FBFF: Rules of Engagement

It's been a while since I've participated in a Fashion Beauty Friend Friday post. Katy has been so graciously providing the questions to us early but sometimes I just can't get my act together well enough to write my post. 

But I am today! I know, I'm also a master at stating the obvious. 

Here we go!

1. Guest posts are a good way to gain new exposure. What do you think is the appropriate way to go about securing a guest spot?

You know, I've only done two guest posts (and the second one hasn't even published yet)! I never really thought of them as a way to gain exposure. I thought of guest posts as a way to support and help my fellow bloggers when they were going to be away or wanted a different perspective on something. I suppose if I was going to approach someone to ask if I could guest post on their blog, I would first want to convey how my post would fit in with their content and how it would benefit their readers. I would never want to post something that has nothing to do with the interest of that particular blog's readership.
 

2. Leaving comments is essential to growing your blog. But how can you leave a comment without coming across as ‘Follow Me. Follow Me!’?

I guess the point of leaving comments shouldn't only be to grow your blog. I leave comments when I have something to say; I don't leave a comment just for the sake of leaving one. The point when I comment is to answer a question they asked or to support and encourage the writer. Maybe I've been a little ignorant about the reasoning behind commenting, but while I realize it does help to grow readership, that hasn't been my motivation.
 

3. We’ve all gotten a mass email at one time or another asking for blog exposure, a link exchange, etc… But the mass emails don’t work. How do you make your email stand out from the crowd?

I have to opt out of this one. I've never sent an email. I fear I'm exposing my ignorance with this post...
 

4. In interacting with other bloggers where do you draw the line between seeking support and begging for exposure?

I hope people will support and expose my blog, as well as my features and my challenges, when they have a heartfelt desire and feel a sincere connection. I don't want to ask someone to "advertise" me simply for the sake of doing so; I want them to do it only if they really appreciate what was said or if they were truly inspired by the outfit or the text or the idea. I realize that may mean I don't get a lot of exposure, but all I can do is be me and hope that I can truly connect with people.
 

5. What’s one rule of engagement error you made and how have you remedied that?

Well...in engaging with fellow bloggers, I feel like I may have misjudged the support I received from a few people, and I invested a lot of time, energy and emotion into those connections. When the going got tough, I realized the connection wasn't actually there. It left me with a few weeks of sadness and made me question myself and my blog. My remedy to that has just been to focus even more on my daughter, my family, my job and my real life, and to make my blog as authentically me as possible. 

I can only write about what I know and I want people to engage with me because they feel a real connection with me, not simply because I asked them to or because they want more exposure for themselves. I want to develop real friendships through blogging and I want to be an encouragement and inspiration to those who read my blog and interact with me. 

So I guess my rule to engage readers is to encourage and inspire, and let things happen naturally. I suppose that's naive to not intentionally "market" myself. I'm okay with being a little naive, though. :) 

Hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend!!!