Words are very powerful. The things we say can bring lots of joy…or not so much joy. Our words have the power to change nations, change the lives of people and carry the ability to shape the future, simply with the words that we speak. Sounds poetic, doesn’t it? However lofty sounding it may be, it is true.
Basically, the things that we say and write, and the things that are said and written about us, make a difference. They can often make such a significant difference in our businesses world that it is well worth the effort to take the time to ensure that what’s being said is at least accurate. Although there is no way to completely control what the opinions of others are (and you shouldn’t want to), what you can do is to ensure that 1.) the facts are presented, 2.) there are no unanswered questions or ambiguous thoughts and 3.) you don’t actively contribute to the speculation pool of gossip with your actions.
Just how powerful are words? Imagine having your every word typed immediately onto a platform that allows the world to instantaneously know what you’re saying. Imagine that even your funny stories, uhm’s, ahh’s and bad jokes are all on display for others to edit, discuss and dismiss. Now imagine having all of that affect your bottom line.
Live Blogging
A while back, I blogged on the idea of corporate media live blogging and just recently did a search to see how popular this idea was/is. It is quite popular. Live blogging implies just what the name suggests – – Live Blogging. Blogging while you are right in the middle of an event, a speech, a workshop or seminar. A live blogger or a live blogging episode allows the writer to instantaneously relay information as it happens. The cool part about this type of blogging is that you get information right away. The not so cool part of this type of blogging is that you get information right away. I’ll explain why later.
Corporate Blogging
Corporate blogging has an unfortunate reputation of being stale and sometimes boring. Numbers, statistics, dry news reads, etc. Although this is not the case in every type of corporate blog, it can take a lot to convince readers to participate in a corporate blog forum. The reason why is because they’re usually uneventful and contain information that often doesn’t pull the reader in. So, the challenge of a corporate blog is to get traffic to the site and to engage the readers so that they will want to read more and come back again and again.
Live Blogging + Corporate Blogging
Bringing together live blogging and corporate blogging in one setting can prove valuable for a company. Although this is my opinion, and quite relative, what I am referring to specifically is the recent live blogging event of Phil Schiller’s keynote speech from Apple. SF Gate had a live blogging platform going on from the MacWorld ’09 event. There has quite a buzz on the internet over the past few weeks about Schiller’s keynote, the absence of Steve Jobs and the effect of that, the speculation that Apple would unveil a new product, etc. etc. No one knew what to really expect from Apple or the leaders there. Since the brand is so popular and interesting, followers are quite interested in what happens at the events, especially if they are unable to attend. Enter – – live blogging.
When a company like Apple creates such a strong brand and an almost cult-like following as they have, everything they do will be magnified and criticized. There’s just no way around it. The same thing can happen with a corporate blog, minus the cult. If corporate companies entertain the idea of live blogging, how significant would their sales change? Even if the CEO is not a Steve Job’s, or even if the product the company manufacture’s doesn’t have a digital interface or touch screen and even if it isn’t quite clear what the brand is, corporations have the ability, the power with their words via their blogs to impact their consumers. Sure sales can NOT increase, but they can also decrease. It can all hinge on what’s going on or not going on at your event. And, it can hinge on the blogger and their take on the whole program.
Live blogging can be great for sales. It can create a buzz with customers concerning any new products. Customers like to be a part of the action, to feel that they are “in”. Once they feel connected, they will follow your product, your brand, your label and your stats. Whether your company is performing favorably or not so favorably, your resource to connect cannot ever be replaced nor should it be undervalued. What can you live blog about today that will make a change, even a small one in your business? What can you offer to your customers that will make them want to watch your company’s every move? What can you do to affect your company’s bottom line?
Lucy is Editor at Corporate Eye
