Here’s how it works.  Customers buy a car or have some work done at one of the many Herb Chambers dealers, after which they are encouraged to share their experience on Herb’s blog.  They visit the web site, key in a little information about themselves and their activity with the dealer, and they’re off and running.  They can type anything – positive or negative – and when they click submit it shows up unfiltered on the site.  Herb requires that his dealers answer all negative postings directly and quickly, offering solutions to customer issues and returning Herb’s reputation to good standing.  The customer walks away feeling empowered, probably willing to deal with Herb in the future.  Herb gets a living case study for his dealers’ customer service prowess, and leaves a string of satisfied customers in his wake.  A win/win.

Looking at what Herb Chambers is doing, I can’t help but think – if a car dealer can leverage social media to strengthen its relationships with customers and help its business in the process, we all can do it.  So what’s it going to take to put you into a new blog?  Why don’t you think it over, while I go ask my manger if I can give you a deal.

Slowly, then not-so-slowly, the pool of media we marketers were targeting began to dry out- readership, page counts, ad revenue and staff began to dwindle.  And the marketing practice of leveraging these conduits to generate awareness began losing its effectiveness.  And so began the shift…

The major movement underway begins with our audience, who have reduced their reliance on the media to tell them what’s up, and instead have turned to one another for information.  Through user reviews, product ratings, online forums, blogs, tweets, homemade videos, and social networks, the mass collective of customers for just about any product has found a voice of its own.  Your customers are no longer only consumers of information, they are also producers of content.  They are both informing and being informed – about the prospect of a new storage array before it’s even launched, or the problems with a software update for a router before its first "official" review.  And this shift is forcing an evolution in the role of the marketer.

With users empowered to talk to one another, we can no longer pretend that we are in complete control of our messages.  We can no longer simply talk through the media and to the market.  Here are a few implications of the shift:

• We must speak directly to our customers- build a community, provide the information they want, and be more candid than ever before.
• We must give our audience a voice- allow them to speak directly to us, make sure they know we’ve heard them, and close the loop when possible.
• We must enable our customers to talk to one another- providing a forum for users and curious prospects to exchange information and ideas.
• We must not censor- nurturing our credibility and trust by encouraging open dialog with and between our audience members.
• We must listen- learning from the people who are most important to our success, and letting their voices guide our actions.
• We must build killer products- testing and double testing new features before release, and avoiding mistakes that will become very visible to customers and prospects, very quickly.
• We must over service- ensuring that the customers we have are over-satisfied, and well armed to be ambassadors of our brand.

The shift is on.  Are you ready for it?

 A multi-author blog can help take the pressure off of any one individual in your company, and provide some much needed time between posts for your bloggers to find some inspiration.  It also gives your company a way to express multiple viewpoints- "Technology Trends" by a lead engineer, or "Customer Corner" by the VP of sales…or maybe "The Fluff Factor" by the marketing director.  With a multi-author blog, you can bring your company’s unique viewpoint to life in multiple ways for multiple audiences.

Are there downsides to a multi-author blog?  You bet.  Maintaining consistency can be difficult as additional authors enter the fold.  To sustain a unified voice for your company, establish and publish some guidelines for blogging- some simple dos and don’ts that will help guide blog content.  Also, nominate a blog editor- someone who has the final say over the final posting and monitors keywords and formatting for consistency.

With a little structure, a multi-author blog can help ensure that your company is churning out quality content at a regular pace- without hiring a CBO (chief blogging officer).  And that’s nothing to shake a stick at.

David’s readers, like a community of good neighbors, pitched in and far exceeded David’s goals and expectations.  Together, they have raised over $12,000 to provide a family of four with shelter from abuse, a new home and a fresh start.  I encourage you to visit David’s blog, catch up on the story and join the community he’s created in any way you can.

On the heels of the holiday season, when most of us made at least one pilgrimage to the mall to buy luxury items for people we know, David’s readers have shown us the true spirit of giving.  This community, brought together by one heck of a blog, has shown us that real giving has more to do with needs that wants.  They have shown us that sometimes it’s more important to give to strangers than to friends.  And sometimes, giving is less about the luxurious gifts beneath a tree than the simple roof above it.

I’m pleased and humbled to see the simple power of community on display in the blogosphere.  It’s a thought I’ll bring with me into 2009 as an example of the new ways that people can help people, and an inspiration for the many new roles a blog can play in marketing and life.  And I hope you will too.  Happy New Year.

When we put all the right pieces together, a well executed launch (much like a cannonball off a dock) can result in a big splash.  At launch time, onlookers watch to see how high, how far the splash will carry.  But inevitably the water falls back down to earth, and all that’s left is a concentric ripple that travels away from the swimmer in all directions.  Much like that ripple, rolling thunder provides a steady beat of awareness for companies and products once the initial splash subsides.

Since December is often the time to get next year’s plan in order, I thought I’d provide a sampling of basic rolling thunder activities that can be used between major launches to sustain awareness the whole year through.

Advertising – Get your brand out there through targeted ads that won’t break your budget.  Consider sponsored webinars and other non-traditional paid opportunities.

Announcements – save "B" and "C" level news releases for between major launches, and space them out to avoid quiet times. 

Blogging – Your company has deep experience and a unique viewpoint.  Use your blog as a forum for interaction with your audience about the topics you know best.

Communications Calendar – research and pursue editorial opportunities, speaking engagements and awards submissions that raise your profile among your targeted audience.

Direct Marketing – send the prospects you know a periodic, useful newsletter.  Always think of ways to expand and segment your list.

Events – Establish a presence at industry events, if not with an actual exhibit then through sponsorships and aggressive media engagement at the show.

Web Content – Make sure you plan some updates to your web site between major launches to reward frequent visitors with new content, and increase your search engine rankings.

Please take a minute to learn a little about this endeavor, buy a copy or spread the word.  There’s a nice writeup on the origins of this effort at The Age of Conversation web site and a Facebook Group has been created as a forum to extend the conversation.  Bringing this book together was an amazing feat by Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton, and all profits are being donated to Variety, The Children’s Charity.  

For a list of all the authors who contributed to this book, see below or click "Read the rest of this entry".

Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Chris Brown, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Schawbel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Dave Davison, David Armano, David Berkowitz, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne & Todd Cabral, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, John Herrington, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kristin Gorski, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tim Brunelle, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem

The answer is simple:  CF2 does not work his social networking.

We are given tools like LinkedIn, Facebook and Plaxo, whose sole purpose is to help us stay connected.  And they’re free!  So why not use them?

Here are some simple tasks that I perform daily to work my social networking.

1. See whose connecting with whom

Check your networking sites for recent connections between people you are connected with and people you know.  Then reach out and reconnect.

2. Reunite with classmates

Perform a periodic search for high school and college friends and acquaintances (and reconnect).

3. Check Status

New jobs, birthdays, events.  When your contacts report ‘em, reach out.

4. Who viewed my profile? (LinkedIn specific)

If you are a free user, LinkedIn shows  you a few profiles of people who have viewed your LinkedIn page.  If you can figure out who they are, it might be worth saying "hey".

If you put the work in networking, you never know what might happen.

(BTW, I also wrote on promoting your blog on social networking sites last September.)

Cornering the Globe

With our first 99 posts, we’ve had 3,899 unique visitors from 103 countries on six continents (Come on Antarctica!).  In the US, we’ve touched every state except Alaska, but we’re still holding out hope that Sarah Palin will stop by before the election.

Joining the Conversation

One of the best parts of blogging is participating in all the great discussions going on out there.  Since we started doing this, we’ve had about 200 other blog posts link to us.  And we’ve started conversations of our own, sparking over a hundred comments on the stuff we’ve written.

Contributing to a Cool Book for a Great Cause

We never saw this one coming, but we’re sure glad it did.  Through blogging, we came across the opportunity to contribute a short chapter to The Age of Conversation 2, which is due out any day now.  We’ve written exhaustively about the experience, so if you haven’t heard of it, you can catch up here.

Keeping Readers Happy

For us, it’s tough to pick our favorite posts.  For our readers, it’s as easy as a click or a comment.  We keep a close eye on what our readers respond to, and try to deliver content that keeps them coming back.  Here are The Science of Marketing’s most popular posts so far:

1. Pricing Strategy: Anchors
2. Internal Communications: Own It
3. Slogans: Say What You Do
4. Market Segmentation: How to Prioritize Targets
5. Mission Statement: Make it Possible

 That’s not bad for 100 posts.  We’re looking forward to the next 100, and hope you are too.

Jay, a power blogger in his own right, is conducting a series of conversations with AOC2 authors, starting with the creators, Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton.    This conversation, published as a podcast, answers the question "why did you do it?"

Listen to or download the podcast here.  And check back with the AOC2 web site periodically, there will be more author interviews.

"How do you do it?"

Her answer was the same to each question – "Did you read the memo?"

Maybe the employees did and maybe they didn’t.  But, no memo ever answered everyone’s questions.  On top of that, after the meeting there were many pairwise conversations between employees and IT that would have been of interest to the entire company.  Internal communications can be better.

This is a great place to have a corporate conversation with an internal blog: one that summarizes new IT features, procedures and problems, allows employees to comment with questions and concerns and provides IT with a tool to respond to everyone at once. Think of any area in a company – sales, product/service, HR, finance – and there are bound to be items of broad interest that can be shared and discussed in a single place – an internal blog.

While it takes some up front work, departmental commitment and effort to make it part of the business, in the long run, internal blogs can be an effective (and cost effective) internal communications tool.

Any success (or horror) stories out there on internal blogs?