Some people like to know what time it is. Others want to know how the watch works. As a nation of learners, oftentimes, we want to understand context, the situation around the situation. Besides a mellifluous voice, this is probably one of the reasons that we enjoy radio personality Paul Harvey so much; he helps us understand the “Rest of the Story” in regards to a situation concerning business or humanity.
This story/back-story element also is a reason why blogging is such a rich tool for the marketer. In addition to being “human” with your prospect you have a tremendous opportunity to present context, which aids sales.
If you’re interested in picking up a book that will give you incredible context and “The Rest of the Story” to blogging and social media, the best $.87 you can spend is a series of 95 theses written in 1999 and posted on the Internet before being born in book form in 2000. The Seminal book, “The Cluetrain Manifesto” is as good of a primer as any that I can think of to help somebody make sense of some of the large, seismic dynamics that are taking place in the Internet space, a space you are presumably participating in or considering by developing, executing and continuing to enhance your blogging for business program. The preface of the book says:
The Cluetrain Manifesto is a set of 95 theses organised and put forward as a manifesto, or call to action, for all businesses operating within what is suggested to be a newly-connected marketplace. The ideas put forward within the manifesto aim to examine the impact of the Internet on both markets (consumers) and organisations. In addition, as both consumers and organisations are able to utilise the Internet and Intranets to establish a previously unavailable level of communication both within and between these two groups, the manifesto suggests that the changes that will be required from organisations as they respond to the new marketplace environment.
Some of the “theses” of the book are downright Nostradamus-like. When the book first came out, it was heralded and then dismissed as a part of the collateral damage that occurred with the downturn in the economy. Now, these simple maxims, some eight years later, couldn’t be more on target, correct and downright visionary, especially since they were released in the pre-blog era. A couple of examples:
* The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that were simply not possible in the era of mass media.
* Companies that don’t realize their markets are now networked person-to-person, getting smarter as a result and deeply joined in conversation are missing their best opportunity.
* Companies can now communicate with their markets directly. If they blow it, it could be their last chance.
Go to Amazon.com, search for “Cluetrain Manifesto” and buy the book used for under a buck. For $0.87 you can’t even buy a cup of coffee and I guarantee this book will have a more lasting impact than a Venti with cream and four sugars.
