“Bloggers get free stuff, so what? - The Guardian” plus 1 more

Bloggers get free stuff, so what? - The Guardian

Posted: 07 Oct 2009 06:13 AM PDT

I'm a mommy blogger. For the past six months or so that was akin to saying I was a used car saleswoman. No, it had nothing to do with the stereotype that all I write about is my daughter, how cute she is and what we did that day. It had to do with the pile of freebies that I apparently live under and the idea that I lie about them.

They call it blogola – payola for bloggers – the term for free stuff that bloggers get to review on their site and even the cash that some accept for those reviews. Those "offers" can also take place on micro-blogging sites such as Twitter, as exemplified by the recent controversy surrounding the #nestlefamily event – in which bloggers have agreed to take part in a promotional event organised by the multinational company. After months of warning us, the US Federal Trade Commission addressed the situation.

For those not swimming in this controversy it goes like this. Marketers and public relations firms have been contacting bloggers and pitching them new products for review. Of course the blogger gets the product for free. Why would I spend my own money to review a new product? Now some bloggers get paid in cash, not free stuff, for reviews. What's the problem? Not every blogger discloses that they have been paid to go on and on about the latest shampoo or that Widgets-R-Us sent them a free sample of a hi-tech gadget. The media started to do stories about how mom bloggers were getting rich on freebies or attending junkets to amusement parks across the country. In Chicago, one local TV station did a segment in which they asked non-blogging moms if they liked reading product reviews online. Yes. But did they know some bloggers got paid or received free products? Gasp!

As of 1 December 2009, bloggers must disclose any relationship they have with the product they are reviewing. If one doesn't, they could receive a huge fine.

I agree that bloggers need to disclose if they get products for free and especially if we get paid to review a product. Currently, I do book reviews and most of the time I review books that I get pitched to me from publicists. I love to say that I get paid in books. The average price of a book is just under what I think I should be paid for a blog post, not to mention the time it takes to read a book. But I like doing it because I am a bookworm. I admit that my disclosures are sometimes woven into the review itself, so it is not as obvious as my standard, "Disclaimer: The only payment I received for this review was the review copy of the book." But I've never tried to hide the source of all the books I review.

What I don't agree with is all the attention on mommy bloggers. I believe we are the targets because we lack respect in the blogosphere. I believe that within our community, we have been vigilant about holding each other to high standards. Most of us started blogging not to get the latest toy in the mail, but to join a growing community where we have each others' backs in this crazy world called motherhood. That we get asked to share our thoughts on butt cream is icing on our kids' cupcakes.

Neither do I agree that the FTC seems to be giving a pass to print media. Media literacy is not taught in schools and thus knowing that the reviews of the latest lip gloss in women's magazines come through freebies sent to the office isn't a given for 14-year-olds or even 34-year-olds like me. Nor is the fact that a story about acne is placed near an ad for a new face cleaner is deliberate. The FTC also does not seem worried about the epidemic of product placement in TV shows, reality shows and movies. The journalists sipping from their name brand coffee in the morning is not an accident.

So bring on these guidelines for bloggers. After 1 December at least the blogosphere will be one place where advertising might be clearly labelled.

Book Reviews Steps To Small-Business Success In Connecticut - Chesire Herald

Posted: 03 Oct 2009 05:21 AM PDT

October 3, 2009 by Josh Morgan

In 1983, Cheshire resident John Purtill set off from a world of corporate offices and endless business travel to form his own small accounting firm.
There were issues, however, as no one resource was available to him anywhere on how to create a small business and succeed. He admitted that he pieced it all together, "made it up" as he went, but all along he kept mental notes of what he did right and what could have gone smoother, had he had the right tools at the time.
All of this life knowledge led Purtill and Community Accounting Aid and Services, Inc. to publish a book about the dos and don'ts of starting a small business in Connecticut. Now in its seventh edition, Purtill said the book contains all the pertinent information someone would need to start a successful business in the state.
"When I started, there wasn't anything out there," Purtill said. "I had only worked at existing businesses and a start-up is so much different."
Starting a Small Business in Connecticut — Simple Steps to a Successful Business was first published in 1992 as a handbook to assist anyone who might be looking to start a business. Purtill admitted that his knowledge of writing a book was limited, especially when it came to putting it on the shelf to sell. He "called in favors" from friends and colleagues and, together, the purple-covered first edition with the state's outline on the cover was printed.
"It started out as an attempt to put into one place everything you'd need to start a small business," Purtill said. "There was never one place to go."
When someone goes to the bookstore, they look at the cover and then usually thumb through a few pages, seeing if something will catch their eye. The newest edition has its cover completely redone and Purtill explained the idea of "thumb appeal," so the book has graphs and charts on various pages to grab the reader's attention when they flip through. The 10-chapter book walks a reader step by step through the process of starting a business, including insurance issues, legal aspects and, most importantly, formulating a plan.
"It's terribly important to have a business plan in place before thinking about starting up," Purtill said. "You shouldn't even think about starting a business if you don't have that plan."
Community Accounting Aid and Services, Inc. provides certified public accountants free of charge to individuals or businesses that cannot normally afford the service. Purtill, who serves on the Board of Directors with CAAS, said proceeds from the book go back to the group so it can continue to offer pro bono accounting services. CAAS Executive Director Jack Collins said the book could help those who have lost their jobs or have seen their jobs reduced as a result of the economic downturn.
"It's a common trend during tough economic times for individuals who perhaps find themselves unemployed or underemployed to consider self-employment," said CAAS Executive Director Jack Collins. "Our book is almost like an owner's manual for the small business start-up, and a glance at the table of contents bears that out."
Purtill worked for Price Waterhouse immediately after graduating from the University of Connecticut. Over the next two decades, he worked for large corporations in various facets until one day he had enough.
"I woke up one morning and didn't know I was in Mexico City until I turned the TV on," Purtill admitted. "I was burned out. So I left my job to start Purtill & Company and if it didn't work out I would have gone back to the corporate ladder."
Fortunately, Purtill said it did work out for him, and with over 25 years of self-employed small business expertise, he felt his book would assist a first-time small business owner or a veteran owner looking for a few more hints.
"Although the book is aimed at the newcomer, the edition should be of substantial value as a desktop reference even to seasoned business owners," Purtill said. "It never crossed my mind to do a book, it really came out of a need, but it's all there to teach people how to run a business."
The book can be found at Borders bookstores, online at www.amazon.com, or directly though Community Accounting Aid and Services at (203) 235-2333.

Book Reviews

Wednesday, October 7, 2009