I did not attend this year's Forrester Consumer Forum, in part because I work in the B2B space. David Armano did a good job of providing live coverage from the floor, and a recap. Thanks to Critical Mass web cam, I was able to touch base with Debbie Schultz, Karl Long, and Peter Kim. Jeremy Pepper wrote a couple of solid posts on the sessions, and I learned that my long time friend Heath Row was also in attendance via Twitter.
Although I was not there, I was able to see what was going on and communicate with many of the attendees -- Twitter, email and blogs populated with information in front of my eyes. We can never expect to be everywhere, yet increasingly, especially if we work on the client side of marketing, we should experiment and learn from what we hear and see out there. That means that a greater part of our daily activities should include listening.
That's why live web cams and other collaborative tools are playing an increasingly larger role in helping us have eyes and ears on the ground and tearing down the walls behind which we used to operate -- inclusive has replaced exclusive. Where is the value then?
Definitely in the experience -- ours as well as that of our customers. As I share in my M20 interview with Peter Kim, today we need even bigger ears to navigate the complexities of what is happening in the marketplace. Hearing what others are saying about products and services helps keep us honest vis-a-vis our products and services. In addition, blogging has increased my sense of urgency in putting out the right kind of information -- the one that people actually want to read vs. marketing fluff.
How has blogging changed the way you work?
[with Jim Long at DMAW, courtesy of CC Chapman]
"How has blogging changed the way you work?"
Valeria: To answer you very good question I would need a post (or an entire blog ;-) It has changed my work in making me stronger because of all I learn from you fine folks. It has helped me to articulate my methodologies. It has kept me in-touch. It has enabled me to know of so many experts in so many fields that I rely upon....really rely upon for knowledge, for telling me what I need to know, and why. It's also showed me what's important to me in my profession and through many of my personal beliefs. It has taught me how to better listen to my markets.
I could go on and on and that maybe the most important part of my answer.
I'll go without trade mags before I go without blogging. I find so many to be "dated" or providing a reductionist view. And I was a die-hard for poring over trade mags like crazy. That's how much value it's brought to me.
Posted by: CK | October 17, 2007 at 02:27 AM
What I find interesting is that many keep thinking that lack of comments = lack of readers or that reader validation is the holy grail of blogging. While I love what you say here -- it helps you, the writer/thinker first and foremost. Isn't that how we should choose to do things?
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | October 17, 2007 at 02:27 PM
I am so sorry that I do not understand what you mean...I was answering your very good question with my experience in how it's helped and changed my work, which is in many ways and with many benefits. Maybe I misunderstood (wouldn't be the first time...or likely the last ;-).
net net: it has just changed the way I work in so many ways. i look at things and listen to others differently now.
not sure why so many people look to validate on things like comments/whatnot. How to compare that with knowledge...or insightful colleagues/mentors...or kind new friends? I'm just so utterly thankful for these 'gifts' that when I look at other types of validation systems they seem so irrelevant.
At least for me, the question you asked could fill a whole day's worth of discussion at an event. And I'd likely go off on many tangents ;-).
Posted by: CK | October 18, 2007 at 03:20 PM
CK:
I wanted to tell you that you are absolutely right on in your approach. Not a good day for a communicator ending up with exactly the opposite message coming through ;-)
Maybe we can use the question as a departure for the bloggers' social in NYC next spring. Wouldn't that be neat?
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | October 18, 2007 at 04:41 PM