How not to get me to endorse your product…

I recently received the attached email (names blurred out to protect those concerned)

In it, I am told I can get a free licence for a product if I add a link to my blog.

While it’s nice that somebody thinks my blog has a value, this is definitely not the way to get me to endorse a product.
I know nothing about this product and I’m certainly not going to endorse something without having found it useful myself.
I use a rather excellent piece of Screen Capture Software called LittleSnapper, which makes it easy to grab and organise images, blur out text, etc. I used it making the image for this post.

If you want me to endorse your product, here’s the steps I would recommend.

1. Convince me why I would find the product useful.
2. Give me access/the ability to try it out.
3. Wait a while, and ask me if I found it useful.
4. If I did, ask me if I would consider writing about it.

If I find something of value, I may well choose to share that.

And you may be able to increase the likelihood of me writing about it with some reward – if we’re already at step 4 – ie I’ve decided I like it and am open to sharing my experience.

But the reward has to be of value. A license for something I’ve not used is not a reward. And this email gives me no incentive to care about the product.