Comments on: Why CEOs should blog http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/ ... at the intersection of media, technology, business and the web Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:37:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jeremiah Kinney http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-244062 Jeremiah Kinney Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:29:54 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-244062 I agree with your idea that "direct conduit" is a valuable thing that should be encouraged more in the C-Suites. However, I personally don't expect to see a big surge on CEO blogging trend any time soon. I think the biggest dilemma, at least for me as a chief executive and representative of a business is not the lack of time (one can always find the time to do anything that one deems WORTHWHILE to himself), but the fact that a CEO's uncanny, casual whispers on a blog can be like thunderclaps in cyberspace, especially given the scope and influence of the internet medium. I find this to be true especially for publicly tradesd corporations. Thus, we pay tens of thousands of dollars to PR firms, erect Marketing subdivisions and assistants vice presidents to write carefully crafted communications. One thing never changes. Secrecy is the soul of business. I agree with your idea that “direct conduit” is a valuable thing that should be encouraged more in the C-Suites. However, I personally don’t expect to see a big surge on CEO blogging trend any time soon.

I think the biggest dilemma, at least for me as a chief executive and representative of a business is not the lack of time (one can always find the time to do anything that one deems WORTHWHILE to himself), but the fact that a CEO’s uncanny, casual whispers on a blog can be like thunderclaps in cyberspace, especially given the scope and influence of the internet medium. I find this to be true especially for publicly tradesd corporations.

Thus, we pay tens of thousands of dollars to PR firms, erect Marketing subdivisions and assistants vice presidents to write carefully crafted communications.

One thing never changes. Secrecy is the soul of business.

]]> By: iStudio » Blogs from the top – should CEOs blog? http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-81521 iStudio » Blogs from the top – should CEOs blog? Mon, 06 Nov 2006 19:59:36 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-81521 [...] However, there is another side to the argument. Mathew Ingram (also part of the Mesh) responds to the argument quite reasonably. He explains that not every CEO is going to be a blogging superstar like Mark Cuban. Your CEO doesn’t need to blog religiously, but a weekly or bi-weekly blog can go a long way to building rapport with customers, clients and employees. [...] [...] However, there is another side to the argument. Mathew Ingram (also part of the Mesh) responds to the argument quite reasonably. He explains that not every CEO is going to be a blogging superstar like Mark Cuban. Your CEO doesn’t need to blog religiously, but a weekly or bi-weekly blog can go a long way to building rapport with customers, clients and employees. [...]

]]> By: Mathew Ingram http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-27280 Mathew Ingram Tue, 01 Aug 2006 14:19:07 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-27280 Thanks for the comment, George. Those are good points. And Michael, I agree that blogging is something you have to feel comfortable with and interested in, whether you're a CEO or a politician or just a regular person -- not necessarily that you have to be a great writer, but you have to have a desire to do it. There's nothing worse than a canned blog that you know the CEO or politician wasn't really interested in doing. Thanks for the comment, George. Those are good points. And Michael, I agree that blogging is something you have to feel comfortable with and interested in, whether you’re a CEO or a politician or just a regular person — not necessarily that you have to be a great writer, but you have to have a desire to do it. There’s nothing worse than a canned blog that you know the CEO or politician wasn’t really interested in doing.

]]> By: Michael Schleifer http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-27225 Michael Schleifer Tue, 01 Aug 2006 08:31:11 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-27225 Hi Mathew, I agree that most people even CEO's can and should find the time to blog and if they do it well it most probably will benefit many people, but isn't it also about how inclined to writing someone is? I believe that it's not given to everyone to be able to be a good blogger and/or coming up with something worthwhile reading. How many people reading your articles will agree with you and yet themselves not have a blog or not be proud of it... Regards, Michael Hi Mathew, I agree that most people even CEO’s can and should find the time to blog and if they do it well it most probably will benefit many people, but isn’t it also about how inclined to writing someone is? I believe that it’s not given to everyone to be able to be a good blogger and/or coming up with something worthwhile reading. How many people reading your articles will agree with you and yet themselves not have a blog or not be proud of it…

Regards,

Michael

]]> By: George Tsiolis http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-27187 George Tsiolis Tue, 01 Aug 2006 04:49:53 +0000 http://www.mathewingram.com/work/2006/07/31/why-ceos-should-blog/#comment-27187 Hi, Mathew. Given the fact I may be the one with the most experience on point here through Agoracom, I can definitively state that blogging/direct communications by CEO's is invaluable. Why? Investors are savvy people and they know when they're being fed a canned message. For the most part, they're OK with that because they understand that a CEO needs to spend mos of their time selling widgets and creating shareholder value. However, nothing builds long-term loyalty better than direct communications from a CEO that genuinely wants to build a long-term relationship with shareholders. That can only be accomplished when he/she walks out from behind the desk, rolls up the sleeves and shares real moments with them. In a world of firewalls and Chinese walls, investors are hungry for it. Trust me, investors know the difference and appreciate it. It truly pays dividends during the tough times when a CEO requires and requests faith in his command, which shareholders will provide thanks to credit built over time. In response to the issue about time requirements, it is true that a blog takes a great deal of time but shareholder expectations can be managed by letting them know there will be times when business prorities prevent regular posting. Even 1 post every 2 weeks will more than suffice, while anything more frequent will simply be a bonus. We've built a pretty robust business out of providing the investment community with direct access to executives of micro-cap companies, so I hope my input has helped shed some valuable light on the topic. Best, George Hi, Mathew. Given the fact I may be the one with the most experience on point here through Agoracom, I can definitively state that blogging/direct communications by CEO’s is invaluable.

Why?

Investors are savvy people and they know when they’re being fed a canned message. For the most part, they’re OK with that because they understand that a CEO needs to spend mos of their time selling widgets and creating shareholder value. However, nothing builds long-term loyalty better than direct communications from a CEO that genuinely wants to build a long-term relationship with shareholders. That can only be accomplished when he/she walks out from behind the desk, rolls up the sleeves and shares real moments with them. In a world of firewalls and Chinese walls, investors are hungry for it.

Trust me, investors know the difference and appreciate it. It truly pays dividends during the tough times when a CEO requires and requests faith in his command, which shareholders will provide thanks to credit built over time.

In response to the issue about time requirements, it is true that a blog takes a great deal of time but shareholder expectations can be managed by letting them know there will be times when business prorities prevent regular posting. Even 1 post every 2 weeks will more than suffice, while anything more frequent will simply be a bonus.

We’ve built a pretty robust business out of providing the investment community with direct access to executives of micro-cap companies, so I hope my input has helped shed some valuable light on the topic.

Best,
George

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