New Venture Marketing

Intuit Blogging: QuickBooks Online

I meant to post a copy of the nice presentation Paul Rosenfeld, General Manger of QuickBooks Online.  Paul sent me a copy of his PowerPoint after presenting the ATW seminar I recently led.  Entitled, "Blogging -- Why, What, How," I think it a very insightful piece for those who are considering blogging for business.  Here it is now.

Download atw_blog_deck_32006.ppt

Blogging For Business

On Thursday, March 23, 2006, I will be leading a panel on "Blogging for Business:  An Insider's Look at How to Use Blogs At Your Company, Business or Non-Profit "for the Alliance for Technology and Women (ATW) at Applera in Foster City.

Joining me will be an outstanding line up of panelists:

-- Paul Rosenfeld, General Manger for QuickBooks Online Edition, whose team blog, QuickBooks Online Edition "expresses news and views about Online Edition by the people who make it."

-- Tara Hunt, director of Marketing at Riya.com whose blog, Horsepigcow, covers such topics as markeing, living on he online life, 'web 2.0' social software technology and feminist theory...

-- John Earnhardt, Senior Manager of Policy Communications for Cisco, Worldwide Governmental affairs, who began Cisco's first blog and is its main author.

-- Britt Bravo, a consultant for nonprofits who writes for at least 4 blogs:  Blogher.org (leading blog and conference for women), NetSquared.org (social web to nonprofits),Yougcaucasus.neweurasia.net (bloggers mentoring project) , and her personal blog, Have Fun * Do Good.  Britt is also the author of a blog about building community and addressing global social issues.

They are a very diverse group of experienced of bloggers.  Come join us and discuss the use this highly debated communications tool.

Online Forums vs Blogs

I am often asked the difference between online forums and blogs.  It is a very good question.  First, both technologies share a lot in common.  Both techniques engage the reader in a "conversation" and both involve some degree of community building.  Both harness the power of the Internet to communicate in new ways, although forums and user groups have been around since the the Internet itself (and before) and blogs are relatively new, especially to business.

But there are some distinct differences between the two forms of "social" media.

User Groups and Online Forums
User groups or online forums were created specifically to build community on the Web around some specific interest or concern, for example, a user group comprised of Linux developpers, Mac Users, or Dreamweaver designers. But online forums are not just for technical folks, they can be used by any subset of users. For example, my father, a former editor of the Washington Post, is an active member of the Combat Correspondents online forum.  There are also user groups for those who collect Beanie Babies, who share an interest in Star Trek or organic farming.  The list is almost endless.

Originally these communities of interest could be found on dial-up, bulletin board services and on Internet newsgroups frequented by early adopters of computer technology.  Later, Internet-based forums began to spring up around the World Wide Web.  Today these forums cover the gambit from religion to politics and typically are referred to as online forums, user groups, message boards, discussion groups, or web forums.

Another distinct difference is that user groups are moderated, by one or even several moderators, whose role is to ensure that the group stays on topic, that good behavior is enforced and to help with any technical problems. The user group sets the agenda, and the users have a great deal of control.  Online forums also often offer rich functionality, including greater security and authorization features, more formatting options and administrative controls.  Because online forums are built to be moderated, the leader/s can control how the site is accessed, limit user posts, and even keep  problem members from posting. 

At the same time users have more options in an online forum, from private messaging to member profiles.  Finally, one of the biggest differences is that user groups or online forums, can be read in order, in threaded conversations.

3 Great New Books for the Entrepreneur (and anyone else)

I'd have been remiss in not recommending three terrific books.

The first, Growing Your Business with Google, by Dave Taylor, I've just finished reading and it is excellent.  Taylor, who writes a highly regarded technology blog, column and many other things has spent the last decade developing the experience and insight for this book. And it shows. The book, whose title doesn't do justice to the content, is really about how companies can -- and will -- use search engines to maximize their business in the future.  It provides a great deal of insight into how Google operates, how search engines find you and "promoting and growing your business online."

Taylor says, it's about visibility or how easily a company can be found or what he calls "findability".  "On the Internet," says Taylor, "visibility revolves around the question of when people search for your product or service, do they find you or your competitors?  How you achieve and use that findability is the essence of his new book.

 

Blogging for Business -- Small Companies

Business Blogging offers tremendous advantage for small companies. 

Business Blogging offers tremendous advantage for small companies. While blogging enables large publicly-held corporations to look and act more like smaller, more personal counterparts, blogging gives smaller companies the look and feel of a larger more established firm.
 
Blogging can help a small company establish a market presence hitherto reserved for the big guys, establish its credibility and expertise. More importantly, blogging can help drive search engine rankings which can enable a small company to be more readily found. 

Business blogging builds networks and helps to establish relationships with customers, partners, investors, analysts, press and anyone else who is interested in what your company has to offer.

Business blogging is very cost effective to implement.

Important for a small firm, blogging  requires very little money, though a rather healthy  bit of writing and time.  Many blog hosting services are free of charge or cost only a few dollars a month for extra services, such as analytics or more flexibility with blog site design.

Business blogging offers tremendous benefits for the small company.

I'd like to share my own experience which I think typifies some of these benefits.

Blogging for Business -- Big Companies

A few days ago I had the opportunity to speak about Business Blogs for High Tech Companies at the SD Forum, and have a very rich exchange.  I would say that about 40 people attended, all from the high-tech arena, split between consultants, entrepreneurs, and those who worked or were looking for work at both small and large companies.  Not surprising for a high-tech event, most were familiar with blogging and as many as 40% blogged.

What did surprise me, however, was how few of those were using blogs in their business and the concerns that possibility seemed to raise. 

Business Blogging for High Tech Companies

I'll be speaking at the Software Developer's Forum, Monthly Marketing SIG on Monday, May 9th on "Business Blogging for High Tech Companies" and would like to invite anyone who is in the area to come. 

The presentation will include information on what blogs are, how you can use them, what is syndication and RSS is -- and why you should care, what to consider before you start a blog, resources, next steps, and examples of some of the best high tech blogs.

The meeting will be held at 6:30pm and be held at the Mitchell Park Community Center in Palo Alto.