Not-so-small talk: using real-world examples, two "blogging champions" describe how businesses can benefit from blogs.We are experiencing "a revolution that is transforming the way businesses and customers communicate with each other." That's the main message of Naked Conversations, by Robert Scoble, a technical evangelist evangelist (ĭvăn`jəlĭst) [Gr.,=Gospel], title given to saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The four evangelists are often symbolized respectively by a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, on the basis of Rev. 4.6–10. at Microsoft and that company's most prominent employee blogger (1) A person who writes Weblogs. See blog. (2) (Blogger) A Web site launched in 1999 from Pyra Labs, San Francisco, CA (www.blogger.com) that provides the tools for creating blogs (Weblogs). , and Shel Israel Shel Israel advises technology startups on strategic communications issues. He lives in Silicon Valley, California and frequently speaks social media related topics. He is co-author [with Robert Scoble] of , a former PR practitioner. [Scoble is also the subject of an interview in this issue; see page 28.] "We are blogging Writing Weblogs. See blog. champions," they declare in the book's introduction. "We believe that blogging is not just wise for businesses wishing to be closer with their customers, but essential." Indeed, they contend that corporate communication is one-way and that customers are tired of being talked at. They want to be talked with, to be engaged by people in organizations in a way that "strips out all the crap that gets in the way of understanding and trust," as the book unapologetically puts it. Arguing that blogs provide customers, employees, shareholders and others the means to talk easily and instantly about a company, Scoble and Israel set out to show how organizations can benefit by engaging with those constituencies on their terms, using the same means. They present a plausible case that this provides a sound foundation for developing richer, more worthwhile and honest relationships that will benefit everyone. Naked Conversations includes case studies based on interviews with more than 50 people who are directly or indirectly involved with blogging, ranging from big-corporation CEOs to small-business leaders to self-employed individuals. They address the key questions about why organizations should participate in an activity that appears to many to be disruptive disruptive /dis·rup·tive/ (-tiv) 1. bursting apart; rending. 2. causing confusion or disorder. and contrary to the traditional command-and-control system of communication. (Disclosure: I was one of those interviewed and appear in the book.) Naked Conversations has been one of the most talked-about and analyzed an·a·lyze tr.v. an·a·lyzed, an·a·lyz·ing, an·a·lyz·es 1. To examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations. 2. Chemistry To make a chemical analysis of. 3. business books in publishing history, partly because the authors solicited feedback via their blog blog, short for web log, an online, regularly updated journal or newsletter that is readily accessible to the general public by virtue of being posted on a website. while they were writing: As they wrote each chapter, they posted the drafts to the blog so that any interested visitor could contribute his or her comments about them. The posted drafts generated lively discussion among many members of the PR blogger community. Scoble and Israel acknowledge the comments and opinions of hundreds of people who contributed to the blog, including a list of specific people with links to their blogs or web sites. The blog www .nakedconversations.com still exists as an extension of the book, where online conversation and discussion continues. Naked Conversations is a rich resource of information that will provide food for serious thought on the debate about the future of communication in an ever-evolving business world. Most important, this is not so much a how-to book as a why-to book. It takes a strategic view of the blogging phenomenon and its relevance to business, which will make it of particular interest in the boardroom. about the book Naked Conversations: How Blogs Are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel John Wiley John Wiley may refer to:
Neville Hobson, ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. , is a communicator, blogger and podcaster. He blogs at NevilleHobson.com, with commentary and opinion on business communication and technology. |
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