Clearly I've reached some new plateau in my "blog" status. I received anonymous email from CNN Marketing encouraging me to blog about a press release they sent along. It touched the wrong nerve. Here's my response email:
Dear CNN Marketing ([email protected]),
Come on, guys. Really. I (obviously) take credit for the writing on my
blog. You should take credit for your emails. Otherwise we can't have
a discussion. It would be like talking with the CNN logo on your
building. Decidedly impersonal. Without a name, we can't even begin to
have trust. No trust -- no relationship.
As a marketing organization, if you really honestly want to reach out
through the "new media" you've discovered, then have the courage to
reach out. Step naked off the damned cliff and be bold. I am on a
personal name/email/mobile basis with about a dozen journalists. We
share news. Sometimes I'm quoted in their articles and on their own
news blogs. It's a relationship. We respect one another and one
another's integrity and confidences.
You want me to be your pipeline? Build a relationship. I'm not your
pimp. I can imagine the script that culled my name and address from a
blog search on "China" to cough it up to you, but your 1:many broadcast
is so so so traditional media. I could explain "social arithmetic" to
you, but I'm betting you wouldn't understand. Indeed, I've confidence
the management chain in CNN marketing will be very sure I'm wrong. Too
bad.
But ask yourself: What possible incentive would I have to do ANYTHING
with the impersonal advert you sent to me? I didn't even crack open the
zip archive you sent along. I write for my readers. Why would I want to
"place ads" in my content on your behalf?
You did NOT do me a favour by sending me your content. If I knew who
you were, however, it might have been different. If you took the time
to introduce yourself, and find out who I am, and what I write about for
my readers, you might discover I'm not a good target for this piece of
information. But I might be a GREAT target for the next bit you want to
pass along.
Please don't waste my time unless you actually want to have the
discussion and are willing to put your name on your work.
kindest regards,
stephe
Here was their "original" personal email that provoked the response:
Dear stephen.walli (Once More unto the Breach),
xxxxx xxxx in Beijing, the latest addition to CNN.com's highly
rated 'The Scene' series has just been released! As a well-written blog
on the topic I thought you should be amongst the first to know. I've
attached some press material about xxxxx xxxx which you are free to use
on your blog.
<pithy quote removed>
I hope you and your visitors find this interesting! If there's anything
else I can do for you please don't hesitate to let me know.
The scene itself can be found at:
<url removed>
Yours Sincerely,
CNN Marketing
--
CNN EMEA, Turner House, 16 Great Marlborough Street, London W1F 7HS
Tel: +44 20 7693 0939
As I said: clearly they hit a nerve. At least the marketing person from UNISYS that tried a similar stunt last week (a.) was bold enough he signed his name to the email, and (b.) had apparently taken a look at my blog long enough to figure out my readers might be interested in the press release he passed on to me. (I didn't think so.)
It's not like there aren't enough books on blogging out there. Maybe they should hire Hugh or Seth to explain it to them, or at least they should read their blogs to understand better. They definitely need to get a clue.
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