{illustration by S Britt. Now's not the time to be clowning around!}
Since it's April Fool's Day, I thought it the perfect time to point out some simple emailing mistakes that I see coming through my inbox much more often than I'd like (don't worry, I'm sure I've made them all at one point too!)
If you're emailing a blogger to be considered for an editorial write-up, a good first impression is key! So before you hit the ol' send button, make sure you're not going to be written off as an April Fool by making one of these blogger submission email faux-pas:
1. Don't forget your web address
I know it's a simple mistake, an easy one to make, but it's an even easier one not to make. In fact you should put a link to your website in your email signature. Do it right now if it's not there yet, please! Then, if you accidentally forget to mention your site upfront, it'll be right there waiting for us beneath your name. You did remember your name, right? :)
2. Make sure your website link is correct
I get too many emails from etsy shop owners in particular that mistype their web address as shop@etsy.com (there's no @ in a web address, peeps!) or shop.esty.com. Most bloggers don't have the time or inclination to figure out why your link isn't working. Make sure it's spelled correctly and leads people to the right place- make it easy for us to check out your shop!
3. Address the person you're emailing by the correct name
I don't want to receive a "Hi Grace, I love design*sponge and thought you'd like my_____" email when I'm Jena from Modish. Talk about an immediate turn off!
This is a mistake I've embarrassingly made before myself and believe me, it'll make you feel foolish indeed. Just don't get too quick on the send button, take time to review and make sure your sneakiness is well hidden if you're gonna go the copy/paste route.
4. Don't mask your submission inquiry as an advertising inquiry
If your subject line is "advertising" and your email says you're interested in "advertising" then you're expressing interest in paying me to run an ad on my blog, right? Yet, I've had more than a few instances of figuring out ad availability and passing along the info only to hear back "Oh actually, I meant I was interested in having my shop featured on your blog. Would you consider writing about me?"
Submissions for features and advertising inquiries are not the same thing! I'm not sure if it's just vocabulary confusion or if people are being outright sneaky, but when it happens it makes me not want to write about you or have you as a sponsor. Just please be upfront. If you'd like to be considered for a feature, just say that!
5. Use the ol' spell checker
And watch out for those homophones! You sell stationery, not stationary and you want me to have a peek at your site, not a peak at your site.
We all make mistakes, it's understandable and excusable, but it can leave your potential press contacts with a bad impression that you'll have to then work to correct. Just don't be too hasty, slow down before you hit send and make sure your first impression the best one possible! (And if all else fails, there's always gmail's new Undo Send feature. You just gotta be quick! :)
What emailing mistakes have you made that made you say, "D'oh!" afterward? And bloggers, any other frequent email oopsies you see coming through your inbox? Feel free to share in the comments below so we don't make the same mistakes!





