There has been quite a bit of discussion about the Blog Council, some positive, some moderate. David's initial thoughts were that it might not be a good idea and Geoff took issue with the 'closed door' approach. Here are some follow-up thoughts:
1. Like I said in the previous post, some groups like to meet among their peers and talk shop without outside influence/distractions. That can sometimes be good, or perhaps bad. One similar organization I have worked with is the Insurers Public Relations Council. It's a gathering of the top PR pros at the top insurance firms in the US. The meetings they have are part business, part fun. But ultimately they can get down to business fast since they all work in the same industry, all face the same issues, and all speak the same language. They still seek outside council though....but they're very clear, if you're speaking you're there to educate, not pitch.
2. Following-up on that last thought.....if you remember my rant from a few weeks ago about the standard presentation-as-pitch issue. If I could join a comms/professional group that promised to deliver good quality content that was pitch-free...sign me up.
3. Give them time. Hell the group was just announced. Ultimately the members will be able to see if there is any value in the organization. If it's good it will survive, it not it will die a slow death :-)
Visitor Comments
I wouldn't say that I take "issue" with closed doors. What I expressed was concern about possible outcomes because of the closed doors. It could lead to issues based on my experiences here in Washington. Special interest groups can be good, but they can also go awry.
Posted by: Geoff Livingston | December 6, 2007 5:22 PM
Josh,
You hit it on the head when you say "Some Groups like to meet among their peers and talk shop without outside influence/distractions." That's exactly our point. This is really not about privacy; it's about staying focused.
This is really not an 'or' question -- this is 'and'. We're already part of the blogosphere and participating in open conversations. We just want to be able to talk to our peers, too.
Thanks for the posts and the conversation. Good thoughts, all around.
Cheers,
Michael
Posted by: Michael E. Rubin, Blog Council | December 6, 2007 5:38 PM
And its funny how we want to be apart of the group that may be difficult to join
Posted by: Kare Anderson | December 6, 2007 7:05 PM
and I'm sure many of us will talk a lot about what we are learning and what we are struggling with. As a participant, one of the challenges with so many events I go to isn't that I don't want to talk to agencies, vendors, consultants, bloggers, etc...but the size and diversity (which is good and I'll still attend) make having peer conversations with others in similar situations very hard. What I've learned, I've always learned from some combination of doing it myself and listening to others - to me, this is another way to continue that process.
Sean
Microsoft
Posted by: Sean ODriscoll | December 7, 2007 1:47 AM
oh, and one more comment...for the record...I'm hardly a marketing or PR guy - I work in product support and believe me, we have plenty to blog about on the help, support, service and learning around hundreds of products.
thanks!
Sean
Posted by: Sean ODriscoll | December 7, 2007 2:00 AM
I'm fairly irritated at the discussion around this topic today. So many social media professionals are bashing the concept without having fully understood the concept. This is a group of people helping each other through a challenging environment. Not EVERY conversation happens in public.
These aren't companies who are deciding whether to start a blog, they are companies who are already blogging and need ideas, advice, support, and help as they continue to navigate the dicey waters of the blogosphere.
If they had conversations in public about these issues, they'd be skewered by the blogosphere and the press. If they have them behind closed doors, the "experts" skewer them for not understanding what "social" means. (Personally, I don't recall social meaning "all public, all the time"). This reminds me of the "every company on the planet needs a blog" meme that far too many social media "experts" parrot.
Posted by: Jake McKee | December 7, 2007 5:49 PM
Hi Josh!
I just happened to fall upon your blog (which is great, by the way) and saw your posts about the Blog Council. It's ironic, as a co-worker sent me an FYI with their link today. I appreciate the information that you provided, as I was completely unfamiliar with them. Personally, I like the notion of this organization. I'll have to do some additional research. ;-)
Crystal Williams
Posted by: Crystal WIlliams | December 9, 2007 8:12 PM