Today I got this:
Greetings!
I am the host of ....., a YouTube channel and Facebook group. I am currently doing a series on small business yarn stores. I want to draw attention to stores that are outside the mainstream physical and online shops. I would like to showcase your yarn shop. If you could provide me with information and photos of your facility and products, I will dedicate time in my “yarn on Etsy” video. If you could also provide me with a sample of your products, I would be more than happy to review during the video spot about your shop and possibly use it to create a unique design to publish in my Ravelry store, that would be very much appreciated. My designs are also featured on Pinterest and instagram. . I believe that by allowing me to tell my viewers about your shop, I can not only boost my viewership but, also increase traffic to your store. Thank you for taking time to consider my request.
Cheerfully yours,
.....
I get this kind of mail from time to time and it's a wonderful opportunity to make new friends.
It's also very easy to be taken advantage of. Although I must say, this is much better than most of these kinds of notes I get.
It's flattering to be noticed by an influencer. I mean, who am I? I'm just a girl with a spinning wheel. These people are the modern-day equivalent of superheroes with their youtube and social media stuff I have no idea how it works. The right word from the right influencer can change your life! So too can the wrong word.
But I'm also a little bit lucky. My
volunteer work here on permies has given me access to a massive mailing list of a targeted audience that actually reads their mail. If I do it respectfully and not too often, I can promote
my stuff to nearly 32 thousand readers. I very seldom take advantage of this because I like to focus my
energy on creating new content rather than selling the old.
I have yet to be approached by someone with a bigger audience than the permies mailing list. The permies power is not small potatoes (
by the way, you too can tap into this power through the power of thread boost!)
Does that make me an influencer? I hope not, I'd make a terrible role model.
I also like the idea of helping people start out on their journey. I love the idea of nudging someone with a small following and huge potential towards their big break. But how do we tell which person has potential and who just wants to swindle me out of free stuff?
Normally I get distracted and forget to reply to these requests. But I think maybe it's time I made a standard
answer which is actually a collection of questions that say "I'm interested in learning more about how you will promote my stuff, but I'm also very busy, so convince me you're worth my time and I'll see what I can do".
Any thoughts on what that might look like?
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