So you think you can blog?

Why is Word-of-Mouth so important? Think about why you bought a Stila’s lip gloss based on your friend’s recommendation rather than being convinced by the ads? This secondary communication has been transformed to online communications. Consumers rely on more online reviews or “blogs” to understand and get familiar with a brand!

I used to work as PR. Generally speaking, from the corporate perspectives, PR profession is not as valuable as Marketing‘s (although PR is one of the elements of Marketing’s, sometimes companies do separate these two functions). PR is all about building “trust” and “relations” but not paying for brand communications. Cultivating, sustaining, and improving “long-term” relationship with all external stakeholders is the core value of PR. With that in mind, one press conference or exposures on newspaper cannot guarantee the linkage to immediate business sales. Just like the contradiction that high brand awareness≠high sales revenue. This concern gets even worse especially during economic downturn.

I have been always thinking about the glass ceiling of PR. However, “word-of-mouth marketing” may re-leverage PR expertise.

One successful corporate blog should be long-term committed, engaging, more personal touch, and authentic. Just like PR, these approaches are more I called it “soft sale” (i.e. conversational & informative) rather than “hard sale” (i.e. advertising). Corporate blog is one of the tools for companies to build up relationship with their current and potential consumers. This virtual conversation is getting more powerful than personal one due to the change of consumer behavior. Consumers’ impression on preferable brands has been highly influenced by how corporate blogs interacts and involves with Web users.

But of course corporate blog is not a medium to release press release. This is not a place to deliver top-down message but a bottom-up operation. The audiences are no longer the press or consumers but the companies’ “friends” - sharing interesting points, discussing future trends, and engaging the conversation. Just imagine you are talking to your friends, what would you do? Trust me, consumers can feel the differences. Nokia’s blog is a very good example to show its caring and commitment.

Only one thing that I am not sure about the corporate blog so far is its effectiveness. Back to my previous point of the relation between PR and sales, I can't help but wondering if an interactive and highly-visible blog ultimately generate more business?

Let “Prosumers” tell you the stories…

The contents of three hot Web2.0 Wikipedia, YouTube, and Facebook are composed of people from all over the world's contribution. Jeff Howe, Editor and the author of CROWDSOURCING, introduced the new “crowdsourcing” phenomenon on a YouTube clip to indicate that consumers’ involvement has altered companies business model for innovation. In the past, companies counted heavily on consumer behavior studies to communicate and market to the end-users. But now, utilizing the new crowd “prosumer” (prosumer = producers + consumers) might be an even more down-to-earth and creative way for business to sustain competitive.

Inspiration comes with stories and people like to listen to stories. I think one of the reasons that crowdsourcing becomes popular because almost everyone is more likely impressed by stories from your family, friends, neighbors, or maybe someone who lives in another continent but share with the similar thoughts and feelings like you do. From the psychological perspectives, people tend to pay attention to things that are more relevant to them. Now, crowdsourcing make common people like you and me to speak out and share those stories to the world. We may be not special or famous but seems like some small thoughts brings bigger meanings.

Crowdsourcing is also an excellent approach to build up a successful, long-term customer relationship. If the ultimate goal of marketing is to communicate with the consumers, what other strategies can be better than letting them speak out? Two-way communication not only shows the company cares about their consumers but also helps it to gather consumer data and even observes consumer preference to predict trends.

I feel that no matter how the technology moves forward, at the end of the day, communications matter that how personal-touch this business/company/brand is. Interaction, involvement, caring may be always important…

Six Degrees of Lois Weisberg

The article I read is Six Degrees of Lois Weisberg. I found it very interesting because this article is mostly about how Lois Weisberg builds up her networks happening in real life rather than on the social media. At first glance I was a little bit surprised since I expected all the articles would lean toward to be more web-oriented. However, at the second thought, I remembered that Prof. Melander mentioned in class last week that social network does not always have to access to Internet. Sometimes we narrow our “social network” definition to only Web 2.0, yet we forget ultimately it matters people interaction regardless of any tools you use.


Lois Weisberg is a type-rare, extraordinary, but nonetheless. She is the kind of person who seems to know everyone. In today’s Web 2.0 era, she is defined as ”super-connector” (from Clive Thompson on Real-World Social Networks vs. Facebook 'Friends') or “central connector” (from The People Who Make Organizations Go- or Stop). She may not be the most famous business woman or celebrity but she is successful. She is successful because she becomes one of the most valuable assets among her family, friends, colleagues, or anyone in her life circle. And most importantly, she is happy helping people. That is her nature.


I found some characteristics of Lois to make her success:

- She is willing to help everyone at anytime.

- She has the talent recognizing people. She knows how to find out resources to introduce people with similar personality or interests or professions.

- She is open-minded. She will not be judgmental for anyone and is good at finding out people’s strengths no matter what their social statuses or races are.

- She does not network for the sake of networking. She seems to meet everyone because she wants to know them sincerely so that every connection happens naturally.

- She thinks outside the box. She accepts creative ideas and then come up with more creative and constructive ideas.

- She comes from much diversified backgrounds.

- She is down-to-earth, knows what she wants, and is doing things in a day-to-day way.


Lois’ social enthusiasm is born by nature. In some deep and less than conscious way, it is innate and spontaneous and entirely involuntary affinity for people. She knows everyone because she just cannot help it. She opens her heart for everything and everyone. This attitude even leads her to initiate a charity Gallery 37 which was given the Innovations in American Government Award by the Ford Foundation and the Harvard school of government.

I once had an interview, and the interviewer shared to me what he defines success. He mentioned that some people are full of curiosity for everything, coming from diversified backgrounds, willing to give others a hand, and feeling passionate for job and life. These people like Lois are not only doing goods for themselves but also for the world. They will be naturally in the center of the social circle.

Finally...

I have been thinking to create my personal blog to share my life for a long time. Apparently, due to the laziness I haven't done it until I enroll this class. I know I know...boo Paige....But interestingly, my first try happened in the last semester during my MBA life.


Looking back to the past 2 years, my life changed dramatically. I left my comfort zone to live alone overseas to explore another world. I overcame the culture differences and language barriers. I met a lot of interesting people who open my mind. And of course, thanks to all professors' teaching, I have developed a well-rounded business knowledge.


I hope my journey will continue to go but not stop...