Greg talks about how he views Para USA's outreach to bloggers
There is clearly a need to make your company stand out in a field of glitzy advertising. Innovation isn't enough to sell a product, and traditional PR thinking does not include embracing the "New Media". Early adopters of a new medium are the real risk-takers, especially when it can mean the success or failure of a business. However the risk can pay off huge if it succeeds. Many companies are starting to "dip their toes in the water", but Para is the first to do it big. The question now: was Para's money well spent?
This is a question I wonder about myself. Para put up a large chunk of change for this event. Todd Jarrett has a bad ammo habit that's very expensive to feed, and Blackwater ain't so cheap either. Add in that they ran a special line of guns, just for us, and you've got one hell of a tab.
Will it work out for them in the end? Of course, I hope so because that means more outreach to us bloggers, and not just in the free goodies / contests departments. I'd love nothing more than to be called on by a company such as Para USA to let me know of new product lines, even if it was just an email. I'd love to be able to blog about certain events like the 'insiders' can. But to do so is a dangerous proposition for any company. Bloggers might get a little ad revenue from Google Ads or whatever, but we don't lose business from being negative about a product.
Para is taking a big risk here.
I personally believe it will be a big payout, just not immediately noticeable. Any company seen being tech friendly can only help.
Head on over and leave your comments and thoughts.