A little while ago Jason Alba over at JibberJobber interviewed me when he awarded me his "You Get It!" award for February. One of the more thought provoking questions that he asked was:
I have a friend that wonders why a senior level exec would blog – he isn’t IT and you are, so he’d slightly discount your answer if it comes from an IT slant – why would you suggest that a senior exec has a blog (if you do suggest that)?
I replied that there were good reasons for a senior exec to blog but also that blogging wasn't for everybody. The reason for this post is that I thought it would be good to expand on that answer.
To be specific, in some situations blogging is a good idea for some senior execs. How's that for waffling on a question? What it comes down to is that blogging is a communication tool but it isn't a universal tool to be applied in all circumstances. Likewise not everyone is well suited to use this particular tool.
So when should a senior exec blog? I can think of 3 situations for a senior exec to blog. Keep in mind we are talking about blogging based upon your position as a senior exec. Unless, you happen to work for some one like Callaway, blogging about your golf game is not related to your corporate position. In relation to your position as a senior exec blogging makes sense in the following 3 situations:
- Blogging to create your personal brand - Blogging is a great way to get your "message" out. It's a way to let people know more about you, how you think, what your philosophy on your area of expertise is, and just as importantly it shows a little about your personality in ways that dry resumes and corporate biographies never could. It is a great form of "pull" marketing that can help create a demand for you as an potential employee to be hired, an expert to be consulted or a thought leader to be listened to. Writing articles, giving presentations are also forms of pull marketing. Blogging is different in that it is interactive with your audience (admittedly you can also get this when giving presentations). More importantly it is a frequent reminder. Who are you more likely to remember, the speaker you heard last year or a blog author who's work you read 3 times a week?
- Blogging as a way of communicating with your customers - The frequency of blogging and interactive features make it a great way to communicate with your customers. It allows you to get your message out in a more personal way and also allows you to hear directly from your customers. Bill Marriott, CEO of the Marriott hotel chain does this very effectively with his blog. Before you do this you have to know your customers. Blogging is better suited to a consumer business than it is a commercial or industrial business. Bill Marriott relates to his customers on a personal level whereas if you are in the heavy-duty industrial pump business it is less likely that you will be able to do so. Likewise, you have to consider where your customers are. Bill Marriott's are literally all over the world so blogging is an effective way to reach them. If all of your customers are in the same city, face to face communication may be a better alternative for you.
- Blogging as a way of communicating with your employees - Blogging on an intranet can be a great way for your employees to get to know you better both as a person and as a boss. It is a great way to constantly reinforce the messages about your strategy and the culture you want to develop. This is especially true if you have employees at more than one location, or are responsible for a large number of employees that you don't have the opportunity to directly interact with on a frequent basis. If all of your employees sit outside your office door then blogging probably isn't the best solution for you. In that situation, you need to get up out of your chair and go talk with them. Never use blogging as an excuse to avoid personal interaction.
So if one of these situations applies you should start blogging, right? Not necessarily. Blogging requires a commitment and blogging is not for everyone. You need to understand the commitments and be willing to put in the effort. Nothing is worse than starting a blog and then stopping if because you lost interest or didn't have the time. So, what are the commitments?
- Blogging takes time - There is no getting around it, blogging does take time and time is the one thing senior execs typically don't have a lot of. There is nothing worse than starting a blog and then stopping a short time later because you lost interest or didn't have the time. You have to be willing to invest (and that is what it is, an investment) the time to blogging. Develop a schedule, daily, 3 times per week, once a week or whatever works best for you and than stick to it.
- It has to be personal - People are reading your blog to hear what you think. This isn't something you can delegate to an assistant or a subordinate. You have to let your personality shine without getting too personal. Again, Bill Marriott's blog is an excellent example of this.
- It has to be sincere - You have to believe in what you write and it has to come from your heart. Blogging is not just another form of advertising. The standard fare from your sales and marketing group won't cut it in a blog. Demonstrate your personal passion for your topic.
- You have to be willing to listen to feedback - Blogging is a interactive communication method. Not all of your readers will like or agree with what you have to say. Some of them will let you know in the comments they submit. If you are one of those senior execs that expects blind obedience then blogging is definitely not for you. Remember, blogging is a dialogue and listening is just as important as talking.
Blogging for a senior exec can be a great communications tool. If you are in the right situation and are willing to make the commitment, go for it! See you in the blogosphere.
What are your thoughts?
Upcoming post: Later I'll expand on blogging as a way of establishing your personal brand and give the 10 reasons I blog as a way of doing this.
If this topic was of interest, you might also like these:
- The Art of Influence / The Influence Continuum
- Or the posts in the "Customer Service" category
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