BusinessWeek now has reporters assigned to cover blogs. Why? Involving bloggers is now a proven tactic to earning key stakeholder support and shaping public opinion about your company.
Develop a plan to look at the potential benefits of folding bloggers into stakeholder outreach -- the 100,000-foot view from such a plan will cost less than the design and printing of one, nice brochure. What are "bloggers" saying about you and your company? The number of people saying something, including your own staff, will surprise you. Have your communications/media relations office or PR firm track the blogs for you, in addition to the "daily newsclips."
My Recommendation:
Incorporate web-logs into your Online Outreach Plan. And track your success. Getting the right message in front of
the right stakeholders is crucial for your image. This strategy goes
deeper: You are actually involving key influencers in your success. GE and Microsoft get it, according to the New York Times:
"Before General Electric announced a major investment in energy-efficient technology last year, company executives first met with major environmental bloggers to build support. Others have reached out to bloggers to promote a product or service, as Microsoft did with its Xbox game system and Cingular Wireless has done in the introduction of a new phone."
As CEO, employ "web-alism," (as well as journalism and marketing communications) to earn the recognition and support your people and initiatives deserve.
