Site Sponsors FAQ

I notice you have ads in the sidebar. So is LeadingSmart.com for sale to the highest bidder?

Nope. I’m a big proponent of authentic blogging. A blog has power because it is organic, personal, and authentic. We’ve all seen blogs with ads on the sides, top and bottom that have animations, pop-ups and mid-post advertising. Annoying. Even if the blog is written by someone we know and trust–we read with suspicion because we wonder if the person is being paid to say nice things about a service provider or company. We wonder, “Are they suggesting something because they think it will help me? Or because they want to make money?”

How does LeadingSmart.com avoid being “bought” by advertisers?

I’m highly selective and consider advertisers on a case-by-case basis. My filters are…

1. I will only consider “ads” for partners that fit my interests and target-audience. That is, you cater to church leaders and/or fit into a category of something that I find interesting and often write about.
2. I will only consider “ads” for partners in whom I personally have high trust and confidence. That means I have worked with you, or have a personal relationship with someone who has. It’s not enough that I’ve heard of your company or product, or even that I like what you offer.
3. If you want to advertise on LeadingSmart.com and I don’t know you–we will have to “date” for awhile before we enter a relationship. And I’ll probably need to talk to some of your previous boyfriends too.
4. You will never see a blog article on LeadingSmart.com favoring a company or product that I don’t believe in. You have my word.

Where does the money go?

Any profits made through advertising on LeadingSmart.com (after tithing and taxes) will be put into a college fund for my kids. I’ve done the math–if my kids all go to four years of college, I’m looking at $639,000 in college bills. Of course there are a thousand ways to make that number smaller–but any way you cut it, it’s a lot of money.

So how can I become a site sponsor?

If you are interested in becoming an advertiser, drop me an email and we’ll talk. And don’t be offended if you hear back from Amanda. She’s the person who keeps me organized, so trust me, you’ll be glad she’s involved.