Fears of Blogging: Control

By on March 29, 2006 in Blogging, Marketing with 4 Comments

Fears_2 WARNING: If you think you’re in complete control of your brand message…or have the power to stifle the conversations taking place about your business – think again.

Last week’s Fears of Blogging:Time post drew some ire offline. I wonder if this one will as well.

I recently engaged in a conversation with a marketing rep from one of Des Moines’ largest companies. Their biggest fear of blogging was having an irate customer make comments on their site. They didn’t want others to see that kind of stuff.

For me, I’d rather have that "stuff" in a place where I have influence (my company’s blog) than somewhere I have no opportunity to respond (the local coffee shop). 

Not having a blog doesn’t stifle the conversation – it will just takes place elsewhere. And your customers are talking – that’s what we human beings do. Frankly, if your concerned so much about negative talk – maybe your problems are bigger than whether to blog or not.

If you think you alone own your brand – think again. Your customers deliver a message about you quite often. Why? Because they can. Whether you think they should or not is beside this point. By engaging in a conversation with them – on your blog or theirs – you have influence in the conversation. Your brand and your business practice improves. You gain customer loyalty.

At Viaspire, Heather’s recent post, Much Ado About Blogging got me to thinking about Blogging Fears. I’ve subscribed to Heather’s feed and encourage you to do likewise. Also, Debbie Weil at BlogWrite for CEOs has a category dedicated to Fear of Blogging.

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  • http://mediametamorphosis.blogspot.com Chuck T

    I totally agree. You don’t have full control of your message.
    One key issue is that blogging is not going on in a vacuum. By that I mean, if your customers feel that the only place they can get satisfaction is by commenting on your blog, then the problems may run a bit deeper. Are the sales channels open in both directions? Are your customer feedback lines in place? Are they effective?
    And on top of all that, you can always moderate the comments. Purists aren’t going to like this: let constructive comments through and keep don’t post those that don’t add to the conversation. If someone writes “your product is the worst!” and it’s both out of context and they don’t give a real reason, then don’t let it through.
    YOU are the editor in chief of your site, act like it.

  • http://www.OwnYourBrand.com Michael Wagner

    Reality is hard on the self-deceived. Broadcast models of marketing were about control. We live in the “the middle country” between what was and what will be. Expect more exchanges like the one you had.
    I’m all for enjoying the ride. This posting is confirmation mixed with a bit of entertainment for me. Parents think they are in control and children just laugh. Marketers think they are in control and customers just laugh too…or cry as the need of the moment dictates.

  • http://www.mikesansone.com Mike Sansone

    Chuck: Great point on moderating comments for relevance. It’s not to silence critics, but make sure the conversation has some direction.
    I’d suggest that if a comment goes in a different direction, create a new conversation (post) to address those.
    Good comparison with blogger and Editor-in-chief or even a Radio Talk Show host/producer

  • http://www.mikesansone.com Mike Sansone

    Michael: So…when the kids/customers think they have control – do they really not? Feeling of ontrol precedes reality of loss of control?

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