Don’t consider this a sly off, but is was something I’d been thinking of to ‘tell’ you for a while now (and how better to get your ‘attention’ ) (Besides the fact that I know most of you, all be it ‘virtually’ and suspect ‘thick helathy skins’)

Anyway, the two point you raise are IMO strongly related if you base it on the ‘reason for having this (or that) specific blog’.

If your aim (like I think it is, and is frequently mentioned also on here) is to create a business blog you write for/to (possible) customers yes then you should post your thoughts/practices/news etc on your business (or views) – as is done now – and have people (general) comment on it. Reacting back on those comments will start the conversation, which in its turn will start (enhance) the relation you have with the (possible) customer.

Win-win ? (And yes, building a relationship costs time, as with all ‘building’, but isn’t it the ongoing, sustainable result that counts? – not my words, my great mentor and dear friend R).

Your post has caused quite a bit of discussion here in the office with regards to blogging etiquette. The two main questions raised were as follows:

1) Is a blog a discussion forum or is it a place to post your thoughts and views and then let the general public comment if they wish? You then choose if you wish to interact again?

2) If one has a personal relationship with the blogger and has an issue with their blogging or a particular post that sends a negative vibe out about that blogger, should one let them know independently or via the blog for all the world to read?
(Karin – this isn’t a sly way of me saying I think you should have spoken to us first, its genuinely an issue we have had split views on in the office this week and had some health debate over)

We haven’t come to a group consensus answer on either of the points, but thought we would share them with everyone, to get their views.

Been thinking about this post this week. And I know/read The heavy Chef project blog also where what is preached is practised by WWC. But… and don’t get me wrong on this, something essential is missing here (and on heavy chef) frequently.

Conversations. You ’sell’ profitable websites/prducts, you test what works – so you should know by now that “conversations’ work, you blog about it. But most of the times it ends there: one blog post. Comments are rarily replied to – when some reader does take time (invest in you – the seller) – hardly anytime the conversation is kept going by you (the seller).
I had a conversation this week about this (marketing and blogging) on another blog: there the conversation went back and fort, we are building a ‘relationship’.
I do think you should read this:
http://healthywebdesign.com/blog-marketing/5-things-marketing-gurus-need-to-learn-from-bloggers/

(and hopefully ‘act’ on it, it’s worth it, I know, because my business is growing due of these kind of conversations)

(Wow, is that what we do?)

One of the items that will always stick with me after reading Good to Great (thanks again for suggesting that one, Fred) is: find your hedge-hog concept (do what you do best – note the verbe do, doesn’t mean ’selling’) and keep doing that.