Phil brings together several links to postings concerning the question why and how blogging is good for companies. From the M-E-X-blog (in German) comes this list of 10 points why companies won’t blog: (any translation mistakes are purely mine)
1) Possible publication of company secrets
2) Too much effort to get the blog in sync with both PR-people and the Legal-people
3) Conversational style of the blog might clash with corporate branding (e.g. with a top bank.)
4) The blog might turn into a blatant PR channel, turning readership away, being an one-sided, or even untrustworthy source
5) Employees or departments becoming dissatisfied due to jealousy and politics. (I think internal differences being fought out in blogs is primarily meant here, and dissenters within the company becoming more visible: both often unwanted by management)
6) No clear distinction between news and blogs (Why read the news if you can read blogs)
7) Too much time spent on replying to customer feedback on blogs
8) Blogsilence will cause suspicion of something being wrong amongst readership
9) Politics again: company seldom have one (management) voice inside the company. Likewise it will be difficult to find one blogging voice to the outside
10) As long as the competition doesn’t blog, why should we?
These 10 objections sound like very likely to be brought up when introducing blogs in a company. But the reasoning behind these objections has nothing to do with blogging as such, but everything to do with such a company having missed the cluetrain.
The list exudes the fear of talking to people. And also of fear of letting your people talk. That’s fear of self-reflection.
The Dean campaign team for the next elections for the US Presidency, have embraced blogging and have stated that they accepted that with creating the blog, and the community of readers that flocked to it, meant giving up some control of the message. But the rewards have been astounding. The blog-triggered grass roots movement has changed the chances of Dean for the Democratic candidacy.
Blogs as a way of communicating of course are only useful in some situations, and as an answer to some business needs or problems. But usefulness is not inversely proportional to fear. Business should not be conducted on the basis of fear, as it so often is. It should be conducted on the basis of vision and self-belief, as it so often is not.
10 Reasons your Boss Won’t Blog
Ton Zylstra brings us a translation from the MEX Blog listing some standard reaons why corporations bolt for the door when you start talking about business contexts for weblogs; I won’t cite…
der Blogberater und ein netter CIO
Ein konstruiertes Gespr�ch zwischen einem Blogging Berater namens “Tom” und einem CIO (Chief Information Officer) einer Gro�unternehmung. Dies basiert auf den echten Gr�nden, die Tom Zylstra nannte, warum Unternehmen nicht bloggen (siehe auch MEX Artik…
der Blogberater und ein netter CIO
Ein konstruiertes Gespr�ch zwischen einem Blogging Berater namens “Tom” und einem CIO (Chief Information Officer) einer Gro�unternehmung. Dies basiert auf den echten Gr�nden, die Tom Zylstra nannte, warum Unternehmen nicht bloggen (siehe auch MEX Artik…
Ton, you’re thoughts resonate. Guess we need to find the elevator pitch that leads companies to blogging : from attraction – to interest – to conversation – to unblocking fears – to conversion. The attraction and interest may be there and are more easily generated, the conversations have started, yet fear builds a wall. And this seems to be the hugest hurdle in the adoption cycle.
In selling you lead with emotional appeals:
– ambition.
– opportunity.
– a bigger fear.
I’m starting to re-read storytelling textbooks. Good stories frame expectations, process, and outcomes with underlying assumptions and values. We need more stories told of blogging in the workplace. Stories of quiet efforts leading to incremental adoption. Of relationships salvaged. Of crises survived. Of unlikely heroes and fears overcome. Of serendipity encouraged and mastery rewarded.
Mostly, we need a clearly defined product to sell. … OK, I’m on it.