social media |

Ok. It’s decided, we need a corporate blog (a company in the mobile telecommunication softwares industry, sosoftware, with very few employees but very big potential).
Since the beginnigng of the company (2007), I wanted to create a blog, for the story was fascinating, full of rebounds and created by 2 visionary and colorful men. There was a story to tell.
But I had no experience with blogging and though a first blog version went online, it never took off. My own energies were all funneled by more general and essential things like brand’s creation, website, and all marketing stuff.
Now, one and a half year later, after having done my first steps with this blog, I’m ready.
But plenty of questions arise:
what technology to use? what kind of template? how to set up objectives? how to integrate the blog into the marketing plan? how many ressources are needed? what will a blog bring to the company? is it really useful? and many, many other questions that I even didn’t IMAGINE before.

Before I clicked. The first LINK.

On a post that sounded something like “50 things to know before you start your corporate blog”.
It was really interesting and full of practical advice and links. I clicked those links.
There was always another link that gave me the feeling I would know more if I cliked and read it.
But at the same time, I felt I still hadn’t got the point, so I kept on clicking and following links.
Many many experts out there giving lessons and giving the feeling there is a right way to do things.
Fear not to have the full picture. Clik.
More aspects about corporate blogging. Examples. Click.
Time to be on Twitter? Fine, let’s start Twitter. Write. Comment. Buy the Age of Conversation. Read.
Profiles. Blogs. Click. Click. CLICK!
One says:”make a plan”. Another says: “stop thinking, just do!” Right. But, wait. Here’s an article about “Business usage of Twitter”…

So, here is my takeaway lesson: START.
Now.
I am convinced about the interest of social media for our company.
I have aggregated a nice list of information sources, allowing me to manage it and stop being overwhelmed by the endless flow of news.
I know people I can ask for advice.
I have the information I needed to make up the marketing plan including social media.
I love being connected to like-minded people and I’m looking forward to getting to know more and more of them. To sharing ideas with them.
I want to enter the discussion with people interested by our products and know more about them, their needs, to see what will emerge out of those conversations.
It will be a long process.

I take back control over the MAD link and click when I decide to.
I do.

Time to write the plan.

And you? How was your first experience with blogging? Or before blogging? Did you jump and learn to swim once in the water or did you take time before to be sure to float?
Do you have some advice that help from being sucked up by the MAD link?

Here are some of the sources that most helped, inspired me in the middle of the jungle:
Blog-Well, by Lid, @MadLid, my e-ngel
If I started today, Chris Brogan
Why start a blog and 25 tips to make it work, Valeria Maltoni
Death by Risk Aversion
“Without failing, I would not know many of the limits that I was able to break through”, in a post titled 25 ways to fail and come out on top
Sustainable Marketing Blog
MarketingProfs Daily Fix , I think it was the first click (but not the last one!) Don’t remember what post, though. This one helped.
Before you start blogging, ask yourself these 10 questions, HubSpot
8 reasons that speak for having a corporate blog, ComMetrics
And a last one: The Social Media Hat Rack, by @AmberCadabra
STOP. Or you’ll get mad!