I found an interesting blog post this morning about the Common Excuses Companies Use For Not Having a Blog. It presents 4 of the most commonly heard excuses and some arguments in favor of companies blogging to their customer base.
The author, David Wallace, had discovered results from a survey conducted by Burson-Marsteller that found less than 15% of Fortune 500 companies communicate with customers via blogs.
The excuses David has heard from companies?
- We Cannot Afford To Install a Blog
- We Have Nothing To Say
- We Have No One To Write For Us
- We Are Afraid!
Both the survey and David conclude that there should be more. They're right.
And the survey found that the smaller the company, the less likely it is to blog. From the survey analysis:
Larger companies tend to control blogs in greater numbers than their smaller counterparts, according to the Burson study. Nearly one-third (32%) of the Fortune 50 maintain blogs, while 16% of the Fortune 201 through 250 have blogs. Only 2% of the Fortune 451 to 500 maintain blogs.
And here's what I know - in manufacturing, it's much worse. I'd venture to say that among manufacturing SMBs, you're about as likely to find a blog as oil for 19 Euros a barrel.
Blogs can be a brilliant channel for inspiration, to influence a company's strategies and products by drawing insight from its customers and prospects. But manufacturers don't see it, and I think there is one main reason why:
Manufacturers Aren't Communicators - It's not that manufacturers have nothing to say, it's that you're not often very good at saying it. It's just not how you're wired. It's the rarest of breeds that has great writing chops and strong programming, machining, or engineering skills. It's nothing to be ashamed of - it's just as unlikely that a marketing executive can program and run a Hardinge.
The answer? Practice. Writing a blog doesn't have to be long-winded - it can be brief. It doesn't have to be written to every day - just regularly. It should portray your organization as competent and allow for your prospects and customers to talk back to you.
All members of MFGx get a blog. It's free. Try it. Get your hands dirty. Have a little fun.
Who knows? This whole Internet thing just might take off.
I love this.
I"ll try much harder to remind myself what blogs are for, and to look for my customers blog's too maybe I'm missing something too.
If I want to comunicate with a customer base as a whole, I got it.
Hmmmmm
guess now I got to think of something to say.
Oh yea....
Where can I buy one of those blog thingy's at?
LOL