This has been a strange summer for me. Essentially, because it feels like an actual summer. I’m not running around like a madwoman and working myself into exhaustion. I’ve been able to spend time with friends, family- even read a few books.
When the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale came around this year, I started getting flashbacks of a very unhealthy period. This wasn’t anything to do with the sale itself, but everything to do with where I was at the time I first learned about it. Because – at the end of the day – the sale is just a sale. It’s a clever, albeit lucrative, marketing campaign from a retailer with an incredibly loyal client base. But, if you’d asked me about it three years ago, you’d have thought it was my life.
My job was centered around helping bloggers optimize their websites and increase their affiliate earnings. Since the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale was the biggest earning opportunity of the year, it felt like how I’d imagine tax season is for accountants. I spent weeks researching keywords and best practices, writing guides on how bloggers could capitalize on the sale. And each day, I’d login to our dashboard and see people’s commissions soar. My face looking at the numbers was probably similar to the dollar sign eyes emoji. Before I knew it – I was pulled into the madness.
For a couple of years, I’d plan an entire month of content around the sale. Was it worth it? I made money, yes. But a significant portion of it went to pay down what I had spent to promote the sale – products, advertising, etc. It felt almost shameful to celebrate any small success over something so trivial.
Despite having more free time to dedicate to the blog this year, I made a decision not to plan any special posts around the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I created a few landing pages several years ago that still get organic search traffic, so I just updated those with 2019 details.
I’ve been helping some of my blogger clients and friends with their NSale content recently. A few have expressed how frustrating it has been to see their traffic and earnings go down compared to previous years. It broke my heart a little to see how personally it was affecting them. They blame themselves for doing something wrong or not doing enough. It’s hard to watch other people’s rising success, while feeling like you’re at a plateau or on the decline. The comparison game is one no one truly wins.
I explained to them that there are so many external factors at play; there is no right way of doing things anymore. The fact that tens of thousands of bloggers are getting the same SEO “advice” from one affiliate network about how-to post about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale only means that Google is seeing a lot of duplicate content. The market is over-saturated and diluted. Bloggers are promoting the same leopard-print cardigan on Instagram, not considering that by the time they can actually wear it, the product will be sold out and non-commissionable.
I’ve said this for years, but the influencer marketing bubble is going to burst. We may be reaching the tipping point now. Anyone who lets page views determine their worth will be sorely disappointed. My advice would be to worry less about growing your numbers, and more about what value you are offering to your current audience.
That’s the crossroads I’ve been standing at for awhile now. What is this site for? Who are my readers? What matters to me? What do I want to leave behind when I’m gone? I love fashion for the sake of art and self-expression, but I’m not here to convince anyone that buying something from one sale will change their life. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is a means to an end. Anything I earn this year will help subsidize a trip to visit my birth family in Korea and give me more freedom to focus on writing and building VISIBLE.
That’s the thing about blogging — if it’s not making your actual life better or helping you feel more fulfilled, what’s the point? Early Access starts in an hour. I’ll be watching Rocketman with my dear friend Sevi. I’ll never forget the day I met her. It was at a blogger event five years ago. Everyone was taking pictures and posting to Instagram when the Cupid Shuffle started playing. I looked around, but no one was getting up to dance– except for Sevi. We ran to the dance floor together and have been inseparable ever since.
That’s how I want to see life. Not as a game, but as a dance. Even if you forget the steps, or stumble along the way, if you’re enjoying yourself and have people with you that make you smile… I think it was worth it. And doing it in cute shoes you bought at some sale is just an extra bonus.
Tara Fuller says
YES TO THIS a 100000%!!!
Stephanie Drenka says
Thanks, Tara! Ditto to everything you wrote in your post, too!
Andrea Overturf says
You are so right! Our recent convo about all of this helped me so much❤️ Cheers to “feeling like it’s an actual summer!”
Stephanie Drenka says
I’ve loved seeing all of your Taos pictures!! That is what life is supposed to be about!
Lucy Drenka says
Fabulous post! I love how your life priorities are in the right place for you at the right time! And all with a great sense of style and sharing “mom” fashion with me, too!
Stephanie Drenka says
Thanks, Mom! The “Year of Stephanie” has been truly transformational. Thank you for supporting my leap of faith. Love you.
Crystal Gardner says
Great post, I had no idea where it was going to lead considering I was on one of your Nordstrom landing pages. Glad I read through it. I actually shopped the sale after one of the bloggers I follow on Insta posted a cute piece she bought. But I did happen to think of years before when I used to blog and I would see so many more bloggers blogging about it. It seems things have changed, maybe for the better considering your approach to it all, and how your are helping others. Thanks for your honesty and really focusing on what you want out of it all.
Stephanie Drenka says
Thanks for reading it, Crystal! I’m not sure I knew exactly where I was going with it either haha. Didn’t want to be dismissive of bloggers who do work extremely hard to create content for the sale and earn a living.. it just makes me so sad when people start thinking they did something wrong if they don’t make what they expected to out of it. Blogging/Influencer Marketing has become very formulaic over the years, and so many of us get swept up and forget why we started in the first place.
Cindy says
Hi Stephanie
I’m new to your blog. I actually found you when searching for the Nordstrom sale. I’m also new to Nordstrom as I always stated away because I though it was too expensive. But I’m tired of how disorganized Macy’s is. I cannot get inspired at Macy’s anymore because I’m overwhelmed with the chaos. So, when I lost some weight in November (work stress), I had to toss most of my clothes (went down 2 pant sizes). I also got rid of a bunch of clothes that I bought and never wear (ugh I Hate wasting $$). So, I’ve started buying a few things at Nordstrom and now I’m a little obsessed with the Nordy App outfit inspirations (I’m sure the App obsession will fade at some point soon).
So anyway, I’ve shared way more than I needed to….. but here is my question (and feel free to direct me to another resource if you are a little busy):
How would you describe the different departments in the women’s clothing area (e.g., Point of View). I’d like to focus on the departments that might suit me the best, but I don’t understand the rationale for why certain clothes are in one or the other….
One more question. Will you still post your seasonal capsules? I really enjoy them!
P.S. I’m adopted too❣️ and met my birth-mom last year (Im turning 50 this year). Trying to figure out the bio-dad but that is a very long story ?.
Cheers, Happy 2020, and Thanks for your blog!
Stephanie Drenka says
Hi Cindy!
Thank you so much for your comment. I rarely shop at Nordstrom in-store, so instead of shopping by department, I just have a couple brands that I buy and know the quality and fit are typically good… Madewell, Topshop, Bobeau, etc.
I’ll definitely do more capsule posts. Weather in Dallas has been so strange this winter, that my fall clothes worked enough that I didn’t need a separate one.
Wow! What an experience meeting your birth mother after all that time– hope you were able to get some answers and closure, though I know from mine- it just leaves even more questions. Happy new decade!!