I do confess. This post borders a little on being gimmicky (with the 8 P’s and all…).

And why this topic? Considering there isn’t a lack of insights online.

It all started when I was thinking about the Processes and Principles that most businesses seem to overlook when planning to launch a corporate blog. And after the first two, it was hard to resist putting together a string of other P’s. After all, increasing transferability is the best way to share insights.

So here are the 8 P’s to consider when blogging for business (I’ve tried to keep the sequence logical and the description brief):

1. Purpose – the objective; the end-in-mind
2. Plan – the proactive and scheduled content strategy
3. Processes – to obtain insights from within the organisation and without; to measure results; to respond in various situations; to manage online crises; etc.
4. Personality – the unique characteristics of the company/product brand, and how compatible the blogger’s personality (and writing style) is; or how the blogger himself embodies the values of the organisation
5. Pace – the frequency of blog posts
6. Principles – corporate values and guidelines that guide participation in online (blog) conversations
7. Policy – legal guidelines
8. PR – the strategy to reach out to target communities and encourage participation

Update: Debbie Weil has posted her Top 8 Tips for Corporate Blogging in 2008, in which she talks about building an approval process, citing the Southwest example. This is part of the “processes-thinking” I mentioned above.

We know that maxims have the power to form paradigms that eventually shape our thinking and consequently (in our case), strategy.

And we would all be familiar with the saying – Content is King.

Spot-on.

The only problem with that statement is… when companies stop there, and start channelling their energies to the diligent production of great content. Without a content strategy.

For the sake of articulating what we truly believe, I’d like to turn that saying on its head with this – that in PR, Content is a mere Servant. Trusted Relationships is King.

Here’s what triggered my thoughts on this:

A few days back, I was reading Mitch’s post on his interview with Google’s Avinash Kaushik. Now, incidentally, two weeks prior to that, I was thinking about getting a copy of Avinash’s book on Web Analytics.

I left a comment below Mitch’s post which I will paraphrase here to explain the twist in my decision making process:

After reading Mitch’s comments on his conversation with Avinash, I moved from “I will think about it” to “I will buy it tomorrow”.

Here’s the thing – at that point, I had not even listened to the podcast. But, I made my purchase decision purely based on Mitch’s validation of the man.

We’ve all been talking about how Content is King. But in this case, I had not even listened to the content of Mitch’s podcast. If Content was truly king, it would have been the podcast, that would convince me of Avinash’s credibility on the subject – not Mitch’s comments about the interview in itself. So much for the importance of Content in my purchase decision.

Perhaps Content is king, only because the continual provision or the exchange of meaningful content creates the trusted relationships that PR and Word-of-Mouth thrives on. In my case with Mitch, I’ve interacted with him enough and read enough of his past opinions to know that I can trust a mere mention by him.

That is why ghost-writing is unacceptable on blogs. And paid blog endorsements get ignored.

Because Content is not an end in itself. And it should not serve primarily to impress, entertain or even persuade. It should meet the needs of your customers; and in doing so, serve the goal of creating sincere, trusted relationships.

So when you next consider a content strategy. Ask – how can I provide the right type of content that places my customers’ interests first? Because this is exactly what it takes to build trust and relationships.

We’re back to listening first… then measuring the significance of what we hear… then thinking… and finally talking.

It’s no big revelation really.

Eternity is…

• Eternity is a two-month break from blogging, watching fellow ‘PR bloggers’ analyze countless issues that I would have loved to discuss, but for lack of time… and realizing that after all that, nothing has changed… really.
• Eternity is the moment, frozen in time, when after sunset on a breakwater by the sea, I asked Ruth to consider a courtship with me… and she said yes.
• Eternity is the rock – Chronos – upon which all our grandest endeavors to communicate clearly and build trusted relationships, is built on or smashed against.

I am amused to realize while I pen this entry, that after a two-month break from blogging, I unintentionally resume with the same theme with which I first started this blog – time.

Why I’ve not been blogging…
The one question I have to answer here is the one that many of you have asked me via e-mail, instant messaging and even when we meet face-to-face – “Why have I not been blogging?”

If it would serve no other purpose, this excuse-riddled post will explain everything.

This is one entry that has seen the most number of revisions starting from the first draft two months ago. And even now, I post this with some hesitation.

Separating the person from the blog
For a long time, I’ve tried to keep this blog completely free from accounts of my personal life. I wanted it to serve as a guide and a resource to those who needed to know more about how the discipline of Public Relations has changed in the new Web 2.0 economy. And I remain rather sure, that what I will write next in this post will do very little in accomplishing that.

Therein laid my dilemma – for two months, the very most pressing thoughts I wanted to share with the rest of the world, I refrained from doing. And because of that, every other ‘PR 2.0’ entry I intended had taken a backseat.

But in finally putting this post up, I now truly appreciate first-hand, how hard it is to separate the person from the blog, and the blog from the person.

So yes, contrary to popular opinion, I’m still alive and blogging. And while I can’t promise that this will be the most insightful piece on the blog, it will certainly be the most personal one so far.

… Changes in my life
Another reason I refrained from blogging over the last two months because life was very much in transition… and for lack of time in grappling with the changes and transitions.

A Relationship
I was adjusting to a life in a relationship… And… between spending time with Ruth and taking time to discuss communication strategies on a blog post… come’on…

Career-change
During the past couple of months, I was also working through a decision to leave Burson-Marsteller to pursue…

Independent Consulting
It seems that most of the foundation for ‘PR 2.0’ has been laid and this is the season to develop strategies from principles and put words into action. It’s time for Execution. Execution. Execution.

In a timely convergence of frustration with age-old PR bad-practices, opportunities in consulting for companies that seek to understand social media and operate in the new environment, I’m leaving to do just that.

Project O.F.
Final reason for my tardiness in blogging – I’m working on a project that I shall codename ‘O.F.’ for confidentiality. It’s got everything to do with social media, public relations and business leadership. Needless to say, I look forward to opportunities to collaborate. If you are keen, drop me a line… I may not be able to reveal very much; but would love to chat anyhow.

Project O.F. will be the one constant in my schedule over the next couple of months until it’s launched and I move on to something else.

… But back to this blog and back to writing…

The purpose of this blog
I started this blog to get the unacquainted started on their journey in PR 2.0. And after having compiled the PR 2.0 University reading list, after putting up Paul Holmes’ brilliant manifesto with his permission, and after pointing to some brilliant minds who are blazing the way in the industry, it feels like my job is done, and I don’t intend to spend much more time commenting on incidental issues (the Debbie Weil-GSK Blog fiasco, Edelman’s Walmart boo-boo etc) when others are doing it so brilliantly. (I still intend to join in the discussions though, because I think there will be valuable lessons there… and for that same reason, I will attempt to point the way to those conversations).

You and I
Finally… You. You do realize… that I dragged my seat back into writing because of you? I do want to talk. I want to talk about your interest in PR and social media and how we can do what we do better. How we can build strong relationships with the people that matter to us and to whom we matter. How we can make a difference in the world, by not only having the best intentions, but by also articulating our vision clearly. By engaging in fruitful dialogs with people and getting others involved in what we do. Not shutting our organizations and businesses away from people, but by opening up the doors and inviting them in.

This blog has been a great way for me to engage in those discussions with you; and it will continue to be a great way for us to grow together. And I look forward very much to our next conversation.

Aside:
As I return to blogging, I read with interest an article by The Friendly Ghost about the decline in volume of blog posts by PR Bloggers (specifically in the UK). This is somewhat cathartic since I feel somewhat better that I’m not the only one who’s been spending less time blogging.

Walter Lim also wrote a piece titled (the) Death of Blogging, pointing to Steve Rubel’s post on the same subject. More validation (and excuse) for my eight weeks of silence in the Blogosphere. But that’s another post altogether. Meanwhile, this blog is still alive!

In naming an agency effort that deals with the complexities of PR in our very wired world today, Ogilvy PR has nailed it with ‘360 Degree Digital Influence’. Few agencies can do better because “360 Degree Influence” is exactly the challenge that businesses face today in reaching out to the public and other stake-holders, and influencing them. (Well, almost the perfect name. I think ‘digital’ wrongly puts the spotlight on the technological aspect of the media revolution. It is primarily a sociological change, with technological second. But that’s another post altogether.)

The Case for 360 Degree (Digital) Influence
Corporations today are forcibly more transparent than before; with citizen journalists probing at every outlet, and with the power to draw public attention – for good or bad – vested on every employee from CEO to janitor.

Rohit Bhargava in his post on Corporate Bloggers and the Rise of the Accidental Spokesperson offers an insight into the complexities of PR today. He points out that individuals “working for an organization and blogging, but are not considered official spokespersons” can become ‘accidental spokespersons’; and he cites the example of Robert Scoble who became that very accidental spokesperson who humanized Microsoft to the rest of the world.

Similarly, outside corporate walls (and payrolls), there are customer evangelists who speak more for a company than the designated spokespersons or individuals from the corporate communications team itself. Mike Kaltschnee of HackingNetflix.com fame is one such example. So great is his influence on, and for, the online DVD rental service that Steve Rubel constantly talks about what Mike does for Netflix.

The Naked Corporation and its Many Public Faces
The point is – there are more faces to a company today than there were three years ago; and there are more public inquirers in the form of citizen journalists. The world is rife with ‘Accidental Spokespersons’ like Scoble, evangelists like Kaltschnee or unwitting newsmakers like the Comcast technician who fell asleep at a customer’s home while being put on hold by his own company’s customer service!

The Changing Role of PR Managers
In recent months, I’ve been thinking about the role of the PR manager amidst all these changes. The dynamics of PR has changed, but observably, the role of the PR manager hasn’t. And it should. With public spotlight on every inch of the company at all levels and in all departments, the PR manager has to stop focusing on mere publicity and media relations. He has to start influencing public relationships through every department and at every level of the company’s structure – orchestrating, in effect, a concerted PR effort.

The Concerted Effort
John Cass, in his response to my previous post on “Being transparent…”, accurately observed that “many public relations professionals were [not] formerly in the business of creating trusted relationships with customers directly, though certainly maybe indirectly.” He added that “product builders, customer service people and the people who traditionally were the first contact with customers were responsible for creating trusted relationships.”

Now, when you realize that customers (with the power to blog and to be heard online) ARE the Media as well, you can’t help but wonder about the need for PR counsel in Customer Relations, and the many other functions within the corporation.

Why PR Has to Lead
Because PR professionals have the skill-set to deal with the intricacies of public relations and corporate reputation, the PR manager/director must take the leadership reins in preparing the company to deal with the ‘360 degree’ landscape of digital influence.

John Cass observes that “blogging is a team effort that borrows many skills from the public relations profession, [and] also much from other professions.” And that is true. This is why PR must be considered in every aspect of the business; for counsel on the impact of every business function on public relations.

Clearly, PR (in the true sense of the word) is no longer the sole responsibility of the PR team, or designated spokespersons. The reputation of a company and the relationship it has with the public lies in the hands of many.

And the PR manager must lead this concerted effort with an effective strategy – energizing employees to be effective spokespersons, engaging customer evangelists and integrating them into the media and marketing strategy, holding customer service accountable to stringent demands that corporate reputation is built upon etc.

Earning Our Place in the C-suite
Along with this responsibility comes PR’s opportunity to prove our place in the C-suite.

It begins when CEOs recognize that corporate walls have vanished and that the company – like it or not – is made more transparent than ever. And there is a need for effective counsel in the C-suite, because in the ‘transparent organization’ phenomenon lies both danger and opportunity:

Danger, for the company that does not have its house in order. And opportunity, for strong companies to bring vital relationships with the public to a much deeper level.

The way to do it?

Before developing strategy at the C-levels, corporate PR managers must first earn that trust and equip themselves by understanding how every department in the company operates and its intrinsic relationship with the public. When they do, they will see their (transparent) company as it truly is. And this understanding will enable them to forge relationships with the public that views the company, not through the windows of the CEO office or the communications department, but through every pore. Only then, can Influence be truly 360.

Updates:
John Bell and Walter Lim have made two comments that are worth expanding here

PR’s Catapult into the C-suite – Direct Impact on the Bottom-line
John Bell affirms that today, we have an increasingly important place in the boardroom because social media has greater impact on stock prices than before; and “traditional marketing is going in only one direction”.

We need no more evidence than corporate crises like the Kryptonite lock case, or the numerous research papers that forecast higher online expenditure. The imperative is now on CEOs to bring PR into a calm boardroom with a solid game plan; rather than yank them in later with the panic button.

Everyone thinks 360 anyway. It’s time we do too!
Walter Lim points out that another motivation to think 360-degrees – is simply because everyone else does! Even if ‘traditional PR folks’ don’t think so, journalists are even more aware today, of a company’s many public faces. This means that more reporters will want to talk to bloggers with a point of view on customer service, and interview the shop-floor operators who sit 10,000 cubicles away from the HR directors.

If there ever was a motivation for those holed up in ‘traditional media’ to embrace the mandate to think 360-degrees, this is it!

Natural Progression
And a final point – natural progression. The world is clearly moving towards greater social public disclosure. Financial standards, food and drug labeling and manufacturing data, amongst many other aspects, have to abide by stricter standards of social disclosure than before.

Sure, we could wait for a global public disaster the likes of Enron, before bringing PR higher up the management agenda, or we could be proactive in creating constructive transparent relationships at all levels of the business.

It’s your call.

Clive Thompson of Wired wrote about the need for honesty and transparency in his article on “The See-Through CEO”. I agree with Greg that this is a pretty good piece, but I’m appalled by Clive’s sub-headline – “Fire the publicist. Go off message. Let all your employees blab and blog. In the new world of radical transparency, the path to business success is clear.”

In the interest of fellow PR professionals, I’d like to dissect it and examine the misconceptions embedded within:

• “Fire the publicist” – For too long, the term “Public Relations Professional” has been contracted to “Publicist”. This wrongly puts the focus on “Publicity” as the end-in-mind. The focus should be on “Relationships” instead. Publicity is mere “fruit” of the process, and a means to an end.

• “Go off message. Let all your employees blab and blog.” – “Messages” should explain the vision and actions of an organisation. A company that “goes off message” gives wrong and unclear impressions of the company’s vision and state of affairs. This is no good for everyone. Yes, we need to listen to the public, but after the listening is done, we have to make decisions; and our messages have to explain what the decisions are. Then we listen some more, participate in more conversations and adapt, innovate, and clearly state what we’re doing, where we are going. Leadership and clear directions are vital to the “conversation” process. I said it earlier at the end of my post on Leading Change, and I’ll say it again – the path (conversations with the public) ahead is a journey to lead, and not a walk in the dark.

• “Radical transparency” doesn’t mean “reduced accountability” (to the organization, shareholders and customers). If you prioritise blabber above action, you alarm the public and you waste their time. Yes, I’m all for “naked conversations” and “naked corporations”, but who wants a CEO to shift his businesses strategies from boardroom to bedroom? PR professionals are responsible for helping to pull that act together and make sure that CEOs listen and act in the best interest of the public and every stakeholder. CEOs and their companies must be human, personal and transparent. But Greg sums it up perfectly when he says that “being transparent doesn’t mean being stupid or sloppy.”

PR, Clive Thompsons-of-the-world, is far higher up the rungs of leadership than you perceive it to be. It is more about relationships than publicity, and more about leadership than relationships.

We PR folks get our priorities mixed up sometimes; but some of us are changing things.

And CEOs, this is not the time to “fire your publicists, go off message and let your employess blab and blog”. Even more than ever, you need the counsel of true PR professionals who understand that our chief mandate should not be “to create publicity”. We build the vital, trusted relationships that your companies depend on, and not the illusion of it.

“PR” is not a job title or “marketing strategy”. It is organisational leadership made public and personal. And today, we have the tools to do this better than ever.

The launch of Highrise – the shared contact manager I first wrote about in Media Follow-ups 2.0 – is an awesome example of brilliant PR.

Observe how creators 37signals first announced the upcoming product.

How they teased the public and satisfied their curiosity for news, with regular previews through their blog.

How they launched Highrise on their blog and accepted genuine feedback in the form of comments (both positive and negative) on the blog post.

How 37signals responded with rapid changes to Highrise‘s product packages; and how they ‘relaunched’ it. Observe the comments that follow.

To distill the lessons gleaned from this online product launch (via a corporate blog), here are five reminders to bear in mind:

1. Talk to your key stakeholders like you would to a friend
2. Let them talk back
3. Get them involved in your product design
4. Listen carefully to what they have to say
5. Act fast! (or be prepared to explain your inaction)

Granted, most companies don’t deal with web products that are somewhat easier to tweak at customers’ wimps and fancies; but the principles outlined here are timeless, and especially true in the Internet age today.

What a brilliant show by 37signals.

And what I’d like to know is this: What were the thoughts that went on in the CEO’s mind between the first criticism on the blog post and 37signal’s announcement of the ‘new, improved’ product?

In an economy where top talents are highly-prized, this is certainly a testimony to the power of corporate blogging:

James Smith, MD of publishing house Alphabet Media oversees several magazine titles and industry events. He started a corporate blog in July last year to journal the day-to-day life in his company and to share with the world what goes on in Alphabet Media – what they do and why they do it.

Just yesterday, he just found out that one of his recent hires – a bright and talented young lady – had opted to work for him (at Alphabet Media) despite having been offered a very attractive job at one of the world’s largest IT company.

And the reason for her choice?

She read the company blog, fell in love with the culture, and decided that she would rather be part of this smaller outfit than the tech giant.

As someone who loves to hear of good things happening to SMBs, I love this story. No carefully-engineered marketing campaign, no call for submission of video ads, but the fruit of simple and genuine public relations.

I forgot to ask James what his immediate thoughts were, when he discovered how his blogging had led to the hiring of a fantastic new team member. But instead of sending this question to him via e-mail, I shall leave him to share his thoughts…

Btw, I love his advice on human resources: Staff shortage? Grow your own

Here’s some of mine:

• While we talk endlessly about establishing online communities, the best community you can ever build, is the one around you.
• A corporate blog doesn’t always have to sell your product. If your company has a terrific culture, celebrate it! You’ll be surprised at the results that follow.
• Good PR starts from within.
• A blog is merely a tool after all, not a strategy.