Dear friends and readers (who are friends I just haven’t met yet),
I think it’s time we had a little talk.
You see, I have been enjoying having this space to share with you all so much. It is the highlight of my day sometimes, to share this mothering adventure with you beautiful people.
DanO and I both invest a lot into this blog because it is a passion of ours. The prettiness you see here is all our brain child made possible by his graphic design and programming skills. Many nights (including last night) we put OBaby down to sleep and then come out and dink around on here together making little changes. Last night we added that fancy “contact” form up top so that you can reach me with the click of a button.
Isn’t that awesome?! I especially love that less than an hour after it went live, I received messages from there. It warmed my heart. I hope you will feel free to use it. I also hope you will be patient with me as I learn to juggle responding. My email is in desperate need of a Spring cleaning, but I assure you, I read everything.
But that is not what this meeting is about. This meeting is about the A word.
Advertising.
I have been mulling over this decision for months, literally months and months. From time to time I get an inquiry from a company that says “Hi! We’d love to advertise with you! What are your rates?” and I have to respond kindly with a “uuuuuuhm, drrrrrr, I dunno…” which is quite professional and always well received. This has, not surprisingly, lead to zero advertising on this here blog.
But! Some of these companies are great! Actually, A LOT of them are great! I get all excited about helping them reach you guys and telling you about their products, and then nothing ever comes of it because I don’t have any sort of formal advertising plan.
So I made one.
This does not mean that I blog for money. Please, you know I do not blog for the money. I blog for OBaby. I blog for these memories and these fleeting moments. I blog to connect with you, and with you. I blog because you might need to know that that lady on the interwebs freaks out and leaves her house in the middle of the night sometimes too. THAT is why I blog and no button anywhere on this page or money made through sponsorship will change that.
Promise.
I am so glad we had this heart to heart. I hope that you know my intentions here have not changed. I also hope that you know that the companies I plan on advertising with will be ones that I truly want to share with you. I only post about things that excite me and that I think are worth sharing, so it is only fitting that my sponsorship philosophy would be the same. Right?
You guys are the best. I knew you would understand.
Love,
AllisonO
Sell out.
Totally kidding :). For a minute I thought you were announcing plans to go private.
And I was going to cry.
I thought this is where it was going too… I’ve never been so relieved…
I think it’s great! I don’t have a problem with blogs advertising especially when it is for stuff that they believe in. I hate it when it takes over the site and then it looks crowded and crazy but I can’t see you ever doing that (plus really I read on my Google Reader so I would not always see it). :) Your blog is beautifully designed and wonderfully written – thanks for sharing it with family and those of us (me, me!) that are strangers. :)
i think it’s great! i was wondering why a fabulous writer and mother like yourself didn’t have any advertisements on here. i guess i’m thinking ” it’s about time!”
your blog is GREAT and no “extras” will take away from that!!
I think the timing is perfect. Good for you! I trust your taste; I’m using you to populate my future “Is that two pink lines or one?!” shopping list. Have fun!
I can’t see why anyone wouldn’t want to advertise with you, your blog is very down to earth and reflects a lot of the women who follow. Good for you!
That’s so exciting! I can’t wait to see what things you promote.
Congrats! That’s so exciting!
YAY! How exciting! I think advertising is a wonderful tool, and in no way makes you a sellout. I’d never had second-guessed your intentions. :) Woo-hoo!
I mean, “I’d never *have* second-guessed your intentions.”
Rock on OFamily!! Can’t wait to see what kind of OMyAdvertisements y’all put up!
I LOVE that you called a family meeting!
I am just so excited I have tears in my eyes! I thought you guys were leaving us!! I am also excited for the ads!! I bought the book you posted about yesterday because I think it’s fabulous, and I know everything else will be too!!!
Good for you! I have wondered in the past why you didn’t advertise. If you’re going to blog anyway, why not get some extra cash too? :) Blog on!
My son just started a blog and he went with advertising right away. He’s only 18 but he has big plans for life and since he plans on being a musician I figure he needs all the help he can get to support himself.
Good for you.
A little tasteful advertistments never hurt anyone.
You and DanO have done beautiful things with this blog. Its a blog to be admired..
and I do! :)
Congrats on this choice! I hope it opens great opportunities for you!
You blog is so open and honest and you can really see that through your writing so I would never even given it a second thought if you added advertising. I probably would have been clicking through going “Ooooh what does Allison like and do I like it too?”. I would have looked at it as another way to connect with you.
Looking forward to seeing what you show us!
More power to you!!! A mama’s gotta do what a mama’s gotta do. I’m still here.
Good for you. Why not? I say! Just using the gifts and passions God gave you. And we’re lovin it.
Thanks for including me in your family meeting. I feel so…loved. ;) I’m excited about the new contact button, too.Maybe I’ll write you another email! :)
I hope little Mr OBaby is back to his normal,adorable,happy self! ♥
I thought you were going private. You scared me for a second. I look forward to reading your blog everyday:)
Your blog is adorable. I say go for it — advertise and make some money to buy that adorable baby whatever your heart desires :-)
I say if you can make .42 a day.. give or take… go for it… that sweet Obaby will be a teenage boy one day and I have seen how much they eat… you need to start saving now..lol
Go for it :)
I just started as well – in my dreams, some day it will help me stay home with my kids. & I always feel that is a noble reason to be a “sell out.” & until it ever garners that kind of money or attention, it all goes straight into a college fund for Harrison.
Because as you said, the blog is for the babes. & for us as a family.
Dude. If someone wants to advertise and it is a project you endorse- go for it! Especially if it makes life better or easier for you as a mom! My husband is an economist; we are all for the reality of life!
I think it’s AWESOME – and I for one would love to be one of your “firsts” – advertisers, that is. :) Just sent you an email – but let me know if you got it. :)
Sara
http://www.healthyhome4family.com
Sara dear, I didn’t get an email! Want to try the contact form? Or check the address: omyfamilyblog @ gmail (.) com