{"id":481,"date":"2008-04-01T17:00:03","date_gmt":"2008-04-01T21:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getgood.com\/roadmaps\/?p=481"},"modified":"2008-04-01T17:00:03","modified_gmt":"2008-04-01T21:00:03","slug":"blogger-relations-is-customer-relations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getgood.com\/roadmaps\/2008\/04\/01\/blogger-relations-is-customer-relations\/","title":{"rendered":"Blogger relations is customer relations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recently, I was explaining to someone why I wanted to shift the mix of my consulting business to include more blogger relations projects, both hands-on projects and strategic consulting to companies executing their projects themselves. <\/p>\n

It’s simple. Nearly every organization, regardless of size, is going to have to engage in blogger relations. Because blogger relations is the evolution of customer relations. <\/strong><\/p>\n

I hear the objection … "But isn’t blogger relations just PR campaigns aimed at bloggers to get them to write about products and services? How can that be customer relations?"<\/p>\n

Outbound blogger relations, or blogger outreach, is only one part<\/strong> of blogger relations. It’s also more, or at least should be more, than "just PR." Remember: the blogger is the customer<\/em>. When companies engage with bloggers, they are strengthening, or weakening, their relationships with their customers. <\/p>\n

For the moment, though, let’s step away from the outreach discussion<\/a> and remember that an interaction can be initiated by either party<\/strong> in a relationship.  <\/p>\n

It is equally likely that a blogger — the customer  — will effectively reach out to<\/em> a company by offering an unsolicited opinion about the firm or its products on her blog. How a company handles this blogger-initiated interaction<\/em>, whether it be kudos or complaint, is equally blogger relations. <\/p>\n

In my personal experience<\/a>, companies rarely engage with bloggers under these circumstances. I’ve mentioned a number of different companies here, both positively and negatively, over the past three years. So far, only one company has left a comment on the relevant post. Other bloggers<\/a> report similar results. The question is, why?  <\/p>\n

Are the companies not paying attention, or do they just not know what to say? <\/p>\n

It’s probably a bit of both. That’s the opportunity for companies willing to step up and really start talking with their customers. Wherever the conversation may be. <\/em><\/p>\n

It starts with monitoring what people are saying about the company — on blogs, microblogs like Twitter, social networks like Facebook, Forums, your customer service or support lines — wherever customers talk about you, whatever else comes along. But it can’t end there, or even with solid outreach programs that offer relevant information to the appropriate people. <\/p>\n

You have got to be willing to respond. To answer the question, acknowledge the comment, accept the compliment and address the concerns. Publicly. <\/p>\n

That’s the challenge for blogger relations. Engaging with your customers on their terms as well as yours, on their turf as well as yours. Consistently and for mutual benefit. <\/p>\n

Ready, set, go.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

I’m off to BlogHer Business<\/a> tomorrow morning, so blogging will be light for the rest of the week, although I will be on Twitter. I will try to get my posts up about the sessions on the train ride home Saturday. While you are waiting, check out:<\/p>\n