It’s obvious to anyone who reads this blog that I’m often provided with products to keep in exchange for my views. Sounds like a tidy gig right? Well no. It’s tough maintaining a successful blog. In fact, each product I receive actually costs 5hrs of my time sat at a laptop and 2hrs taking pictures of it in action (usually, with a baby who is not at all happy you’re looming over them with your DSLR).
Yet brands aren’t only interested in us bloggers. They’re interested in anyone sporting a bump and rocking maternity jeans. The reason? They’re hoping to become top-of your-list when you’re buying baby wipes, baby shampoo or nappies. Yep freebies for pregnant women are common and brands are only too happy to shower you with samples, vouchers and bump mail to wedge themselves in that hormone-ravaged brain of yours.
So it’s good news for everyone! Let’s face it everyone loves a freebie. Especially when you’ve maxed out your credit on nursery furniture (next time look on eBay!), travel systems and car seats.
Yet you’re no seasoned freeloader, right? No worries, I’ll give you a hand. Read on and discover the hottest freebies on the web for baby & you.
There’s a ton of them out there, all are free and all promise goodies and coupons. All you need do is register and enter yours (and your babies) details. Yes, your inbox will hate you for it, but you’ll get tons of treats through your door.
My top 3 picks
COW & GATE PREGNANCY CLUB: With a handy diary and a free cuddly cow – C&G baby club makes the perfect companion in your amazing journey from bump to baby. In my opinion these guys have the best bump mails with lots of detail about how your little miracle is evolving week by week - Click here to sign up
EMMA’S DIARY: Enjoy three FREE gift packs at key stages of your pregnancy and as a new mum when you sign up as a member of Emma’s Diary. You’ll want to check out their free-to-download apps which are PACKED with useful tools and calculators.
YOUR BABY CLUB: The new kid on the block, these guys cut through the niceties and take you straight to the deals. They scours the internet on a daily basis looking for the best selection of Mother and Baby freebies, promotions, offers and competitions so you don’t have to!
No I’m not suggesting you trawl through comping sites daily, this is completely soul-destroying and the odds of a win are stacked against you.
Instead, head to Facebook and check out some of the bigger brand’s /retailer’s pages:
@MothercareUK / @BabyBjörnUK / @AnnabelKarmelUK / @Direct2Mum / @lovedByParents / @YourBabyClubUK / @BabaMe / @TheGoodBabyGuide / @BritaxUK / @BrotherMax
(… you get the point)
Check these out daily for competitions. They’re easy enough to enter - you’ll be asked to like their page, perhaps like the post and/ or leave a comment. The average number of entrants for the bigger brands is around 1000, but smaller independent stores have far less (thereby increasing your odds of winning). Prizes range from £500 travel systems, to designer change bags, to travel cots - so well worth the 30 seconds it takes to enter.
Facebook is fairly clever too. Once it sees you’ve entered a few, more will start to pop up in your feed. Get smart and google local pram sellers. Do they have a Facebook page? Do they have competitions?
It gets addictive pretty quickly and if you’re patient and keep on entering it does pay off. Once you’ve caught the bug, I recommend reading this short article by comping queen Jenna from ChicGeekDiary for how to step up your comping game. And before you ask, yes I’ve won. Several times.
These are hard to come by, but signing up to consumer panels can result in you being sent many of those expensive items on your new baby list. Spaces are limited so you have to be patient, but I’ve been sent dozens of bits including sterilizers, breast pumps and more. 99.9% of the time these will be yours to keep.
Boots Review Panel / ASDA Pulse / My Mothercare / Super Savvy Me / Pushchair Expert
At the end of a product trial, you’ll usually have to fill out a questionnaire, leave your comments in forums or provide detailed feedback in an email. Make sure you do this thoroughly so you are more likely to be invited to participate again.
If there’s a particular brand you want to work with follow them on social media, comment on their posts, ask them questions about their products - in short, make yourself known. Be aware that a brand (or the digital agency managing their social media) might take a shine to you and check out your profiles - keep them clean, conversational and post frequently. If you’ve found a product (in any niche) that has impressed you, share it with your friends.
Not big online? No problem. Find out their customer care address and send them a letter. If you’ve been particularly impressed by a product, tell them. If one has let you down, tell them. You’d be surprised how much they value your feedback and it’s not uncommon for them to send you vouchers or samples by way of thanks.
So there you have it. Good luck and have fun, but most importantly, remember the biggest gift you’ll receive is your baby - everything else is just stuff.
