or two emails a year cannot build this. From now on I am going to evaluate the emails for the prospective companies and PR people I hear from. If I feel this relationship can be made I will work with them, but if not, I will have to turn them away, cause that is just not what I am looking for.

I have worked so hard to get some of the relationships I have. The ones I have that I feel are REAL are the ones whose campaigns I get the most out of in the way of feeling appreciated and feel the company or PR persons are really valuing what it is I am saying. I am not feeling like I am slapping up a post just to appease someone who I may never hear from again. The REAL relationships I have built, as a matter of fact, are the companies and PR folks who keep coming back because obviously they HEAR MY VOICE and not only hear it but internalize it and digest it. They keep coming back because they know I am a faithful consumer and know when I goto buy product “X” It will be their product, coupon or not. They value if I say to them, you know if you added this, or took away that, or made it this color, or packaged it in this, they may take it into consideration and go with it.

This is why I blog. Yes, I love the products, I love being the first to try something new, I love to interact with other people and hear what they think, but I want and have always wanted my voice to be heard in a big plus size way. I hope PR reps and Brands will hear this and be respective of the relationships I am trying to build. I totally know it would make me value their company and brand a whole lot more too.

The Plus Size Mommy