Morty wrote,

I'm making an open, transparent and blatant request for you to plug your books... Can you please pick a couple and post the links to buying them?

Well, since you asked so nicely, how could  I refuse ?

On the topic of ethics, my most relevant book is Principled Profit: Marketing that Puts People First. I'm extremely proud of this book, which shows how ethics, cooperation (even with competitors), and an attitude of abundance can for a kind of positive perfect storm to create and increase business success. This book won an Apex Award, has been endorsed by 79 entrepreneurs and marketers including Jack Canfield, Anne Holland, and Mark Joyner, and has been republished in India and Mexico.

Also, I have two books in the Grassroots Marketing series: Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers, which is specifically about book marketing, and Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World, which provides low-cost high-return marketing strategies (and lots of examples) for any type of business or nonprofit. Both of these books have won some honors and have great endorsements, too.

Thee are various "combination platter" offers and bonuses on my order page, which lists all the products I sell, on frugal, ethical, effective marketing, and also on frugal fun.

For me, one of the key points to consider in a discussion of ethics and blogging is pretty far down their list: * Disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, activities and personal agendas   more »

While some scientists are worrying about the missing bees, lots of marketers are worrying about the missing buzz.

Tune in next week, when Lois Kelly, author of Beyond Buzz, tells us why it's not enough anymore to make noise in the marketplace. You have to engage your market in what she calls "meaningful dialog."

Learn how to put more meaning in your message November  5-9 when Lois Kelly hosts the IAOCblog "talk show" with:
Conversational Marketing: Mood over Matter?

Is your website lost? Now it will be found!
Tune in Monday for
Search Engine Friendly Copy
October  29-November 2, 2007
GUEST: Dianna Huff, Marcom Writer Blog
TOPIC: Writing Search Engine Friendly Copy

ABOUT THE TOPIC:
We are all know by now that "Markets are conversations." But Lois Kelly, author of Beyond Buzz, says it's not enough anymore to spread "Word of Mouth." To succeed in the marketplace today, you have to have a meaningful dialog -- and really listen to your market.

Stay tuned for more details. And be sure to join IAOCblog.com November  5-9, 2007 when guest host Lois Kelly takes over the conversation with:
Conversational Marketing: Mood over Matter?

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION LEADER:


Lois Kelly writes, consults and speaks about how to use conversational marketing and social media to more quickly connect with customers, employees and marketplace influencers.

Reviewing her new book, Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word of Mouth Marketing, Northeastern University professor Walter Carl said “The Cluetrain Manifesto was a call for corporations to wake up to the global conversations about them, and potentially with them. In Beyond Buzz, Lois Kelly gives corporations the practical tools to answer that call.”

Lois' articles have appeared in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Brandweek, Advertising Age. Clients have included Sapient, SAP, Sun Microsystems, FedEx, The Business Innovation Factory, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Communispace. 

REMINDER:
Coming next week: October 22-26, 2007 Ted Demopoulos, author of Blogging for Business tackles the issue: Should CEOs Blog?

ABOUT THE TOPIC:
"CEO Blogs" are blogs written by executives. At their best, they put a human face on huge corporations. At their worst, they have been boring... or phony... to the point of doing more harm than good.

Are CEO blogs worth the trouble? Are they worth the risks? What if a CEO can't write... or hasn't got the time to write? Can they have ghostbloggers or blog less frequently? Will that undermine the whole purpose of blogging? The week of Oct 22, Ted will answer these and other questions on IAOCblog.com.

ABOUT THE TOPIC:
The Blogosphere honors "Transparency" above all. Publishers of fake blogs or are treated like horse thieves in the old West.

But is blogging an art form or a business? Blogging guru Dave Taylor may ruffle some feathers next week with a look at whether it's OK to take pay for blogging. Is it OK to ghostwrite a blog? Are paid bloggers like bounty hunters? Or have bloggers become like any other professional writers? Then again, didn't Moliere say, "Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money."

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION LEADER:

Dave Taylor blogs at Intuitive Life Business Blog, Blogsmart and Ask Dave Taylor. He is esteemed for his technical and business expertise and is sure to have some important insights on what has become a controversial issue

Tune in next week. And keep your powder dry!

Mark October  22-26, 2007  on your calendar for a blog program that promises to be profitable... and provocative. The host will be Ted Demopoulos, author of Blogging for Business. His topic: Should CEOs Blog?

ABOUT THE TOPIC:
The term "CEO Blog" refers to a blog written by a high level executive such as a CEO. The few CEO blogs that exist are very popular, but should the average CEO or other executive blog? How can they possibly make time among their other responsibilities? Are the "rules" different for CEOs and other high profile poeple? Can they have ghostbloggers or blog less frequently? The week of Oct 22, Ted will answer these and other questions on IAOCblog.com.

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION LEADER:

Ted Demopoulos’ professional background includes over 25 years of experience in Information Technology and Business, including 15 years as an independent consultant. Ted helped start a successful information security company, was the CTO at a "textbook failure" of a software startup,  and has advised several other startups. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, conventions, and other business events,  author of  What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting: Real-Life Advice from 101 People Who Successfully Leverage the Power of the Blogosphere, coauthor of  Blogging for Business. Ted blogs at www.BloggingForBusinessBook.com

Blogs Create Evidence That Must Be Retained & Managed, Feds Announce on December 1

Does your company treat blog posts and comments like discoverable legal evidence that must be retained, archived, and  produced--quickly--in the event of a workplace lawsuit or regulatory investigation?  If not, now is the time to get your strategic blog management and business record retention policy and procedures in place.    

On December 1, 2006, the U.S. Federal Court implemented new rules governing the discovery of "electronically stored information."  The ruling makes clear that any type of electronically stored information (including writers' blog posts and readers' comments) can be subpoenaed and used as evidence (for or against your company) in the course of litigation. 

The ruling not only covers all current types of computer-based information, but it also is flexible enough to apply to any future technologies that may be developed down the road. To learn more, visit the U.S. Court's Federal Rulemaking website:   http://www.uscourts.gov/rules/congress0406.html.

97% of Employers Fail to Manage Blog Business Records

Only 3% of companies  currently have written policy in place to govern the retention of blog business records. That's a potentially costly oversight, considering that writers' posts and readers' comments create the electronic equivalent of DNA evidence. Fully 24% of organizations have had employee e-mail subpoenaed and another 15% of employees have gone to court to battle lawsuits triggered by e-mail,  according to the 2006 Workplace E-Mail, Instant Messaging & Blog Survey from American Management Association and my firm, The ePolicy Institute, www.epolicyinstitute.com. 

It's only a matter of time until blog posts and comments begin to play an equally significant evidentiary role in litigation and regulatory investigations.  To help prevent the likelihood of blog-related disaster from striking tomorrow, put a blog usage, content, and retention policy in place today. 

Failure to Produce Electronic Evidence Costs Employers Millions

In recent years, we've seen many companies slapped with multi-million-dollar (and occasionally billion-dollar) jury awards, legal settlements, court sanctions, and regulatory fines because of their failure to retain, archive, and turn over e-mail business records when ordered to do so.  There is no reason to assume that employers who fail to retain and archive blog records won't be hit with equally robust penalties.     

What Exactly Is a Blog Business Record?

As detailed in my book Blog Rules (Amacom, 2006), www.amanet.org, if employees are blogging about your company, its products, services, transactions, suppliers, customers, executives, and staff, then chances are they are creating electronic business records that the organization is obligated to save, store, and (in the event of a lawsuit) hand over to litigators. 

If employee-bloggers are corresponding with readers via e-mail, then they may be creating even more business records that must be retained and archived.  If your organization allows readers to post comments on business blogs, then another potential cache of business records is being compiled.

Blog Rule #13:  Treat blog posts and comments as business records that must be retained, archived, and readily available to courts or regulators in the event of a workplace lawsuit or regulatory investigation.

Coming This Week

I hope you'll join me this week, as I discuss blog risks, blog rules, and blog best practices designed to help minimize organizational risks and maximize blog communications. 

  

 

 

   

Marketing spend across industry sectors has a waste gap of 80%+/- in real costs.  It is surprising that even today with the ...   more »