I have often written about the challenges of how to query bloggers and ask them to get involved with public relations campaigns, and generally tend to highlight poor examples, awkward queries, and downright stupid campaigns.
Like the email I got the other day from a company representing a really big client that started “Dear Brian”. Ooops.
That’s why I was so pleased to get a really good query email from Deana Burke of YouCastCorp.com on behalf of (troubled, but that’s another story) client Macy’s (NYSE: M).
She visited my Attachment Parenting blog and used my contact form to send her inquiry, a form that has some rather whimsical categories. Here’s her message in its entirety:

Hey Dave!
I love your message choices! I wish I could’ve picked ‘that crazy weekend in cabo’ instead of ‘something else, alas, not quite as exciting.’ How boring!
I’m writing to you today on behalf of Macy’s. This holiday season, Macy’s wants everyone – from the most enthusiastic to the most cynical- to Believe in and embrace the holiday spirit of love and charity. As a parenting site, the Believe project may be of interest to you and your readers.
Writing letters to Santa Claus is an age-old tradition for children all over the world. Macy’s is collecting these letters in a special Santa letterbox at all Macy’s stores. For each letter received, Macy’s will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Believe Meter will measure America’s belief, based on our collective spirit — including the amount of letters received and other current events that reflect the season’s generosity.
We are asking bloggers to help draw attention to the Macy’s Believe campaign. We are also sending out $20 Macy’s Gift Certificates to interested bloggers as a thank you for considering the story.
If you do decide to post, all assets (including high res images and link to the Believe meter) can be found here: http://www.youcastcorp.com/macys/
I look forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Deana

What I like about it is that there’s a nice sense of engagement and a sense that she at least spent the 30 seconds necessary to write the first paragraph before she copied and pasted in the form letter that comprises the bulk of this message.
It may not be much, but I think it’s a great query, respectful, transparent, and for a good cause. In fact, I encourage you, dear reader, to click on the above link and consider adding a Believe meter to your site too if you have the space.
Oh, and the $20 certificate? I’ve written to Deana asking if the money or certificate can be donated to a homeless shelter instead.