dispatches from the new world of work

100 Ways to Succeed #39:

Blog As If Your Life Depended On It!

Blogging, I firmly believe, is the premier emergent marketing-brandbuilding-lovemarkcreating tool of our times! It is the premier way to have intimate-engaging-informative-WOWing "conversations" with Clients and prospects! This all goes double for small enterprises and niche enterprises; and goes triple for the Professional Services; and works wonders in the Public Sector as well.

Do you see Blogging in these exalted lights? If not, why not? Please ... Blog-As-If-Your-Professional-Success-Depended-On-It. (Hint: I think it does.)

Begin today! Appoint yourself Chief Blogging Officer. Or, better yet, Chief Intimate Client Conversations Officer!

Tom Peters posted this on 01/17/05.

Comments

Tom, I agree companies ought to blog. Of course, this is going to raise the bar for all we bloggers. People's feed list will grow (mine is already approaching way too long) and we will need to connect in ways that have us becoming lovemarks within the blog world (and within our industry).

It is interesting to think about what some of the hallmarks will be of a blog of choice today and 2 years from now....

Posted by Lisa Haneberg at January 17, 2005 4:09 PM

I have a question for Tp.com. Can I reproduce whatever is on Tp.com / blog onto another site ??

Posted by /pd at January 17, 2005 4:27 PM

The one thing I hope will not happen to blogging is for it to become "too polished." The beauty of it (in my eyes) is the vulnerability and accessibility of the blogger. We get to read real observations in real time. And the readers can respond by giving their honest (and at times, raw) observations back. Often the blogger vents (ahem...my hand is raised) and clicks on that "post" button before giving it too much thought. When the blogger starts to give it too much thought though, such as, "Oh, will so-and-so be offended by this," then blogging will lose its power, its voice.

Too many companies are disconnected from their customer. Those old "customer comment boxes" are so finished. Blogging is it and that's where a company will get the straight 411 from their target market. Almost makes marketing focus groups obselete, eh? (Almost. I'm sure there will be some candy companies who will need to hold them for eight-year olds. But that group is catching up..!!)

By the way, Tom, you've been such an inspiration for my own blog. I'm in the midst of creating a new brand and yes, you were definitely a part of it. I also have an Amazon Reading List going on (constantly) and placed your "The Brand You 50" on the top. It's a great little book, even if it is about six years old.

And pd, I believe that's what the "Permalink" feature is to do - allow you to link to a TP post from your blog.

Posted by Mary Rose Maguire at January 17, 2005 4:39 PM

pd, duly noted. I only have so much time and didn't realize the blogging debate that was occuring. At any rate, how does one copyright a conversation?

Also, when I first learned about blogs (which was years ago), it was through a journaling magazine. "Online diaries" or "Online Journals" was an earlier term. I started to read a few and was pleasantly surprised by the quite decent literary styles. (Some were just plain boring.) But blogs have allowed many a frustrated writer (who often haven't the time to pursue writing for a living) to convey their ideas to the masses.

As for the fracture, I already thought it happened. I frequently read many different types of blogs - religious, political, commercial. I do know the bloggers threw Big News for a loop with "Little Green Footballs" and "Powerline."

I love it! Please, I hope...no rules. Since anyone technically savvy can double-check any info in a nano-second on the net, allow us to make our own decisions of what we believe.

Posted by Mary Rose Maguire at January 17, 2005 7:23 PM

Back in October I wrote an entry on Blogging and the Personal Brand that, of course, mentioned you, Tom.

see http://jtauber.com/blog/2004/10/23/blogging_and_the_personal_brand

Posted by James Tauber at January 17, 2005 9:08 PM

Nice blog, James. Well, Doc wouldn't like me. I use branding to help women find a husband. Ha! (Branding: It's not jUst for Nike, anymore) I also like Todd's thoughts.

Posted by Mary Rose Maguire at January 17, 2005 9:31 PM

Anyone have an opinion on a software package that would help this non-techie in the restaurant talent business create a Peters-esque blog on his website? I wanna play...

Posted by mtk at January 17, 2005 11:38 PM

mtk, I use Typepad, which has a few nice templates but it's a "rent-as-you-go" program. Their Big Bro company, Movable Type (http://www.movabletype.org/) may be your ticket. They have connections that might interest you.

http://www.movabletype.org/movable_type_hosting_partner_program.shtml

Posted by Mary Rose Maguire at January 18, 2005 12:39 AM

No-cost blogging is yours if you use Nucleus. It is at http://www.nucleuscms.org . You can see an example on my website at http://www.lightningvolt.com/nucleus .

Posted by Lars Lentz at January 18, 2005 10:35 AM

WordPress is another free option (though some assembly is required). I'm thinking of ditching my current software in favor of WordPress. http://www.wordpress.org .

Posted by Dustin at January 18, 2005 12:58 PM

NOW GO FORTH and CHANGE THE WORLD !!!

you can do it !!

Posted by /pd at January 18, 2005 8:57 PM

MRM, LL, Dustin, thank you for the ideas. I'll look into each. Best, mtk (sorry if duplicate post)

Posted by mtk at January 18, 2005 10:58 PM

Amen. So, hereâ€™s my 2 cents from an everyday average guy. Iâ€™m a sales manager for a 90+ super human residential real estate team. I spend time surfing and exploring the web and Iâ€™m a TP believer. Iâ€™m reading, lurking and browsing various blogsâ€¦I really enjoy the daily interaction, tidbits, insights from those I consider â€œkeenâ€. I start to think, â€œYou know Ken, a medium like this (blog) would be a great way to keep your Realtor Icon Team Members up to date with whatâ€™s happening in the officeâ€. You knowâ€¦an easy, convenient way to communicate, propagandize, encourage, pimp, plead, promote, etc. So, I observe who is using what service/software to create the blog. About 2 weeks ago I take the plungeâ€¦sign up with typepad and bada bing bada boomâ€¦.I create my own blog. The team members love itâ€¦I love it. Itâ€™s awesome. If youâ€™re the leader of a real estate teamâ€¦this is it. The best tool Iâ€™ve ever seen in my 25 years in the biz. If you get a chance, check it out and let me know what you think. http://www.Kens411.com

PS. Tom, I really enjoyed your talk with HAR in Houstonâ€¦you Rule! I believe and appreciate your message and I find myself inspired, fired-up, motivated and sometimes disgusted with my poor performanceâ€¦.but, Iâ€™m always moving forward. Rock On!

Posted by Ken B. at January 21, 2005 11:02 PM

Tom, I agree "...lovemarkcreating tool"
So where is Kevin Roberts'(author of LoveMarks) weblog?
Please can you have a word with him!!

Posted by Tony Goodson at January 23, 2005 5:39 AM

reasons my new employer seemed attracted to me was because of my blog(s). My employer was interested in me was because they wanted to take advantage of my blogging skills (http://www.PSFK.com) and use it for their benefit.

This didn't seem to be a problem. I was prepared to help a company create a corporate blog and we had even written several posts about corporate blogging on PSFK.

Now working for that new employer (a brand development consultancy) I have realised that it's not so simple to create a corporate blog versus your own. Here are some reasons:
http://www.psfk.com/2004/12/blogging_for_bu.html

Posted by Piers Fawkes at February 7, 2005 2:16 AM