Hey guys! A new outfit post! Won’t Jesus do it! After battling with my Macbook Pro, I’ve finally been able to sort everything out! I don’t really have anything super deep to say but as you know I always have something to vent about.

I find life’s course of events so humorous sometimes. These days, I find that a lot of people want a lot of things from me because of ‘who I am’ or the online status I have created for myself. I’ve noticed that people always seem to be in awe about my tens of thousands of followers and are always looking for a way that I can help them promote their brand or whatever they have going on and a lot of the time I feel quite used.

I’ve been blogging for a hot 5 years now and I vividly remember the days where I was getting two page views a day. I also remember that during that time, not many people helped me promote what I was doing and that is something that I felt let down by at the time but now I’m grateful because it’s taught me a lot about human beings in general. Now that I have somewhat of an influence I find that everyone takes at least once chance to ride my coattail and it’s becoming very tiresome.

This doesn’t only go for people that I know this goes for brands too. Too many times people/companies want pro-bono work from me and it can become frustrating. This is not just something that I alone am suffering from. I think a lot of creatives across the board are suffering from this. I see a lot of people trying to sort out free photographers or videoographers and promise that the outcome of the work will be ‘good exposure’ for them and will be ‘great for their portfolio’. These are all things that I myself have heard one too many times before and constantly call peoples bluff.

I find that people/brands know exactly what they’re doing when they want to ‘send you a gift’ or get you to ‘review a product’ or to ‘attend their event’ so you can post on it on your instagram or blog. That’s all good and well when you’ve just started out and are amazed by free things but when you’ve worked tirelessly to monetize you brand in aim to make a living from it, it’s hardly acceptable to be content with freebies. I can hardly go to EON energy with the glass of proesseco that you gave me at your event and attempt to pay my light bill with it.

How I see it is, you came to me because you know the influence that I have on my readers and onlookers in general. You came to me because you know that if I wear you necklace or whatever it is you’re trying to sell that there is a very high chance that if you manage to get me to post about it on my instagram the image will be at the very least viewed by 36,000 people. It’s undeniable that you know my value and because of that, you came to me because you knew that I would be a benefit to your brand. Not only that but because I would create awareness for your brand but what about mine? What about my bills and responsibilities? What about the Alaia shoes that I’m saving up for that are most definitely going to sell out if I don’t hurry up?

 

Who and what means will pay for it? How does doing pro-bono work or being gifted a free foundation cover any of the above?

I definitely understand the difficulty of running a start up business and only having product to offer as compensation. TRUST ME, I definitely get it. But even some of the bigger brands that want free promotion and most DEFINITELY have the budget to pay you for your efforts what about you? Why is it fair to ask me to curate work for you but not pay me? Also, why is it fair to pay some bloggers but try and get others to participate in that same project for free? (yes, we talk!) Why do you sometimes try to trick bloggers by not mentioning the budget that you actually have in aim of trying to get the work for free until the bloggers are actually forced to inquire? Having to ask someone for money makes the conversation so awkward even if it is via email.

Creating content is not an easy thing and being a creative is not an easy thing so expecting free work in exchange for tangible compensation (most times something that you didn’t have a need for in the first place) is really laughable. Bloggers are the new billboards that yes, you once had to pay for! We speak to millions of people quicker than most other avenues of advertising does so surely, that reason enough to be paid?

DON’T GET ME WRONG – I do do pro bono work for some brands because building a relationship with the brand and being assimilated to the brand alone is good for my brand (I hope that makes sense?). Anything that I do needs to be of benefit to me so I would love it if people remembered and respected this before wanting me to do stuff for free! I really don’t want to seem ungrateful at all but this is just something I had to get off my chest.

 

Okay I’m done. If this doesn’t make sense, don’t ask me any further questions about it because my 5  minute rant is done!

Top – ZARA

Skirt – ZARA

Boots – Christian Louboutin

Bangle – ASOS

  • I most definitely agree with you! The Alaia heels comment killed me haha

    Agnes x

    http://www.blvckbee.com

    • melswardrobe

      Hahah Thank you! Still on the hunt for them! xx

  • I absolutely agree. These brands do know what they come to us for and the value we can bring them. That’s why having a clear policy as to what we are willing to do for free and what we require compensation for as bloggers and influencers just makes life easier.
    Also I’m with Agnes, yes to that Alaia point.
    Much love x

    IMAN | MANIGAZER

    • melswardrobe

      I’m so glad you understand! Didn’t want to come across as ungrateful but it just had to be said! xx

  • Mandy

    Alaia huh lol, I get you Mel. There’s just no level ground with these things sometimes. It’s like you can’t win. Only God to help us