How to Get in the Gadget Business
I have always wanted to become a products tester. What are your thoughts on how/where to signup and get involved in programs where they will send me tech (and non-tech) products to review and post comments as well as offer my feedback on.
I get asked this question a lot, so while it’s not technical in nature, I want to go ahead and answer it here. How does someone begin the process of reviewing gadgets?
I’ll answer it, but first, let me warn you. You don’t want to review gadgets!! When you get products to review, you wind up with a lot of boxes. And I mean, a LOT of boxes. So many boxes it can make you crazy. You’ll need an organization system in place, one that even two years later, I’m still struggling to figure out. If you think you can handle the craziness, read on.
There are different ways, and there are different end results. Here are some ideas, and I encourage you to realize there isn’t one way. Think about your strengths, what you want to accomplish, and find the right way for you.
If your goal is to review gadgets for your own site or show, you can start out by going straight to the company’s PR Firm. For the most part, you don’t want to approach the company itself, unless it’s a very small company. The PR firm is in charge of finding and distributing products for review, and if the product you’re after isn’t expensive, they’re usually willing to try a site/podcast/etc. out without much hesitation. It’s fairly easy to locate the correct PR firm for a company - just pay attention to press releases from the company. You should see a PR contact at the bottom. As you gain exposure, they might start to come to you, which will save you some time.
You can also approach existing Web sites that employ writers. There are many options. Some have a more traditional, “serious reporter” feel, and others have the newer, humor-filled feel.
Again, there isn’t one answer because you can be “in the gadget reviewing business” in several ways. Good luck!!! :)
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