As profiled in today’s WSJ, blogs are identified as the “latest channel” for direct marketing to customers and prospects.
The article claims that they provide something crucial to any marketer: raw consumer feedback. Sort of a “virtual focus group”
The manufacturer of Vespa scooters, intends to launch two blogs written by Vespa owners in America this year. Paolo Timoni who is in charge of the effort says “This new blog is the way to do it nowadays,” The article claims he also sees the project as a way to “cull more opinion and research from consumers”.
As described in depth at our last conference, the article says corporations will need to be wary in this space to avoid having little more than a disdained “spin machine”.
One marketing adviser suggests leaving bloggers alone and just monitor the posts and comments. “If the intent is to have a real two-way dialogue, to gain real insight from consumers, a third party can be more effective at that,” said John Cate, vice president and national media director for Aegis Group’s Carat Interactive.
Apparently although there is a Starbucks gossip blog, Starbucks has no policy regarding blogs nor a formal system for monitoring them.
Michael Wiley, director of new media for GMs communications department, was quoted as saying “A lot of what blogging is about is authenticity, getting beyond corporate speak and PR, and really creating a conversation”.
We’ll be covering this topic at the next Blog Business Summit. Let us know where we should host it.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Gary Hodges 05.05.05 at 1:03 pm
Well, as a small business owner this may not be such a challenge. But, GM has a very valid point; “authenticity” would revolutionize the consumers experience with sales of “widgets” or “thingamajigs”. If you could obtain open and honest feedback about your product from someone, do you just listen? Look at that pop-up you get when a program of Microsoft’s goes awry and gives you the option to send it to Microsoft for their analysis. I’ve been in IT for over 20 years and have never seen any reference that these are paid attention to. The ideal world would be to get feedback…back. It may not be the answer I was looking for, but at least its a response. Now THAT is customer service! Which really brings me to my point; can a large corporation commit to true customer service by starting a Blog, and having someone within that company (that has ANY clout) respond? Who should it be? I certainly hope its not the PR department. I think the need for a PR department is going to go away…as long as there is an open dialog with your customer. Why do you need someone to cloud what you really wanted to say (or did say in private)? Why don’t you really want to say it? I’m certain there is a ‘place’ where we can find common ground and work together. As I truly do want my widget to work, or be this way or that way. I mean what have you got to lose by being authentic?
-b- 05.06.05 at 6:31 am
I agree and the problem I’ve posted on is corporations don’t have blog response teams set up yet. I think Fastlane is an exception with their team and committment, but my postings on “who is going to write the posts and what are the going to say” also goes for comments. The reluctance I hear from business isn’t to blogging itself, but to the resource it requires. They would be fine with live commenting, but they can’t justify budget to pay someone to click approve/disappove on comments. I don’t agree with that, but it’s what I’m hearing.
Armand Rousso 06.02.05 at 4:56 am
Real conversations can be done only if both parties are interested to begin with. I c a lot of people just post their thoughts and hence start a blog but forget to ever look back at how fellow netizens/bloggers have reacted to their topic.
In this scenario, i think if they are really interested in sharing their experiences, they must check back, respond and keep the thread alive. With that, will arise escalated interest amongst bloggers - who will then start taking more active interest in blogs.
Armand Rousso
Meikah Delid 05.02.06 at 12:54 am
I’m for blogging as a way to monitor customers’ feedback. And I believe it’s easier to get and receive feedback, especially that many consumers have now become Internet savvy. And what better way to do market research than to create as you’ve said a “virtual focus group.” It’s more cost-efficient than doing fieldwork and it’s more pervasive.