Take issue!
Ch. 10: how issues blogs show people you’re listening
Authors Shel Holtz and John Havens continue to hit it out of the park with their latest book Tactical Transparency. This month I’ve reviewed select chapters of the book starting with Chapter 3 characteristics of transparent organizations and Chapter 4 on a more transparent approach to selling & ROI. Quick note: the book cites blogger experiences for larger companies; but small business value was definitely present with more highlighted below.
Blogs that focus on a specific business issue provide distinct advantages for any organization.
-from Tactical Transparency: how leaders can leverage social media to maximize value and build their brand
Take aways for small business
So why blog about championed social issues (or even concerns valuable to your business yet less focused on by greater societal opinion)?
It builds trust.
It builds trust with your customers and stakeholder community – with at the forefront – your willingness to be honest about your position and status within the conversation i.e. be truthful on that recent review on your restaurant even if it didn’t score as high as hoped.
More take aways from the book
1) Be confident in your chosen issue to blog about.
Negative or contentious comments may come up on your issues blog especially if it’s an environmental concern like protecting the Amazon. What cause related to your business or industry standard proves valuable enough to you to voice opinion? and to get opinion back from others?
2) Realize that issues blogging creates a chance to show what drives your business philosophy.
Sure, a critical goal is to be profitable(!) but this type of blogging mindset creates opportunity to relate on your business values. Whether it be going green, leading industry policy, or even forming your company’s advisory board, revealing your stance can engender trust with customers and your industry.
3) Frame your issues so the community – or press – comes to you.
Small businesses have great opportunity to be socially responsible. Your blog can be an apt conversation hub for those issues your community, stakeholders, and your core business most value…with welcome results in customer loyalty and perceived expertise.
We measure ROI in trust.
-Bob Langert, VP of corporate social responsibility, McDonald’s
And Langert’s quote from the book goes on: We want people to say the blog [Open for Discussion] is transparent and that it’s open and that it’s real dialogue.
Do you agree with this chapter’s premise on issues blogging (or again, even issues centric to your development … like forming an advisory board from what I linked above?)?
What other benefits or consequences do you see from extending your business in this way?
In weeks ahead: reviewing selected chapters from Tactical Transparency
- -Ch. 16: Yeah, But…: overcoming objections;
- -Ch. 17: Your Road Map to Transparency: creating a plan
- -And did you catch it? Check out thoughts via audio cast & more for the first review in this series, starting with Chapter 3: Do You Have What It Takes?Characteristics of Transparent Organizations;
- …and a take down of Chapter 4: Why opaque selling doesn’t deliver long-term return on investment.
Photo Through A Glass, Darkly by Drumsnwhistles under Creative Commons License A-NC-ND Works 2.0.
Book jacket for Tactical Transparency used with permission from Meredith Stanton at John Wiley & Sons.
Brought to you by Network Solutions®
