Product Reviews?

Do you do product reviews?  If so how do you approach companies about reviewing their products or do they just come to you?  My blog is still small so I'm not feeling totally comfortable with soliciting companies for products when I'm not sure what kind of traffic I can offer them.  I have gotten a few companies that have sent me things and I'm growing slowly.  I was just wondering at what point is did you feel you had enough traffic to send companies emails?  Thanks!

well, personally I've sponsored my own reviews until i grew a little over 300 followers. Then I started getting contacted by a few local companies and about 2 years after I first started my blog I started emailing some companies that I really wanted to try out /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Thanks!  So it's safe to say you waited a bit before emailing companies yourself?  I have gotten some responses from some companies but I think I will try to grow my readership a bit before trying some more.  Any tips on growing readership? 

yes, i'd say grow a little more, and try to make companies contact you instead of the other way around. As for tips, i'd say keep writing as often as you can, improve your SEO and make sure you talk about things that are interesting for your targeted audience /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Do you do product reviews?  If so how do you approach companies about reviewing their products or do they just come to you?  My blog is still small so I'm not feeling totally comfortable with soliciting companies for products when I'm not sure what kind of traffic I can offer them.  I have gotten a few companies that have sent me things and I'm growing slowly.  I was just wondering at what point is did you feel you had enough traffic to send companies emails?  Thanks!

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Trade shows are the BEST way to make contacts with companies. This past weekend I attended CPNA and met many of the company owners or representatives who are willing to work with me on my own blog and here on MUT. When you do it via email it comes across as greedy and companies will generally tell you no but at trade shows they will meet with you in person and work with you IF you have the following. I unfortunately missed six or seven appointements with companies like Eye Slice, Shea Terra and StriVetcin because one of my earlier appointments ran late and then lasted over an hour which pushed me back and then some were running late and in the end I missed those appointments. Many newer companies are more than happy to work with bloggers for reviews and many don't get the social media aspect, I had to explain to several they needed a twitter and facebook account for their companies because social media is the best advertising there is because it's instant. Good luck!

Thank you so much for the advice!  I'm in Baltimore so I'm not sure how many trade shows there are in the area but I think that is a great idea.  

You'll have to travel to them. I just came back from Las Vegas where I attended the Cosmoprof North America Trade Show with over 830 vendors. I didn't even get NEAR China Glaze and several other companies I wanted to see. Thankfully friends who were there did. Last month I went to the International Makeup Artists Trade Show (IMATS) in Los Angeles. In November I may go to the Makeup Show in Florida (I was invited to stay with another friend who lives there). If you have to travel for events you have to travel HOWEVER not all events are open to the general public such as Cosmoprof and ticket prices to ones that ARE open to the public can be pricey if purchased after certain dates.

Thanks for the great advice zadidoll!  I was actually just contacted by a skincare company to do a review so I guess I just need to hang tight and they will come to me.   /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />