The Corporate Blog Tipping Point

Richard MacManus forsees weblogging and wiki technologies enabling bottom-up Knowledge Management in his company, but wonders along with all of us what it's going to take to make it go mainstream.

As I think about that, I admit that my blog has very little to do with interacting with "customers" for my company. But I think in either case, it comes down to one thing: the most important thing is having a conversation with customers.

How can you take the "best" blogging has to offer and use it on a corporate website? I don't think you need to publish blogs. What you should do is:

1. See The Cluetrain Manifesto. Markets are conversations.
2. Post information on your company or product website that is: A) relevant, B) current, and C) written in a human voice. If there's a reason for customers to come to your site, they'll come.
3. Offer a way to ask for and collect feedback.

I don't know if blogs (in their current form) will ever "cross the chasm". I don't think RSS or ATOM will change the way most consumers will get information (in the short term). I'm not sure major corporations will ever adopt blog tools in their current form.

But the concept of what blogging is is a huge step in the right direction: making markets conversations. What can you do right now to make your current company website be more relevant, current, human, and conversational?

Comments

[Amanda.Murphy]

I loved the cluetrain! When I read it a couple of years ago I walked around for about a week with a stiff neck from violently nodding my head so much while I read it. I promised myself that I would always try and take delivery whenever it stopped around me. Hopefully I haven't been doing too bad. That being said, I think the value in humanizing corporate communications and letting the employees "come out and play" is that the company becomes more approachable in the customer's eyes. Something like when you walk into an room with 2 other people already there. One stands with arms crossed and a frozen almost robotic look on their face. The other stands with arms open, looks you straight in the eye and offers a gentle smile. Who are you most likely to strike up a conversation with first?

Customers face difficult decisions EVERY day. They have pains that need healing. They need to know their problems are being heard by the party that is promising to solve them. A company that can prove its willingness and dedication to communicating WITH it's customers than talking at or over them has the advantage. A key component in doing this is understanding who the customer is. Companies that encourage their employees to go out and participate in the communities they are operating in will experience greater success than those that don't.

Traditional corporate web communications won't change anytime soon. Throwing up a trophy corporate weblog or user forums won't bridge the communication gap unless they offer some sincere value to the customers.

[Mick Stanic]

I'm still amazed at how many people can't understand (or don't even try to understand) what Cluetrain is all about. I have to admit that after reading Cluetrain the biggest thing i took away from it, was not to think in terms of "consumers" or "customers", but to start thinking in terms of "people".

I think your comments on corporate blogging are spot on John, especially pointing out that even if weblogs don't work in the corporate world, the logic behind the "conversation" of weblogs is whats important and what we, as marketers, need to learn and implement.

Following that thought, I think that Microsoft is providing a great service to the IT and tech world by letting its staff experiment with, and to allow them to use weblogs as a communication tool. Its been a long time since i did any coding, but i avidly follow a number of blogs over on blogs.msdn.com to keep abreast of what you guys are upto. And having people like Robert Scoble onboard and blogging, makes for interesting reading and does wonders for PR.

Like everyone else who is involved in marketing and has an interest in blogging, i hope we can combine the two together, even if it only does make for interesting and open reading... :)

[David]

Thanks for the introduction to Cluetrain.

It's great to discover that so many others
have reached the same conclusions.

I am sure that you and the other corporate bloggers
will slowly, but surely effect a transformation in
the companies you work for.

Your writing is refreshing and informative.
Keep up the good work!

[Cameron Reilly]

I don't know John, I've just been reading "The Tipping Point" and it strikes me that certain bloggers are becoming "Connectors". I think Scoble is. Does blogging make it easier to become a connector or to start epidemic?