The Power of Communication in Your Business

The recent advent of blogging, podcasting and more recently, video casting (sometimes called vlogging) has opened up unique opportunities for the way in which businesses interact with their clients, investors and stakeholders.

Some say these new tools comprise the new notion of Web 2.0, but really they are only tools. They can however be used in unique ways to drive a business, promulgate news and announcements but most importantly they enable a conversation to occur.

These tools have for the first time empowered people to be news creators and to publish seamlessly their thoughts, musings and messages. They have also enabled companies to ‘touch their customers’ in a different way. Each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages, for example blogs through their structure can capture comments to establish ‘the dialogue’.

Podcasts on the other hand are less interactive but many podcasters enable their blogs for listener comment and feedback and most seek active audio comments via Skype or special dial in numbers. So they too help create the conversation and there are many examples of this working very well where podcasters have designed their shows around listener comment and feedback.

Why do we need a conversation?

For a long time communication with clients and customers has often been a one way street. You sell a product, and maybe once or twice a year you may contact the client but the level of engagement is minimal – unless of course your product or service has a problem then …...  So, do you really know what their business needs are? How their business is changing and whether you can continue to offer them additional services? More and more businesses are finding that through the careful use of these new tools they are for the first time really engaging with their clients needs and concerns.

The resultant conversation keeps them informed of your developments, and keeps them in touch – its a two way street and everyone benefits. This is why conversations are important and if you want them to be they can be global in impact.

Where do I learn more?

To get you started here are two references that I find both enjoyable and informative.

The first is a podcast called For Immediate Release produced by Shel Holtz (California) and Neville Hobson (Amsterdam) twice a week.  A rather long show but they address the core issues discussed here about public relations, media, business communication and how the new technologies drive these in modern businesses.  A fascinating, informative and well produced show to the point of addiction.

To read about the impact of blogs on businesses I suggest you take a look at a recently published book called Naked Conversations by Shel Israel and Robert Scoble. Robert was until this month the official king kong blogger at Microsoft and gained enormous respect for offering open balanced and fair reviews and comment on many topics. some even claim he was through these efforts responsible for changing the public perception of Microsoft from the ‘evil empire’ to the ‘sharing and caring corporation’ of 2006! This book contained excellent case studies on the power of blogging as it relates to business – highly recommended.

APTUS strategy  can help you establish a program to connect and communicate more effectviely with both current and prospective clients. For me details contact us today.