Caution Marketers: Mind Your Tone, Watch Your Words.

This marketer has a miff, but I won't rant without offering a remedy. While I'm surrounded by gracious marketers much smarter than I, far too many clients and colleagues are telling me they find the blogosphere to be more elitist than empowering. And it's making them tune out...when we want them tuning in.

Is everybody sending the wrong message? Absolutely not. But there is some attitude and I'm concerned it's compromising our cause.

Words have power. Tones make all the difference. So let's each do our part to encourage the entire marketing community to switch the conversation from "You just don't get it!" to "Can you see the opportunities?" The former shuts people down, the latter opens minds. The former ends a conversation--the latter begins one.

Here's a fine example: Take Al and Laura Ries. I've had the honor of interviewing them twice in the last year. Responsive? Completely. Attitude? Not one iota. An exemplary model from two thought leaders who, let's face it, could get away with being elusive and arrogant. But they aren't. The result? They've engaged us for decades. And there are many others setting equally terrific examples that I'm privileged to call colleagues.

Let's encourage others to follow this lead. When you think about it, it really is our responsibility to promote the high road--and push positive, inclusive agendas. So just encourage social-media savvies not to get too big for their britches (but instead be bigger people). Maybe the words will fall flat, but maybe they'll flatten any hierarchies. Worth a try, eh?

Remember, the majority of businesses aren't blogging yet, or blogging at all regularly. They find these uncharted waters to be scary (eek!). And silly as we all know that notion is, the fact is that people avoid what they fear. By encouraging others to veer away from combative words ("you don't get it!") and using more nurturing tones ("let me show you why it's valuable to get this!") we lessen the "fear factor". It really can be that simple--the best lessons in life often are.

As for marketers who are still skeptical about joining the conversation...c'mon in, the water's fine!

Thanks to the many marketers, bloggers and podcasters that set such fine examples, you inspire this marketer :-).

Post-posting note: Since this was originally published, Mike Gore called my attention to a post by MarketingProfs' Eric Kintz asking what it will take to spread the "epidemic" to the other 99% of marketers (the post and comments are equally great). If we encourage others who are employing the "You just don't get it!" tactic to use words and tones that influence conversations, we will beget the marketing community a whole lot more bloggers. Off my soapbox now.

Comments

[Lewis Green]

CK, right on! I need to frequently remember that we are trying to start conversations, not show how smart we are. I hope my posts never appear arrogrant but when they do I want someone to tell me so I can rewrite it. Thanks for the reminder.

[Mike Gore]

What a great reminder! A few weeks ago there was a great post on the Daily Fix hightlighting the need to bridge the gap between the blogging community and the rest of the world. Our attitude and tone play a crucial role in making this happen.

[Mack Collier]

Great point CK, it's the difference between burning bridges, and building them!

[Monica Powers]

Thanks for bringing this up. I'm with Lewis Green---I want my posts move the dialogue along and offer more solutions than negativity. If I goof, I hope I can rely on fellow bloggers to tell me. In any case it's great to have a forum for discussion.

Monica Powers
BrandIsLanguage.com

[Eric Kintz]

Christina,

Happy you enjoyed my post on the marketing blogging community. I wrote a follow up post that may interest you
Eric

http://h20325.www2.hp.com/blogs/kintz/archive/2006/07/13/1303.html

[vaspers the grate]

I have been a fan of Al Ries and Jack Trout since Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, and Marketing Warfare.

Laura Ries has been very kind to me and I used to post a lot of comments at her blog. Need to get back to her site and do some reading there.

We need to start and move conversations, contribute our content to other blogs via comments, and invite our readers to respond to our posts.

But don't forget a little blogocombat now and then. It can't be helped. Sooner or later, you may have to clobber someone, as politely and maturely as possible of course.

Right, Paul Woodhouse? heh

Thanks, CK, for blogrolling me.