BBR_Festival_Field_GuideIt’s Festival time in Lafayette, LA. – and when I say Festival time I mean 5 days of bands, the roads closed, stages built, thousands of people, great food, amazing atmosphere. If you haven’t been here for Festival International de Louisiane you should.

There is a lot happening at this time of year, I try to keep an eye out for the clever stuff. I had seen BBR’s festival watching guide. It made me smile – they have illustrated a bunch of festival characters and have since added more in a wonderful collaboration with the community. I liked it, but hadn’t had a moment to write about it, and it was left in one of the dark corners of my mind (along with my other good intentions).

Yesterday I get a call, the guys from BBR want to meet me, they had something for me. In the coffee shop I was presented with my very own festival avatar. Yes, they had bothered to draw me. aileen44I felt very important. Yes, they got a blog post, (or two) so I thought I would tell you why. Some of these points may apply to all bloggers, some are just about me and this blog.

1.Do something clever – in other words know what the blog is about, and what kind of content they are looking for. That should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at the things I am sent that have nothing to do with anything I would ever feature.

2. Make a personal connection. The guys at BBR are friends of mine so it’s easier, but even if you don’t know a blogger personally you can make a genuine connection. We know when we are being sent something just to write about. Generic sentences are a dead giveaway in an email – “we love what you are doing on (insert blog name here)”

3. Make me smile. I’m a sucker for anything that makes me smile.

4. Don’t expect it to work. BBR really didn’t do this just to get a blog post. They have  made a huge effort to include certain people, of course they hope we’ll put it our our facebook page, and share it – but there was no pressure, expectation or ask.

5. What are you still reading this for – there is a festival happening? If there is not one happening where you are, make one. It’s festival time.

Find your own festival avatar here. Go and join in the fun on the BBR facebook page here – and of course, go and read the blog post I wrote about Festival International de Louisiane.