Robert Pickstone

POLL & Discussion: Is it wrong for others to write your company blog?

January 13th, 2010 Comments

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I recently came across the following tweet from LinkedInQueen:

“Writers block? We set up and write blogs starting at $100! http://bit.ly/8PanVX”

I was pretty astonished at first. How could someone else possibly know the ins and outs of a company when they have never stepped foot inside Head Office? Why would a company want someone else to speak to their customers? Why would a company be misleading and pretend that they created the content of a blog or that it is their voice?

After clicking on the link I discovered that the “Social Media Service” could write content around 3 areas of the company’s choice, as part of the basic plan. So, it may work like this: I give the brief…hand over the money…ask for blog articles around marketing, finance and skills…they produce the content…content is discussed and mutual changes are agreed…I give it the OK…it then gets posted to my company blog (which they have created) as my own content.

I am actually a little uncomfortable with this. In the vast majority of cases a company’s blog content should be controlled by the people that work for the company. They keep the cogs going round, they know the business inside out, they engage with customers, they are the experts, they are the company.

After stating that I did not agree with the approach, the author of the tweet responded: “There are clients who really need help & we work closely to translate their words w/ their approval”. So, is this a way of saying it is a copywriting service? Or does this service write blogs for companies?

In an extreme example, there may be an extremely creative, self-employed entrepeneur who has very poor literacy and no computer skills, but wants to use the internet to share his ideas under the company brand. If his ideas were translated word for word after a discussion, then this may be copywriting. If there is any element of control or creativity being handed over to the agency, then would the blog content be 100% his? Translating and writing are two very different things.

After racking my brains, and after a brief discussion with Kimmo Linkama, the only times I can think of when it may be OK for a company to have blog content produced and then genuinly passed on as their own, is as part of promotional blog articles (Press Releases, Interview Transcripts, etc). Readers may expect other contributers in thse instances. However, an outside agency writing articles to display a company’s level of expertise and knowledge, or even just their opinion, just doesn’t sit right. That is not blogging to me.

When do you think it’s OK for a company to have blog content created for them and then displayed as their own?
Do you think it is wrong for others to write your company blog?

Vote in the poll below and share any opinions you have on this subject. It would be really interesting to hear your thoughts and experiences. If I am looking at this the wrong way, tell me.

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Some celebrities DO engage in two-way Twitter conversations

December 30th, 2009 Comments

After stumbling upon an article a few days ago that suggested most celebrities do not speak to their followers and should actually be put into Twitter lists of their own so we can all check on what they are saying about themselves when we have the time, I thought I would provide some examples of celebrities I follow who DO use Twitter to have two way conversations with their followers and actually use the Twitter branch of Social Media to speak to their fans.

Stephen Fry is one of the most famous celebrities using Twitter and to be honest he tweets about all sorts – it can be witty, it can be personal, it can be random – he does engage with followers. He has been talking about clay pigeon shooting, Omegle and lunch today.
Duncan Bannatyne has used Twitter to show the more personal side to the multi-millionaire “Dragon” that sometimes scares contestants on the BBC show Dragon’s Den. I have learnt that he is enthusiastic about charity and recognising achievement. Duncan also engages with followers.
Dannii Minogue has used Twitter really well to respond to many of her fans, as well as fans of ITV’s The X Factor. In the past, pop-music fans may have drawn a picture and popped it in the post to their idols – now they can take a twitpic and within minutes there is a chance they will receive some feedback!
Mark Bright loves talking about football (soccer to Yanks) and sport. Many Twitter users also love talking about football and sport. Mark gives fans a chance to talk to an ex-professional player as the action is happening out there on the pitch.

I think that these celebrities have used Twitter to help brake down barriers and speak directly to fans and the general public. That is why I will continue to follow them and big up others who do the same! They must get bucket loads of messages and so can’t physically respond to all of them – but at least they make an effort.

What celebrities do you follow that try to engage with their followers?

Do you think more celebrities will use Twitter in 2010 to help brake down barriers with the wider public?

Update: More celebrities recommended for two-way engagement

Jed Langdon recommends:

- Jason Manford – http://twitter.com/Jason_Manford
- Peter Serafinowicz – http://twitter.com/serafinowicz
- Matt Horne – http://twitter.com/mfhorne
- Alyssa_Milano – http://twitter.com/Alyssa_Milano

Feel free to make your own recommendations.

Three gifts I’ve recieved from Twitter

December 22nd, 2009 Comments

This time last year I was not using Twitter. A year on, and due to the fact I’m feeling rather festive, I thought I would share with you what I think are the three gifts that Twitter has given me.

The ability to make new friends
The ability to help others
The ability to learn

Have you grasped these gifts? If so, are you going to grasp them again next year?

This must be one of the shortest blog posts out there but I just wanted to get straight to the point. Hopefully next year we can all continue to meet new people, help them and learn from them.

Merry Christmas.

Meeting a new client? Stalk them.

December 14th, 2009 Comments

Ok, don’t physically stalk them. That would be slightly unethical. What is not unethical though is searching online for information about a new client which they have chosen to make public. Some think this is a form of online stalking – it is not – it is using your initiative.

The information you find can help you spot a common interest, both personally and professionally. Using this information correctly, your conversation can be enhanced, opportunities can be spotted and deals can be clinched. Background information can also help you to build a foundation to a good working relationship.

What tools are available though and what can we find out? You may want to think about the following:

LinkedIn – We can find out what their professional background is, what qualifications they own, who recommends them, what their skills set is and who their business contacts are.
Twitter – We can find out what they are saying “real-time”, what issues they are currently interested in and who they are sharing their conversations with.
Facebook – We can find out a combination of the information available from LinkedIn and Twitter. Also, interests and hobbies tend to be more prominent on Facebook.
Blogs – We can find out what area they have a real passion for, what they are willing to spend extra hours writing and talking about, and what message they want to spread.
Search Engine Results – We can find out comments that may have been made on forums and blogs, as well as when they have appeared in press releases and on company websites.

Like I said, this is just a general breakdown. Do you share public information in a different way? Would you use these tools to research a client before meeting with them?

I would be interested to hear your views and experiences.

Have you felt the salesman’s guilt?

December 7th, 2009 Comments

When I’m asked about guilt and regrets I often refer back to my days of being a door to door salesman. My objective at the time was made pretty clear by my employer: sell products and services to those that fall within a certain criteria. Looking back I wish my objective had been: sell products and services to those that really need them.

Persuading someone to side with cash when they don’t really need to should cause a huge amount of guilt. I only felt this once, and it wasn’t for large amounts of cash, but five years on I still think about it now and again. Once was too often.

One factor that can influence sales people into this action is a commission pay structure, especially if pay is commission only. Other factors can include pressures from management, chasing promotion and the buzz of a sale.

If you currently work in sales, or have done in the past, have you felt this guilt?

If you are constantly receiving sales pitches for products and services you don’t need, then why not ask about their motivation and bring guilt into the equation? It might make a difference.

We all have responsibilities within our jobs but sometimes personal responsibilities are much more important.

Welcome to our blog

November 25th, 2009 Comments

Hi everyone,

Firstly, thank you for visiting my blog.

Are you interested in social media, marketing and business? Do you enjoy taking part in conversations, adding ideas and sharing opinions? If so, this blog is made for you.

I am going to try and touch upon some interesting subjects that often get missed or forgotten about. I am going to try and apply some common sense that we all miss from time to time. I am going to try and inject some personality and make it a fun read.

The key is you. Without you, there is no blog. Please get as involved as you like and leave comments – I really want to hear what you have to say!

Thanks

Robert