February 7, 2010 72 Comments

Your Blog From the Prospect’s Point of View

mirror imageWhen you use your blog to complain or report sideways about the industry at large, what message is that sending to your potential new clients? If you’re spending your time analyzing what other people in your space are doing, citing why they’re wrong, and providing your commentary about all the things they’re doing, what does your next potential customer come away thinking?

Is your negative commentary helping them make a buying decision? I’ve rarely seen the tactic work in traditional advertising. You can graze them a little bit. For instance, I’m a bit fond of the GM commercials where they point out that they have better mileage than other cars that seem to get credit for good mileage. That’s a kind of gentle sleight.

But if you’re spending your time crapping on others in your space, I’m curious how you think that will translate to a win for you.

You read a lot of blogs. What do you think?

Photo credit Josh Liba

Related posts:

  1. How to Reach and Influence Prospects
  2. How You Might View Bloggers
  3. Advertising at the Point of Need
  4. YouTube is Not the Internet but She Has a Point
  5. How Corporates Should View Comment Policies

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  • http://JimRaffel.com/ Jim Raffel

    Digging in? Ya, I'd say – I have posted more in those forums than all other places combined over the last year. There's real value in there Chris, you know it, I now it, and all the people posting like crazy know it. (disclaimer: I pay for my third tribe membership, month by month just like everyone and the moment the value goes away so does my subscription…pretty cool model really).

  • http://www.facebook.com/jmctigue John McTigue

    Chris, I think your comments must be aimed at bloggers and other socialites who have some redeeming character left, i.e. they haven't completely sold out yet. Hopefully, I'm in that camp. But consider the millions and millions of Internet users who love nothing better than a good brawl. Seems like all kinds of media are targeted at these folks every day. Personally, I don't watch MMA or other fight shows because it's just plain stupid (and yes sickening) to kill someone just for glory and money. Clearly we haven't evolved at all since the Gladiators of Rome, and online communities, especially political ones, have probably devolved if anything. Bottom line Chris, I agree with your sentiment, but good luck with changing human nature!

  • http://linkedin.com/in/kristindziadul Kristin Dziadul

    As a consumer I would be turned off to see a company I am doing business with bashing another company or someone else's idea. Companies should stay as neutral as possible in order to not offend anyone. Imagine if your company bashed another company that one of your most loyal customers liked. You could be losing big money and the loyalty factor. With the emergence of blogging and social sharing, we still need to be as careful as ever about what we say and where we say it.

  • http://website-in-a-weekend.net/ Dave Doolin

    I suspect that a fair amount of the bashing comes from people without prospects.

  • http://www.zoombits.co.uk/memory-cards/sd-card sdhc

    There is no point i can disagree with you because everything that you have mentioned in the post is absolutely correct and true. One who is not aware of the comments which are to be mentioned in the post in order to make it more productive is of main concern and who is unaware of this needs to be aware of this first.

  • http://www.bigjobsboard.com/ bigjobsboard

    Nice post! Now I'm going to be more careful and critical in making comments. thanks!

  • http://twitter.com/PhaseWare PhaseWare

    I tend to think “Get over yourself” and then leave if it seems like ranting. If there is legitimate discussion about what could be done better with reasoned arguments and examples, I will read and ponder.

  • http://www.ecougg.com/ susan

    i have learned something from lots of blog and also fromm your article.so thanks
    http://www.ecouggg.com

  • carolroy

    I'm all for voicing your opinion if you can do it in a constructive manner, without offending, and by offering alternatives that move the situation forward rather than just whining about the way things are.

    And, if you're voicing your opinon, you must remember that you might think there's a problem but others might think things are fine the way they are. Just because you perceive a problem, doesn't mean there's one.

    I've always believed that a little controversy around the table makes for an interesting discussion so long as it's done with respect and a true desire to make things better.

  • stevenimmons

    I completely agree. Constructive criticism or juxtaposing a “what if we did or thought differently” is a much more compelling and engaging narrative style. Negativity can be quite a bore, and overdone will just read like an endless cynic and naysayer. I think some people are taking “be controversial” advice too far and are losing a sense of basic manners.

  • aaronbihari

    When we talk trash about a product or our competition, that can trigger a backlash response. Maybe not directly or overtly, but by talking in negative tones I believe that we paint ourselves with the same brush as we're trying to paint the other with. So maybe we can get away with a minor swipe, but in the end the paint splashes in our own face.

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    You gals do that so well! Your site is always an encouraging place.

  • http://www.memorybits.co.uk/ memory card reader

    I'm a little in love with the advertising of GM who say they get better results than other cars seem to get credit for good mileage.

  • Md Fuad_007

    It's a great site. I liked the thinking of the provider a lot.

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    I also think there's some value in critical (as in thoughtful, not as in spiteful) discussion about specifics, particularly in comparisons, or in some “thinking out loud” spaces. Comparisons of web hosts for instance deserve discussion about good and bad, particularly by the community of users. Maybe not by the web host in reference to others

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    I completely agree. Constructive criticism or juxtaposing a “what if we did or thought differently” is a much more compelling and engaging narrative style. Negativity can be quite a bore, and overdone will just read like an endless cynic and naysayer. I think some people are taking “be controversial” advice too far and are losing a sense of basic manners.

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    I also think there’s some value in critical (as in thoughtful, not as in spiteful) discussion about specifics, particularly in comparisons, or in some “thinking out loud” spaces. Comparisons of web hosts for instance deserve discussion about good and bad, particularly by the community of users. Maybe not by the web host in reference to others

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