Oh Marketers, Your Motives Are Showing (and you shine).

I wanted to create something that reflects what we value about this medium--and it's just not fair that posts get all the play when the comments have so many insights, and so much heart. Remember way back before Labor Day when I polled you guys? Of course you don't, a lot has happened since then. All the better...surprising you was part of my evil-genius plan.

I asked you one question. A BIG one: What is the single greatest point of value you receive from blogging? I sought the single, the uber, the most rewarding, robust and important point of value you receive from embracing these tools and investing your time.

The question centered on value because everything we do stems from there. Take choices: what we choose to do with our careers, which candidate we vote for, whom we choose to be our friends and how we choose to spend our time all rest in value. Same thing with motives: we're motivated and driven by those things and thoughts that hold the most value for us. So value isn't just a telling factor, it's the tell-tale factor.

With a bevy of wide-ranging results in hand I was going to make a video. But then everyone's comments flew by too fast for a 2-minute piece. So I was going to do a podcast...but having all your comments in my voice killed the whole point. It needed to be visual. Truth be told, I really wanted a mural. But where to find the wall? Plus, I can't paint for the life of me.

Most of all, it needed to depict everyone's individual contributions and then show how a lot of individual voices make for a larger, dynamic and far more powerful conversation. After all, that's what the blogosphere is, right?

So I settled on a collage (PDF here). A compilation of why--above all else--we invest the thought, time and trouble to blog. Look at what it reflects. Then look at what it doesn't. (psst: what's not on it is just as important as what is.)

I see a lot of value attributed to smarts, relationships and growth...not so much attributed to money, power and fame. In a time where marketers are called every name in the book, when findings show we're increasingly at a remove from our markets and articles claim we care far more about money than relationships, it gives me great pride to show the motivations of the marketers in this community--which increases in voices and power every single day. Thank you.

While I could only fit the keywords on the collage, full comments from each participant are listed on pages 2-5 of the document. Take ten minutes and read through them sometime. You'll likely draw the same conclusion as I but come up with different observations--yet another point of value we gain through blogging, eh?

Feel free to take a copy of it, it's yours after all.

PS: If you don't prefer downloading a PDF, a rich media version of the collage is right here.

Comments

[V-+a%S(p#E*rsT=`hE..]gra_Te[]

For a long time now, I've been wanting to craft a special post on the value of comments, for I feel that comments are where the real wisdom is to be found, rather than in my posts.

I work extremely hard, with a broken back and a severely messed up neck from computer abuse, to write relevant, enlightening posts on topics I know and care about.

But I am always astonished at how readers will add a comment that challenges my beliefs, enhances the conversation, or questions an aspect of a problem I had not thought of yet.

I understand that many blog readers skip comments, they think the important meat is in the post. WRONG.

The real action and insight is in the reactions, the comments, the responses a post receives. Even random, drive-by comments, from people I never hear from again, are valuable, often even more valuable than comments from loyal contributors.

Even more vital are the lurkers. As much as I believe in blog conversations, the unresponsive lurkers are key to our success. They may not post any comments, for a wide variety of very good reasons, but they may promote our thoughts and insights in other channels, offline or in other forums where maybe they feel more comfortable expressing themselves. Lurkers provide exo-blog support and also traffic numbers to our blogs.

Lurkers may do more for us than even our most ecstatic and gushing fans.

But still, we need to let people know that comments contain gold, a rare and pure form of feedback that really makes or breaks a lot of blogs.

When comments are merely supportive and non-challenging, it makes it look like the blog is a cul-de-sac, a clique, a private mutual admiration society.

But when comments are provoking, harsh, abrasive, dissent, discontented, unconvinced, these are precious diamonds, feedback that helps us grow and expand in unexpected directions.

Your idea of a collage of what is the single most important value we get from the discipline of blogging...what a Seth Godin-esque Purple Cow Free Prize Inside!

[V-+a%S(p#E*rsT=`hE..]gra_Te[]

P.S. Thanks for honoring us and spending the time and effort to make it nice.

[Mack Collier]

What a great idea! I'm so blogging this ;)

[Lewis Green]

CK,

Unbelievable! Wow! I made a copy. Now I need to work this brilliance unmasked into my next book. Permission-based only, of course.

[Paul McEnany]

Ck, you never cease to amaze. Beautiful stuff. Brilliant, brilliant. I can't say enough.

[Neil Vineberg]

CK, you 'rock the house' because you raise the creative and quality standards for all of us,and show what's possible when you love what you do, and you do what you love. This is brilliant! Thanks for including me in your marketing universe.

[gianandrea facchini]

speechless as i'm now, i promise to come back with a smarter comment and an insight on the poll.

[David Armano]

BRILLIANT.

I predict this will turn into a wonderful meme. Or more of a "Theme"

I too will write about this.

PS, love the colors.

:)

[Chris Thilk]

Damn me and my RSS skimming!

Good stuff, though. This is the kind of thing that deserves to be sent around the office to prove the value of blogging around the corporate world.

[Ann Handley]

It's gorgeous, CK.... nice work. It's a wonderful piece -- in fact, visually, it's practically a Darmano! (Nice work Sharon Lujan!)

And DA -- I suggested a little pumpkin sprinkled in, but designer extraordinaire Sharon was just *this side* of a nervous breakdown already!

[mindblob]

CK,
Excellent "collage" (as you name it), brilliant idea, I really appreciate it a lot.

Making a good summary is a difficult thing. Turning it into an attractive visual is even more complicated. Your pdf has it all: summary front page, content (what a nice panel!) and definitely great looking graphic style.

Not to mention, as many already did... it's going to be a great tool to help convince skeptical minds! Thank you.

[Karl Long]

wonderful stuff CK, love it :-)

Will be circulating here,

karl

[Jordan Behan]

CK, this is great. Finally, some great collateral that translates the actual value of blogging. It's an honor to be a part of it.

[Gavin Heaton]

Another reason to blog ... to add value to your community. For a demonstration, refer to Exhibit A ... CK's Voice-in. Very nice work.

Oh, and I think Ann has coined a phrase "Done a Darmano". I think I might borrow that one ;)

[Drew McLellan]

CK,

What a great value from blogging -- to have something that captures the spirit of why people invest the time and energy.

I had to add my 2 cents...thanks for asking!

Best,

Drew

[Tim Jackson]

CK-

I tried posting a comment earlier, but it went 'poof' into the ether... I was brilliant by the way.

Thank you so much for contacting me about this project- I am even more flattered now.

What else can really be said about this, I mean Mack already called the group "28 of the top marketing bloggers on the internet". How can I top that (and boy do I feel special to be on that list)?

Now I just have to find a way to create blog button with this chart, something that stays visible and not hidden in the comments section.

You are amazing- thank you again. We all owe you one for this...

[Greg Verdino]

Wow CK! This is FANTASTIC. I am honored to be included and can't wait to put a copy of this on my office wall and show it off to everyone who swings by for a meeting. :-)

[Moda di Magno]

CK - congrats! This is fantastic - and the whole circle of love going on - AWESOME!

[V-+a%S(p#E*rsT=`hE..]gra_Te[]

Way to go, Tim Jackson.

A clickable blog sidebar button is what everything needs. I spend way too much time creating blog buttons, that take users to web sites or pages that I wish to promote.

I'm astonished at how many companies, web services, and various software products simply do not have clickable buttons. I prefer it when there are several different styles, colors, sizes, and text to choose from, to add to your blog sidebar or web site.

[CK]

All: I'm so pleased that the collage has been so well received. It really was a treat doing something for the community--and a record of what moves us all to keep the conversation and good thinking going.

And I'm fortunate that the project has brought new introductions, to boot.

Many thanks :-).

[Maureen Rogers]

I'm a relative blogging newbie - just this September if was a "first time bloggah from Boston") - and there's nothing unique about why I love it. I love the community, the tips, the ideas, the thinking things through, the creative outlet, the back-and-forth. As a long-time marketing practitioner, I love the thought of younger marketers learning from my experience - and I also love learning about new-fangled things that just didn't exist when I started out. (The only downside is how involving it can be just grazing around in the blogosphere. There's so much good and interesting "stuff".)

[David Zinger]

I love the way you presented the information. I am doing a webinar in two hours on blogging and you have given me some additional inspiration and perspective. Thanks.

[Sean Moffitt]

It looks like I made a discovery today and its name is CK - I'll add to the love and mention I really enjoyed your post here and quite timely given that I just reached my own century club of posting at Buzz Canuck. Let me add to the conversation - I blog to "Create Tipping Points - to tap the force of the amazing blogger-to-blogger, peer-to-peer influence grapevine where 1+1 truly does equal 3 and thus, become another instrument in the social media orchestra" (oK maybe over the top but your PDF got me in the mood) Might see you at WOMMA in December.

[Robert Siekmann]

Could you have the PDF open in a resizable window?
Anyway it looks cool.

[CK]

Robert: My blog software only allows me so much flexibility, however you should be able to open it at this URL (as PDF) and I'll work on the other:

http://www.ck-blog.com/VoiceIn_Collage_11.06.pdf

Also, I tried to e-mail you with this info. but it bounced back. Sorry!

[Robert Siekmann]

Grrr @ the bounce back. I fixed it now.
Anyway that URL is much better, thanks!

My girlfriend is writing her master thesis on blog marketing. I don't know if her blog is interesting to you atm but http://rheadebies.com/thesis

[Dan Bassill]

The power of graphics to communicate ideas is huge. At http://tutormentor.blogspot.com you can see how I communicate ideas of network building. In the Program Locator and Tutor/Mentor Institute I use maps to illustrate where volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs are needed in Chicago, along with charts that illustrate the diversity of volunteers, and number of years, that are needed to help a youth reach a career.

I'm not an artists by any means, thus, in my networking I'm constantly looking for illustrators who want to apply their talent to helping us communicate ideas to a larger public. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Jeff Paul Scam]

Where I come from girls are considered to know nothing about IT, but my girls and I started a blog and promoted it to receive some visits. It’s a start but we will not back down from this challenge.

[Writing Up Dissertation]

Blogs are good for every one where we get lots of information for any topics nice job keep it up !!!

[oyunlar]

Thanks for your info. Actually this is demand nowadays.

[araba oyunları]

Value of blogging and even the micro blogging is the feature. Just check twitter. Its basically micro bg and its rising to speedy that indicates us the reality.

[Custom Essays]

Hi,
What a marvelous ideas! keep posting ……..Thanks

[peynir]

I'm really very useful to follow a long-time see this as a blog here Thank you for your valuable information.

[Term Paper Writing]

Hi,
This is really a great stuff for sharing. Keep it up .Thanks for sharing.

[Masters Dissertation Help]

Whenever i see the post like your's i feel that there are helpful people who share information for the help of others, it must be helpful for other's. thanx and good job.

[peynir]

I'm really very useful to follow a long-time see this as a blog here Thank you for your valuable information.

[Dissertations]

I find blogs an excellent advertising medium

http://www.study-aids.co.uk <<<--- My Blog

[oyunlar]

results in hand I was going to make a video. But then everyone's comments flew by too fast for a 2-minute piece. So I was going to do a podcast...but having all your comments in my voice killed the whole point. It needed to be visual. Truth be told, I really wanted

[Assignments]

Hello,
Excellent post, I really enjoy reading this article, thank you so much for sharing it.

[oyun]

Whenever i see the post like your's i feel that there are helpful people who share information for the help of others, it must be helpful for other's. thanx and good job.

[Dissertation Writing]

Topic is very good, Thank you very much for your information, nice job keep it up.

[mario]

What a great idea! I'm so blogging this..

[logo design]

Thanks for sharing just a great source and support. I am sure to revisit again.