Blogger outreach. The term sounds so…clinical. Doesn’t it? I know we need labels, but maybe we should work on the labels sometimes 😉

Anyway, that’s not my point. As practicing PR professionals, we frequently see bloggers as a conduit. Much the same way we view media members. They’re not the audience–they’re the messengers. The storytellers through which we share our client’s messages.

Worst case, we pitch these bloggers in spam-like fashion (I received a very “spammy” pitch a few weeks ago–any email pitch that starts with “Dear Arik Hanson…” I’m deleting immediately). Best case, we hope they become a part of the pitch and share our messages with their trusted audiences.

I mean, that’s the goal right? That’s the home run. They write about our client. Their followers comment or write about our client. And the people who read that blog may eventually buy your client’s product or service. Basically, that’s what we want, right?

But have you ever thought about the blogger as a potential customer?

Have you ever thought that while you’re pitching a blogger for your client, you’re also playing the role of customer service at the same time?

Isn’t winning one customer at a time worth it for your client?

I know for most of mine clients, the answer to that question is most certainly yes. I know the objective is to influence and change behavior patterns of our key audiences on a larger scale. But, if we can do that one at a time, doesn’t that count? Doesn’t that move the needle?

Have you ever stopped to think what one new customer means to your client? How much is one new customer worth?

Sometimes, I think we get so wrapped up in focusing on the ROI of social media and the big numbers we forget the power of personal relationships. The difference one new customer can make.