Recently, I asked my friend Ann of Doodles and Jots how she was able to get a certain company to sponsor a giveaway on her blog. Her reply was simply, “I asked.”

Okay. You’re right. It wasn’t that simple. But it was close. She told me she found a company that she thought would be more willing to sponsor. She contacted them with her proposal, and after a few months of negotiating emails and phone calls, she had her first giveaway!

Giveaways are great. It’s a way to bring more traffic to your Blog and show off your other skills. Companies pay attention to how thorough you review product; what your presentation style is; and whether your photographs compliment their product.

I’ve previously self-sponsored giveaways for books and gift packs, but recently started to seek Corporate Sponsorship. My first two, Aroma Housewares and Scharffen Berger, were exceptionally helpful. They both cross-promoted the Giveaways on twitter and Facebook. Which led to more Blog traffic.

Which, as any Blogger can tell you, is the ultimate goal of Blogging. I’m no longer lowest on the totem pole when it comes to being noticed. This comes in handy when I seek sponsorship from other companies.

I have a basic format to follow when emailing these companies. First, introductions are important. I tell them who I am, what my Blog is, and why I’m writing them (to seek sponsorship). Then I mention numbers. How many unique daily readers do I have? Approximately how many views per month? These numbers are important. I also let them know that these numbers are growing every day. I reference past reviews and giveaways that I’ve done (including links to the most recent post), and offer to review and promote their product. If there’s a specific product I’m interested in, I say so. Otherwise, I’ll leave that to their discretion. Finally, I tell them which social media sites I’m active on so they know how their Sponsorship will be promoted. I end by thanking them for their consideration, and sign off with my name, email address, and Blog site.

As for companies to contact, I try to stick with ones I’m familiar with. For my first Giveaway, I offered to review a product I already had (the Aroma Housewares’ Rice Cooker). All they had to do was agree to offer one to a random winner. It worked!

Soon after, I contact Scharffen Berger and they immediately responded with a better offer: They sent me eight assorted bars of their Artisan Chocolates and offered to provide the same to TWO winners!

There’s no tried-and-true formula for seeking Sponsors. The bigger Blogs (She’s Becoming DoughMessTic being one of my favorites) pretty much doesn’t have to seek out sponsorship. She’s so well-known, so well-put-together, that companies seek her reviews.

I asked Susan of DoughMessTic how she did it, and she advised to follow through. Respond to every email. Follow up. Be polite. And promote, promote, promote!

“Pinterest/Twitter/FB. Use them. Ask friends to help promote.
Do a good job for the sponsor, more will come.”

It was affirming to know that I’m already Doing It Right. I’m reaching out, I’m keeping in touch, and I’m definitely seeking promotion through various social networks.

I Googled “How to Get Blog Sponsors”. While most sites state the obvious “Ask” as their Number One rule, I came across this little gem as well: Post it on the Blog. Seriously. Who woulda thought to write on the Blog itself

“Hey! This Blog Needs Sponsors!”

How much more basic than that can a Blogger get?

Well, I’ve definitely been asking. And getting some remarkably wonderful results. I’m working on a Holiday Gift Basket Giveaway for early November, and while I’m still hammering out the small details, I’ve several sponsors on board already with a few more in negotiations. On top of the ones I haven’t heard back from yet. But I think it will be great.

I don’t want to name names just yet. I want to get a few more attached to this Shin-Dig before the Great Reveal. But trust me. It’s worth sticking around for.

Oh. And if you know of a company who might appreciate a good review and want to sponsor a giveaway, send them my way, would ya? Because

THIS BLOG NEEDS SPONSORS!

Thanks.

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!