Steps for CEO's to earn a good reputation with bloggers

Andy Sernovitz, CEO of Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), suggests five steps CEO's can follow to earn a good reputation with bloggers at this link:[http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/7780.asp].

The Five Steps:

1. Follow the conversation
2. Participate
3. Show that you are listening
4. Convert critics when you can
5. Write for the record

Sernovitz addresses how CEO's can reduce the confusion on whether to "Talk to them [bloggers], ignore them, treat them as press, treat them as customers, do your own blog, comment on their blog" with the following advice:

* The last word counts most
* Recent posts get indexed
* Everything lasts forever on Google

And what this means for CEO's is that:

* You'll never be able to control the blogosphere conversation
* You'll never be able to manage your own blog coverage like you could with the press
* You should respond participate (not plant and initiate), earn respect, and tell your story
* Let your views be heard and end the dialogue on a positive note
* Let your own words speak for themselves, do not try to manage what other people say
* Become part of the online community

Secret of Blog Relations = Customer Service

"It's working with a vocal group of individuals who each have their own particular concerns and needs. It's looking at situations, addressing them, and getting them fixed however you can", says Sernovitz.

So CEO's need to:

1. Treat bloggers like important customers
2. Earn their respect through service and respect
3. Use metrics to track positive and negative comments -- how quickly you respond to concerns
4. Look at the percentage of issues resolved successfully and for ways to improve the resolution rate

The conclusion says Sernovitz, "So if you want a good rep [reputation] in the blogosphere, you need to be good."

BE GOOD!