Comments on: The Reverse-Process Technique of Discovering Blog Topics http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/ Build your business by sharing what you know Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:51:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Chris Garrett http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6909 Chris Garrett Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:32:28 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6909 @Michael - Always glad to inspire ;) @Gabriella - There is a real fear of blogging. Some people get it right away, others come round to the idea cautiously, while others fear it or don't understand. Companies tend to grow to a size where they would rather be safe, do what they have always done, than be innovative, without realizing it is only those companies that take chances and evolve that tend to survive. @Michael – Always glad to inspire ;)

@Gabriella – There is a real fear of blogging. Some people get it right away, others come round to the idea cautiously, while others fear it or don’t understand. Companies tend to grow to a size where they would rather be safe, do what they have always done, than be innovative, without realizing it is only those companies that take chances and evolve that tend to survive.

]]> By: Chris Garrett http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18382 Chris Garrett Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:32:00 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18382 @Michael - Always glad to inspire ;) @Gabriella - There is a real fear of blogging. Some people get it right away, others come round to the idea cautiously, while others fear it or don't understand. Companies tend to grow to a size where they would rather be safe, do what they have always done, than be innovative, without realizing it is only those companies that take chances and evolve that tend to survive. @Michael – Always glad to inspire ;)

@Gabriella – There is a real fear of blogging. Some people get it right away, others come round to the idea cautiously, while others fear it or don’t understand. Companies tend to grow to a size where they would rather be safe, do what they have always done, than be innovative, without realizing it is only those companies that take chances and evolve that tend to survive.

]]> By: Gabriella http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6840 Gabriella Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:22:38 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6840 Why do so many companies feel overwhelmed when you bring up the idea of starting a blog? A friend of a friend asked for advice on how to increase traffic to their software company's website and I mentioned starting a weekly blog with simple tutorials about some of their more popular products. The answer from the boss was a quick and definitive NO, and he said it would be too much work. Surely there must be someone at the company who knows how to use the product??? @Michael As you mentioned, company blogs are not the place to handle customer complaints, except possibly in a few specific cases. A company's blog is for everyone to see, and most complaints/customer issues are something that must be dealt with on an individual basis. Two customers that have similar complaints may require very different solutions, and regular customers may not understand why their problem was handled one way and someone with a similar problem was dealt with in another. Why do so many companies feel overwhelmed when you bring up the idea of starting a blog? A friend of a friend asked for advice on how to increase traffic to their software company’s website and I mentioned starting a weekly blog with simple tutorials about some of their more popular products. The answer from the boss was a quick and definitive NO, and he said it would be too much work. Surely there must be someone at the company who knows how to use the product???

@Michael
As you mentioned, company blogs are not the place to handle customer complaints, except possibly in a few specific cases. A company’s blog is for everyone to see, and most complaints/customer issues are something that must be dealt with on an individual basis. Two customers that have similar complaints may require very different solutions, and regular customers may not understand why their problem was handled one way and someone with a similar problem was dealt with in another.

]]> By: Gabriella http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18381 Gabriella Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:22:00 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18381 Why do so many companies feel overwhelmed when you bring up the idea of starting a blog? A friend of a friend asked for advice on how to increase traffic to their software company's website and I mentioned starting a weekly blog with simple tutorials about some of their more popular products. The answer from the boss was a quick and definitive NO, and he said it would be too much work. Surely there must be someone at the company who knows how to use the product??? @Michael As you mentioned, company blogs are not the place to handle customer complaints, except possibly in a few specific cases. A company's blog is for everyone to see, and most complaints/customer issues are something that must be dealt with on an individual basis. Two customers that have similar complaints may require very different solutions, and regular customers may not understand why their problem was handled one way and someone with a similar problem was dealt with in another. Why do so many companies feel overwhelmed when you bring up the idea of starting a blog? A friend of a friend asked for advice on how to increase traffic to their software company’s website and I mentioned starting a weekly blog with simple tutorials about some of their more popular products. The answer from the boss was a quick and definitive NO, and he said it would be too much work. Surely there must be someone at the company who knows how to use the product???

@Michael
As you mentioned, company blogs are not the place to handle customer complaints, except possibly in a few specific cases. A company’s blog is for everyone to see, and most complaints/customer issues are something that must be dealt with on an individual basis. Two customers that have similar complaints may require very different solutions, and regular customers may not understand why their problem was handled one way and someone with a similar problem was dealt with in another.

]]> By: Michael Martine http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6838 Michael Martine Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:41:41 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6838 Not to get too far off topic, but in many cases a company blog is not the place to deal with customer service issues. Those inquiries should be referred to the company's normal customer service channels (and hopefully they don't suck). Now back to the topic: Chris, this is so simple and effective. What a great technique. We have blind spots that, of course, we can't see, until someone else points them out to us. That's really one of the main benefits of hiring professional bloggers or blog consultants: we are going to bring a practiced eye to the situation and see what others don't. With practice, all of this becomes easier. Especially if you have something of a formula to work from. This reverse-process discovery method provides blog content that does exactly what it's supposed to: differentiate and educate. A company's process is something that differentiates it from other companies, and educating readers/customers pays big dividends down the road. In this day and age, people don't fully trust you unless you feel comfortable revealing your process or, better yet, use it as a bragging point. Hmmm... that gives me an idea for a post... Not to get too far off topic, but in many cases a company blog is not the place to deal with customer service issues. Those inquiries should be referred to the company’s normal customer service channels (and hopefully they don’t suck).

Now back to the topic: Chris, this is so simple and effective. What a great technique. We have blind spots that, of course, we can’t see, until someone else points them out to us. That’s really one of the main benefits of hiring professional bloggers or blog consultants: we are going to bring a practiced eye to the situation and see what others don’t. With practice, all of this becomes easier. Especially if you have something of a formula to work from.

This reverse-process discovery method provides blog content that does exactly what it’s supposed to: differentiate and educate. A company’s process is something that differentiates it from other companies, and educating readers/customers pays big dividends down the road. In this day and age, people don’t fully trust you unless you feel comfortable revealing your process or, better yet, use it as a bragging point.

Hmmm… that gives me an idea for a post…

]]> By: Michael Martine http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18380 Michael Martine Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:41:00 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18380 Not to get too far off topic, but in many cases a company blog is not the place to deal with customer service issues. Those inquiries should be referred to the company's normal customer service channels (and hopefully they don't suck). Now back to the topic: Chris, this is so simple and effective. What a great technique. We have blind spots that, of course, we can't see, until someone else points them out to us. That's really one of the main benefits of hiring professional bloggers or blog consultants: we are going to bring a practiced eye to the situation and see what others don't. With practice, all of this becomes easier. Especially if you have something of a formula to work from. This reverse-process discovery method provides blog content that does exactly what it's supposed to: differentiate and educate. A company's process is something that differentiates it from other companies, and educating readers/customers pays big dividends down the road. In this day and age, people don't fully trust you unless you feel comfortable revealing your process or, better yet, use it as a bragging point. Hmmm... that gives me an idea for a post... Not to get too far off topic, but in many cases a company blog is not the place to deal with customer service issues. Those inquiries should be referred to the company’s normal customer service channels (and hopefully they don’t suck).

Now back to the topic: Chris, this is so simple and effective. What a great technique. We have blind spots that, of course, we can’t see, until someone else points them out to us. That’s really one of the main benefits of hiring professional bloggers or blog consultants: we are going to bring a practiced eye to the situation and see what others don’t. With practice, all of this becomes easier. Especially if you have something of a formula to work from.

This reverse-process discovery method provides blog content that does exactly what it’s supposed to: differentiate and educate. A company’s process is something that differentiates it from other companies, and educating readers/customers pays big dividends down the road. In this day and age, people don’t fully trust you unless you feel comfortable revealing your process or, better yet, use it as a bragging point.

Hmmm… that gives me an idea for a post…

]]> By: Chris Garrett http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6834 Chris Garrett Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:12:03 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6834 Good point. I think that is another good reason for basing your posts around what you do, as any employee of the company (in theory) ought to be able to answer questions about the work, but might be more in difficulty if the topic wanders to far outside the reality of their actual business. Good point. I think that is another good reason for basing your posts around what you do, as any employee of the company (in theory) ought to be able to answer questions about the work, but might be more in difficulty if the topic wanders to far outside the reality of their actual business.

]]> By: Chris Garrett http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18379 Chris Garrett Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:12:00 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18379 Good point. I think that is another good reason for basing your posts around what you do, as any employee of the company (in theory) ought to be able to answer questions about the work, but might be more in difficulty if the topic wanders to far outside the reality of their actual business. Good point. I think that is another good reason for basing your posts around what you do, as any employee of the company (in theory) ought to be able to answer questions about the work, but might be more in difficulty if the topic wanders to far outside the reality of their actual business.

]]> By: Scott Clark http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6832 Scott Clark Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:09:24 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-6832 Blogging is participator, so beyond just breaking down the topics by competencies, you better make sure you can respond to the comments with equal savvy and authenticity. Some companies have a good writer who can blog all day, but have no idea how to handle a dissatisfied customer's post - so most just ignore the comments by not approving them. Bad move. After a while, this PR massaging gets to be obvious. I've seen this first hand and it's not pretty. Done a few times, the whole blog looks like a pitch. So also ask...can your post survive a ruthless drill-down in plain sight? If so, your authenticity will pay huge dividends. Blogging is participator, so beyond just breaking down the topics by competencies, you better make sure you can respond to the comments with equal savvy and authenticity.

Some companies have a good writer who can blog all day, but have no idea how to handle a dissatisfied customer’s post – so most just ignore the comments by not approving them. Bad move. After a while, this PR massaging gets to be obvious. I’ve seen this first hand and it’s not pretty. Done a few times, the whole blog looks like a pitch.

So also ask…can your post survive a ruthless drill-down in plain sight? If so, your authenticity will pay huge dividends.

]]> By: Scott Clark http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18378 Scott Clark Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:09:00 +0000 http://www.chrisg.com/the-reverse-process-technique-of-discovering-blog-topics/#comment-18378 Blogging is participator, so beyond just breaking down the topics by competencies, you better make sure you can respond to the comments with equal savvy and authenticity. Some companies have a good writer who can blog all day, but have no idea how to handle a dissatisfied customer's post - so most just ignore the comments by not approving them. Bad move. After a while, this PR massaging gets to be obvious. I've seen this first hand and it's not pretty. Done a few times, the whole blog looks like a pitch. So also ask...can your post survive a ruthless drill-down in plain sight? If so, your authenticity will pay huge dividends. Blogging is participator, so beyond just breaking down the topics by competencies, you better make sure you can respond to the comments with equal savvy and authenticity.

Some companies have a good writer who can blog all day, but have no idea how to handle a dissatisfied customer’s post – so most just ignore the comments by not approving them. Bad move. After a while, this PR massaging gets to be obvious. I’ve seen this first hand and it’s not pretty. Done a few times, the whole blog looks like a pitch.

So also ask…can your post survive a ruthless drill-down in plain sight? If so, your authenticity will pay huge dividends.

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