09 Fluid Studio Blog Seminar 801.295.9820

transcript

TexT dyejo To 50500

john dye801.631.4736johnd@fluid-studio.net www.fluid-studio.net

twitter @dyejo

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ConTACT Me

There is no silver bulleT

We All hAve A CirCle oF inFluenCe.PeoPle Are inFluenCed by Those They TrusT.

Circle of Influence

Circle of Concern What youcare about.

What you cando something

about.

* Enquiro: “Business to Business Survey 2007.”

PeoPle do noT WAnT To be sold To. They WAnT To inTerACT And be heArd.

you CAnnoT ConTrol The ConversATion,buT you CAn PArTiCiPATe in iT.

4 P’s

ProduCT4 P’s

ProduCT, PriCe4 P’s

ProduCT, PriCePlACe4 P’s

ProduCT, PriCePlACe, ProMoTion4 P’s

3 r’s

relevAnT3 r’s

relevAnT, reAl3 r’s

relevAnT, reAlresPonsive3 r’s

relevAnT, reAlresPonsive4 r’s

relevAnT, reAlresPonsive, relATionshiP4 r’s

AlThough soCiAl MediA is

“one-To-MAny” broAdCAsT MArkeTing,

AT The end oF The dAy reAl resulTs Will oCCur

When “one-To-one” relATionshiPs Are ForMed

WhAT is A blog?

A Web-bAsed journAl PoWered by

A selF-Publishing Tool ThAT enAbles

The AuThor(s) To regulArly

And eAsily uPdATe The ConTenT.

Why should businesses blog?

siMPle.

no one lisTens AnyMore

To sAniTized MArkeTing MessAges.

iF you Find The righT Person in your

orgAnizATion To “blog” AbouT your ProduCTs

or serviCes you’ll brAnd your CoMPAny

As AuThenTiC And knoWledgeAble

Pluses

sAge Words oF PPC

blogging advice from Roger L. Firestein’s Leading on the Creative Edge.

Pluses

PoTenTiAl

sAge Words oF PPC

Pluses

PoTenTiAl

ConCerns

sAge Words oF PPC

CusToMers Will leArn AbouT your CoMPAny in An AuThenTiC voiCe FroM The PeoPle Whose MAin ConCern is helPing your CoMPAny MAke Money (so They CAn MAke Money)—noT A bAd MoTivATion For CreATing PosiTive ConTenT.

Pluses

sAlesPeoPle enjoy The ProCess And Feel good AbouT being Able To be in TouCh WiTh CusToMers More FrequenTly.

Pluses

your CusToMers Are so in TouCh WiTh you ThAT They Think oF you insTAnTly When A ColleAgue needs A reFerrAl For your ProduCT or serviCe.

PoTenTiAls

your CusToMers Feel so ATTAChed To you Through your sAles rePs) ThAT They don’T hesiTATe To shAre iMPorTAnT inForMATion AbouT develoPMenTs in Their oWn CoMPAny— WhiCh MeAns you CAn beCoMe ProACTive (PerhAPs WAy AheAd oF The CoMPeTiTion) AbouT resPonding To Their needs.

PoTenTiAls

your CusToMers beCoMe even More exCiTed AbouT your r&d ProCess And Are More Willing To helP TesT neW ProduCTs/serviCes.

PoTenTiAls

your CusToMers CoMPlAin less beCAuse They reAlly knoW And TrusT your ProCesses And Are More inClined To be undersTAnding AbouT Any gliTChes in serviCe or ProbleMs WiTh ProduCTs.

PoTenTiAls

hoW MighT you ConTrol Any TendenCy For sAlesPeoPle To WriTe ConTenT ThAT MighT APPeAr negATive?

ConCerns

hoW MighT you leT go oF Any FeAr ThAT soMeone Will sAy Too MuCh?

ConCerns

WhAT revieW ProCess MighT you insTiTuTe so ThAT TrAde seCreTs And oTher inTelleCTuAl ProPerTy iTeMs Are ProTeCTed—CleArly undersTood As oFF-liMiTs For blog ConTenT?

ConCerns

PiCk your subjeCT

PlAnning TiPs For your blog

deFine your reAsoning To CreATe A blog

2.WhAT PurPose is The blog To serve?

WhAT is iT To ACCoMPlish?

WhAT ProbleM is iT To solve?

WhAT gAP is iT To Fill?

PoTenTiAl reAsoning:

• Increase company credibility

• Improve reputation,

• Improve customer service

• Enhance customer interaction

• Give customers behind the scenes “feel” of company culture

• Provide communication back channel

• Create openness

• Showcase innovation

• Air business issues

• Build trust, etc.

idenTiFy your AudienCe

3.WhoM do you WAnT To ATTrACT As reAders?

WhAT Are They inTeresTed in?

WhAT needs do They hAve?

hoW CAn you geT Their ATTenTion?

WhAT serviCe CAn you PerForM For TheM?

hoW CAn you build A relATionshiP WiTh TheM?

WhAT serviCe CAn you PerForM For TheM?

do your reseArCh

4.Who Are The CurrenT bloggers in The subjeCT sPACe?

do your reseArCh

WhAT is The PosiTioning oF eACh?

do your reseArCh

WhAT Are Their PosiTions on issues?

do your reseArCh

WhAT is The “PersonAliTy” oF eACh blog?

9hoW Will you PosiTion yourselF in relATion To These “CoMPeTiTors?”

do your reseArCh

WhAT is The “PersonAliTy” oF eACh blog?

reCruiT your ConTenT CreATors

5.Selecting an individual to be the “star” of your corporate blog is probably the most important decision.

Almost by definition,individuals—not companies— write blogs.

An ideAl CorPorATe blogger Possesses MosT oF

The FolloWing ATTribuTes:

solid WriTing skills (PreFerAbly WiTh FlAir)

AuThenTiC subjeCT-MATTer exPerT

AvAilAble TiMe

sTrong oPinions

CorPorATe loyAlTy

reACTs CAlMly To oThers’ ouTbursTs

PAssion For subjeCT

oMMiTMenT To blogging

resPeCTed by Peers

sense oF huMor

reFine your reAsoning And diFFerenTiATe your blog

5.bAsed on your reseArCh, you’ll need To reFine your subjeCT/Mission.

hoW Will you diFFerenTiATe your blog FroM oThers on The subjeCT?

in MArkeTing TerMs, WhAT’s The “PosiTioning” For your blog?

Is it the critic?

The expert?

The gadfly?

The helper?

The linker?

The reference?

The innovator?

The idea person?

The soother?

suCCessFul blogs hAve boTh A vieWPoinT And A “voiCe.”

What are yours?

Importantly, both voice and viewpoint must be authentic; phoniness is a certain blog-killer.

reCruiT A CorPorATe ChAMPion

6.Corporate blogs need high-level support within the organization—a powerful, well-placed executive who will unwaveringly defend the blog. Who can you sway?

TiPs For iMPleMenTing your blog (with special thanks to Bill Comcowich)

seleCT sPeCiFiCs (tools/location/hosting service)

soMe oF The MosT PoPulAr serviCes:

• Blogger www.blogger.com is Google’s free blogging service.

• LiveJournal www.livejournal.com from SixApart is a free blogging service, largely used for creating personal journals.

• Typepad www.typepad.com, another service from Six Apart, is used by many business blogs.

• Movable Type www.sixapart.com/moveabletype/ provides more advanced site design and development capabilities.

• WordPress www.wordpress.org is a personal publishing platform for bloggers who want more sophisticated features.

develoP A ConTenT PlAn For lAunCh

2.blogs gAin AudienCe, inFluenCe, And TrusT over TiMe. iT is orgAniC groWTh.

Postings during the first few months should stake out the territory. The first 15-25 blog posts over the initial two to four weeks are designed to establish a presence, define the “subject” or “space” for the blog, and establish the credibility of the blogger.

MAke your debuT!

3.FirsT

MAke your debuT!

3.FirsT

Establish a presence and build relationships by responding to posts in other blogs—and use those responses to start establishing your expert credentials, positioning, view-point, and “voice” or personality.

The key to a successful debut is to connect with the target audience and engage them. The quickest way to connect is to hit a hot button or to give a peek behind the corporate curtain.

Churn ouT ConTenT/CreATe A rhyThM

4.Worthwhile content—interesting ideas, insights, opinions, reports—is the heart of blogging. Ideally, you want to be-come a credible “go-to” blog—a recognized authority for your subject area. Keeping blog content substantive and fresh is critical to attracting and holding readers. Post fre-quently and consistently. Daily or even more frequently is best. Weekly at least.

Not all posts need to be deep—but all should be interest-ing to your audience. Short posts with musings can be very effective. Insights don’t have to be long—just worthwhile. After all, this is the Web, where readers are scanners and “short” is welcome and appreciated.

FolloW The blog sTyle/use links/sTAy on TrACk

5.An informal, conversational style dominates blog writing. It’s what’s expected—and corporate blogs that conform are more likely to succeed. Concise is expected. Most bloggers use bullet points liberally.

The goal is to make reading quick and easy—enable read-ers to scan content. Provide links to stories or ideas you reference. That’s the blog etiquette. Stay relevant. Keep on topic and on track.

be beTTer/PlAy niCe

6.be beTTer MeAns:

be beTTer/PlAy niCe

• Have more interesting content than your competitors.

• Be more responsive than your competitors. Even marginally better often makes a big business difference (ref: iPod).

be beTTer MeAns:

be beTTer/PlAy niCe

6.PlAy niCe MeAns:

be beTTer/PlAy niCe

• Always be civil. Bloggers thrive on strongly expressed opinion, but are put off by personal attacks. The blogo-sphere slices up and disposes of mean or rude people quickly.

• Never tell a lie and never try to hide information. You’ll get caught, lose credibility, and never get it back.

• Say nice things about competitors. It disarms them and gains you points with others.

PlAy niCe MeAns:

inviTe resPonse

7.Enabling the target audience to respond is a defining characteristic of blogs.

The key: Allow dissidents to participate but not dominate the discussion. In the give-and-take environment, bloggers need a thick skin and need to acknowledge mistakes—their own and their company’s.

Think twice about erasing negative comments by others— and then think again. Openness is vital in successful blogging. Inviting response means giving up some control of the message. Owning the blog, however, ensures that you have the last word.

MoniTor disCussion

8.Monitor regularly what the market is saying about your company, its products, people, competitors, and industry issues. Monitor not only blogs but also message boards, forums, and Usenet newsgroups.

You can use one of the blog search engines such as Technorati www.technorati.com PubSub www.pubsub.org Google Blog Search blogs.google.com BlogPulse www.blogpulse.com and Feedster (www.feedster.com

You can also use RSS tools such as Bloglines www.bloglines.com NewsGator ww.newsgator.com

MoniTor disCussion

8.Monitor Usenet with Google Groups groups.google.com.

Monitor message boards with BoardReader www.boardreader.com

Or, for fully integrated media monitoring, you can subscribe to a service such as

CyberAlert www.cyberalert.com Cymfony www.cymfony.com Carma www.carmainternational.com KD Paine & Partnerswww.kdpaine.com

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