Beth Sugarblur

BLOGGER HACKS!

As you probably know from the content in my blog that I love a good blogger/life hack! Here I've put together some methods I use to make my blogging life just a little bit easier.

1. Phone organisation

Nothing makes me more happy than some efficient organising! A simple tip would be to keep all your blogging apps in one basket so you're not spending ages filtering through all your games and stuff. They'll all be together, you could even rank them from most used to least used if you're super geeky like me.

2. Blogger worthy photo apps.

Facetune

If I only had enough storage room on my phone for one app, it would certainly be Facetune. It's a really good little app that helps me keep my images looking as minimalistic as possible. It's not the kind of app that offers really stunning filters, I think it is more of an app for detailed photo editing. There are basic coloured filters and I tend to use the black and white one on all my pictures. The beauty of this app is that it lets you erase the filter where you don't want it so I scrub out the black and white from the objects in the shot, leaving the background with a lovely minimal look. To add to this I also use the teeth whitening option, whilst good for realistically whitening teeth, it's fabulous for making my backdrops extra white! You apply this like a brush too so it only goes where you want it. Finally, I like one of the lightening filters on the app, it's literally the only filter I like but it seems to give a good contast/brightness ratio unlike some apps. I did pay about a quid for this app which is well worth the money.

Phonto

One I use all the time for my business account, Magical Matilda Apparel. I like to add a watermark to the images of my bikinis, not that I've had any personal experience of intellectual property theft, I don't see why I shouldn't place my name on the images anyway - just in case, I mean my bikinis are pretty gorge! I love this app for creating quick coupons and announcements relating to my business. This app does pretty much everything you would want it to do from a text editing app. You can adjust size, colour, tilt, font, fade and curve which is perfect for going around my circle framed images. There are some other photo editing features on the app but I haven't really experimented much with those yet.

3. Instagram effects.
Instagram's editing features have certainly come a long way since I made my first personal account several years ago. They used to be a tad unflattering, making us who were not naturally tan look as pale as a ghost or like we're stuck in the 1940's... Now, however, I've started experimenting with the new effects and filters and I'm pleased to say I am pleasantly surprised! If I didn't want the white background as I explained above, I'd be more than satisfied to just use the Instagram effects to make my photos look pretty. The filters are particularly brill because you can choose exactly how opaque you want the filter to appear. I like to apply 'Juno' and slide the dot about half way to give a less-harsh look, it's subtle and just what I'm after. I also like the basic editing effects like brightness, structure, saturation and sharpness which I tend to play with every time I upload a new photo. So it is definitely worth having a nosey at what Instagram can do for your photos if you're a little stuck with editing themes.

4. Vinyl white backgrounds.

I said I love my images to have a minimal backdrop but it can be awfully hard to find that perfectly sized piece of card or perfectly lit bedroom to shoot. The help of Facetune, however, has made such a difference to make these awkward settings appear lighter but I found an even better way to achieve the white look. Drum roll.. WHAM, BAM, thank your mam - Vinyl! Or sticky back plastic. There are so many different designs on the web, just do a simple eBay search and you can pick a whole roll up for around a fiver. I got this marble effect one from Wilko for £4.50 with student discount. You can find other styles like just a plain white, white wood, brick etc. I think I'll get the wood one next! They're really easy to store too as they just roll up, easy to grab when you need to take a quick Instagram snap and an ideal material to have in case you feel a bit creative.

5. Google Analytic.

I'm still learning about all the features and data displayed on Google Analytic but it's a really super way to keep track of how your blog is doing. Basically you fill out all your details to connect your blog and within no time you're getting your latest traffic scores. It can tell you all sorts of things like pageviews, sessions, % returning visitors, % new visitors, where in the world they are looking from, length of time spent on the page etc etc. Even if you just use it to see how many page views you are getting, it's still a really beneficial program. If you come to work or apply to work with brands, you'll have lots of blog data you can impress them with, should they ask for it. It can get a little obsessive, however, I go through stages of constantly checking and refreshing my numbers to see what's going on - thank goodness for the handy app!

6. iPhone Clean for Windows.

Being stuck with an 8GB phone on contract for two years certainly takes its toll on the apparent "8GB" of memory. Whilst Apple takes a huge chunk of that already for software etc, the memory capacity of my good ol' iPhone 5C has been declining rapidly. This is not good for a blogger who is constantly downloading high quality images to edit and post, requiring multiple apps and lots of room for all those blogger work related e-mails..!!! And breath. And is it just me or can you just not seem to get rid of the 'other' memory storage?! I've searched through pages & pages of "how to delete iphone other memory storage" on Google, trying everything with very minimal luck. The option that seemed most effective is to delete apps now and again and reinstall them to get rid of all the 'stuff' they carry. But that's not very convenient... I downloaded this PC program called PhoneClean. The simple version is free and it basically scans your phone for any junk you don't need like cookies and documents and deletes it. I've never had any problems with it, it hasn't deleted by entire contacts list or anything drastic like that. It is a handy tool to use which I will continue using until I get my new phone later this month that will have more than 8GB of memory. Lets see how long that lasts...

7. Tripod.
All bloggers will have probably started life balancing cameras on shelves, shifting tables and stacking boxes to get the perfect full length shots. However, this is not particularly convenient, not to mention the mess and hassle it creates. I think it is really worth investing in a tripod of some kind. You can get the pretty cheap online. Even just a mini one might be better than rearranging the living room. You could also try a selfie stick (I know these exist for DSLR cameras too) or one of those 'lazy arm' desk clamp thingys you can get for a few quid in Primark. Both of those are handy for taking selfies that don't look like selfies.

I'll be doing more hacks like this in the future, so keep an eye out and I hope these tips help to make blogging life that teeny bit easier.

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, by Beth

MARCH FAVOURITES

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, by Beth

In bedroom, diy

DIY: Shabby Chic'ing my bedside table

As a break from my current final year uni work pressures, I decided to set myself a project to complete over the Easter weekend - To paint my bedside table! I just wanted to share this with you lovelies as I'm really pleased with how it turned out!

If you've seen my previous post on bedroom interior, you'll know my room has a luxury French/shabby chic theme with minimal colours in the way of creams and gold accents. All my furniture used to be solid oak, so a mix of orangey and neutral browns - hardly fitting with my room. So I've been slowly painting all the items to give a more modern, minimal look.

To start, I thoroughly sanded the whole unit to break up the varnished surface to ensure the paint would stick properly. This got really dusty, so I did this in an area where it didn't matter too much about mess.

Secondly the unit required a base coat - just like painting nails, hey?! I used just a brilliant white emulsion paint from Dulux, and slapped it on. I had to do this quite quickly with quite a lot on the brush to avoid overly obvious bristle strokes. This particular paint took 16 hours to dry in-between two coats which covered the wood almost completely. After each coat was dry, I used the sand paper again to smooth out any paint lumps or uneven strokes.

Finally it was time to apply two coats of my top coat, leaving 6 hours in-between each coat. For this I used a paint especially for wood products such as furniture, doors, skirting boards etc, in Jasmine White. As you can see from the photos, it is basically just white... But it seems to be a slightly warmer colour than the brilliant white undercoat. This went on beautifully, again having to work quite quickly to avoid those pesky brush lines!

After a final, gentle sanding down - t'dah! It was done! I also changed the old wooden handles for these snazzy sparkly glass ones from The Range. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and looks so much more fitting in my bedroom! Now just to tackle my bed.....

Dulux White Emulsion B&Q £20 / Dulux Jasmine White Satinwood Paint Homebase £19.49 / Glass & Chrome Cupboard Handles The Range £9.99 / Lamp & Shade The Range £10.99 / Disney Photo Frame Walt Disney World Florida 2015 / Black Board Primark £5

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, by Beth

In blogger hacks, bloggers

10 reasons why brands may not want to work with you: The Brutal Truth

Ever wondered why brands don't reply to your requests to work with them? Feeling like you're at a bit of a dead end and not progressing as a blogger? Owning a small business myself, I've had many collaboration requests and it has made me realise that how someone goes about asking to collab can be off putting to brands. Read on to find out what I've learnt about this, first hand from my own company and how it may help you approach brands better.

1. Just want free stuff? Don't bother.

The absolute golden rule of blogging in general. You should not own a blog or think about starting a blog if you are only in it for the "free stuff". My late Grandad told me many times that there is no such thing in life as getting something for "free". And he's right! Blogging requires a lot of hard work, when you get sent a product, a lot of work needs to go into creating your post in order to please the brand for potential future collaborations and to grow respect as a valued blogger. So there is just no point approaching a brand with this kind of attitude, it won't help you in the long run. And it may be easier to spot this kind of attitude than you may think. From owning Magical Matilda Apparel I can certainly tell when someone just wants a free bikini. The typical message I tend to get that tells me that is usually a one sentence DM, no introduction, just a simple "Hi, I'd love to promote you" or "Are you looking for promoters?" or "Is there any chance of me being a promoter cos' I really love your brand"

I feel it is unprofessional, they haven't shown any passion, not told me of past achievements, what they blog about - nothing. Brands can tell if you're just after a freebie.

2. Send an e-mail, not a effortless DM.

Personally, I don't mind being contacted via DM but some bigger companies might prefer an e-mail.. If a brand has provided an e-mail address contact them via that e-mail address! Yes it takes more work than sending a quick DM on the Instagram app that you're already on, but an e-mail looks oh so much more professional. Even visit their website to find an e-mail if it is not displayed on their Insta bio. If you actually go to the extra trouble of writing an e-mail, the brand will automatically give you more credit for contacting them in a more professional, serious way. Whilst blogging for many of us is a hobby, working with bloggers is a professional thing to brands, it's marketing, it's work, so you need to respect that.

3. Use appropriate language and structure.

Following on from above, to get across your professionalism you need to structure your e-mail properly and use appropriate language. While being formal is not necessary (it obviously depends on the brand you are approaching), a clear, grammatically correct e-mail is important. And it doesn't even take that long! I would start off by introducing myself, what I blog about and that I'm interested in working with the brand, like an intro to any letter you write. Maybe think of it like a job application. Next, I'd go on to say why I wanted to work for them, briefly state what I know about their brand, what I value, how this fits in with my blog and my previous experience etc. Do your research!! Again, this doesn't take long if you're serious about working with the brand. I'd sign off politely and provide my links. Simple. But it does mean it whittles out those who know nothing about the brand, therefore are not passionate and simply want the freebie.

4. Be realistic.

Approach brands that are realistically going to promote you. Don't have high expectations and try not to contact every single company you like the look of. You'll get fed up of getting no where and end up sending brief DMs like the example in tip 1. Whilst not everything is about follower count, which I will explain next, you can't expect brands to gift you if you do not have an ideal influence. Everyone has got to start somewhere, and there are brands that will be more than happy to work with bloggers who don't necessarily have thousands and thousands of followers so just keep your requests clean, crisp and professional and a company may see a spark in you. In the mean time, keep growing your blog with your own purchases and content.

5. Don't obsess over followers

I think all of us bloggers from time to time take part in a good old "SFS" and there's nothing wrong with that, it's great to help other's, that's what the blogger community is all about. But I recommend not obsessing over it. It's probably not attractive to brands, especially mine, to see potential promoters constantly engaging in these follower activities, obsessively asking people to like their content or filling their bio with things like their follower count, follower goals, "follow back or I unfollow" etc - it's just not genuine. Why would you want someone to like or comment or follow you when they don't like it, don't leave truthful feedback and are highly unlikely to engage in any of your future content? It's not constructive therefore it will be very difficult for you to honestly know what works and what doesn't for your readers and potential collaborators. Basically, if you want to be taken seriously as a blogger who blogs and shares content just because they love it then you shouldn't be worried about follower count. Be genuine, just let it come naturally.

Second, whilst it's lovely to do a fellow blogger a favour by offering a follow for a follow, the same idea applies. You're going to fill your follower count with people who don't really care about your content, don't really care about the brands you are promoting and also fill your Instagram feed with content you don't really care about. I don't think it's very attractive seeing equal amounts of followers and following, to a brand. What percentage of that is actually genuine, interested followers? Just something to think about. (Obviously I'm not saying only follow like 1 person!) It's all about having a strong influence, perhaps not the number of followers.

6. Take rejection well.

It can be frustrating and maybe upsetting after writing a well thought out piece offering your services to your favourite clothing line only to be turned down. Take rejection gracefully! I've had many people contact my business and when I reply saying I cannot offer a free product or I'm not looking for promoters I sometimes get a moody "ok" or no reply what so ever. I feel it's such a shame to be like that. A polite "thanks for your response! No problem, maybe in the future, thank you anyway" would be a much better option. Rude rejection makes me feel the asker does not care about my brand and yet again are simply after something for nothing. Replying to turned down collaboration requests in a polite, friendly, positive manner may make brands remember you for future opportunities or at least consider you should you apply again.

7. Remember not every company can gift bloggers.

Again, about taking rejection well. Everyone has got to start somewhere, including businesses. Some may not be in the position to offer complimentary products let alone pay bloggers for promotion. So don't feel angered if a brand cannot gift you free of charge and remember to reply politely like I said above. Like several brands I've come across, I've been happy to offer bloggers with a high influence a complimentary bikini. But for bloggers with a lesser influence, this just is not beneficial for a small business like mine to give away stock for free. Therefore I've come up with an alternative that basically offers certain bloggers with a smaller influence the opportunity to purchase a bikini but at a significant discount. Other companies may offer you something similar. That's a really big deal and still a great opportunity! Don't dismiss the idea completely, think about it. If you love what the brand sells, and would have bought something from them anyway, then you should feel delighted that the company has offered you an item for a discount or whatever it may be?! It is a great way for small businesses to keep going whilst getting some exposure and the newbie blogger gets to count this as valuable experience, build their portfolio and gets to purchase a item they enjoy at a discount! Win win!

8. Follow the brand!!

Oh my, the amount of times I've had people asking to work with my bikini business and they aren't even following it...!!!? It's just an instant, absolute no. How can someone be passionate and love the brand when they aren't even following it to show that support and commitment? Again, this could make a brand suspicious that you're only contacting them to see if they'll give you something for free, if not you're not bothered by their company and simply move onto the next. To make myself even more legit and serious, I won't contact the brand until I've been following them for a while. This allows me to study what they're all about and enjoy their posts in order to send them a really knowledgeable, impressive collaboration request. However sometimes, you fall in love with a brand immediately after discovering them and all you want to do is work with them but just be mindful of the tips I've listed here.

9. Keep your blog fresh.

Be sure to update your blog whenever you can, take good quality photos and post good quality content. When you approach a brand and provide your links, they may very well check you out. It's all about first impressions, if you're blog looks good and contains decent stuff, the brand is more likely to consider you. Add widgets, join blogger sites, add the badges, choose a clean layout that fits your style, use catchy headlines and check spelling. Doing this can not only improve the likeliness of a brand choosing to work with you but can also improve the overall success of your blog in regards to readers.

10. Give the brand a shout out!

If you're really into the company and really want to work with them, what's the harm in giving them a quick shout out? It will get you noticed by the brand and they may also be able to assess what kind of influence you have. It will show you care about them enough to want to share their items with your readers. Smaller businesses especially will notice your efforts. It only takes a few minutes and you need not leave the Instagram post up forever. I think this is just another way to prove your creditability, legitimacy and overall enjoyment of the brand to the company. Loyalty - something that could potentially help you in the long run .

So this post may seem like I'm having a bit of rant ha-ha! But since owning a business of my own it has opened my eyes to some of the collaboration request mishaps other companies have had to endure. I hope these tips that have bugged me as a brand owner will help any bloggers out there improve their relationship with brands. Some of the tips may seem picky, tiresome and requires a lot of bother but brands are looking for someone to represent everything they speak for so they want someone who knows them well, is reliable, honest, genuine and willing to put a lot of bother into their posts. Like I said, it may just be a hobby to most bloggers but it is part of their business to a brand, they need to find the perfect promoter. If you take just one thing away from this post, take this: don't approach companies just for the free stuff.