I wrote me a manual….

2009 has been the year of the blog. Bloggers are getting front row seats, flown to Japan and hanging out with designers (although that’s just Tavi doing all that). But one thing people just can’t seem to get right is how to approach us in the first place. So here are some do’s and mostly don’t’s.

Do offer a slightly personalised approach: Obviously you don’t have to read the entire archive before sending over something, but I get far too many inbox-clogging emails about shit I’d never write about. A little research goes a long way.

Don’t send news you’ve given to another blog weeks ago: In case you hadn’t noticed, blogging is all about newness. And chances are I’ve already seen it and have no interest, hence why it’s not on the site already.

Don’t say ‘I love your blog’: Even if you mean it, I hear this phrase so often it’s in one ear and out the other. It’s the blogging equivalent of telling someone they’re beautiful (and lord knows I hear that enough).

Don’t send us a press release about a party without an invite: Why the hell would I want to write about an event you don’t even have the courtesy to invite me to?

Don’t CC emails: BCC’ing isn’t that hard to do.

Don’t tell me you stock Nom De Guerre: So what? So does everybody.

Do stock pieces other stores won’t have: If you are gonna stock the likes of NDG, at least take some chances in the buying stakes. It’ll pay off in terms of blogging coverage. You can always sell the ‘guaranteed sellers’ in store.

Don’t tell us about your online store if the pictures are awful: This should go without saying. Why would I feature a badly shot piece from your store when I get a great shot from elsewhere?

Don’t stock brands that established online stores already stock: No one will buy the piece from you when it’s already available from a retailer they trust.

Don’t follow our lead: This is at odds with the previous point but consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. I’m starting to see stores that are stocking things on the basis that they’re ‘blogging favourites’. Words can’t describe how boring this is. Surprise us sometimes.