I want to tell you a blog success story — a story about how I were able to start a project for client that never would have happened without blogging.
We’re not blogging in the project but that’s not the point. The point is that blog networking works.
Remember the post where I and Neville wanted to find freelance writers? We received many answers and some of the writers — Stuart, Drew and Tris — have started working for the client. But it started before that.
A client of mine joined the European Science Foundation in France. He needed some of the things we had been working on together in the past and I got involved. Soon it became obvious that we would benefit from native English writers in our cooperation, preferably living in different countries. We needed an international network.
If you’re in the PR industry you know what this usually means. You call the major, international PR firms. Well… not anymore. Not necessarily. I called Neville — a fellow blogger. I hadn’t met with him. But I knew him. And he knew me. We had been reading the other’s blog, commented and discussed.
I actually knew Neville a lot better than I knew many of my co-workers at the communications agency where I was employed a couple of years ago.
To make a long story short, Neville got involved and we’ve now been working closely with the client over the past three months in helping him plan his long-term communication strategy and put it into action. We’ve built a strong relationship which we’re developing further in the coming months.
Some writers are already involved on the specific assignment we advertised in our blogs. More writers will become involved.
The client is of course in full control. He knows what he’s looking for and if someone doesn’t deliver they’re out. But that’s the way it should be and always have been. Blogging doesn’t change the basics of business relationships. They change the way relationships are formed.
Comparing to a traditional ad for writers or other consultants, or the global PR firm, I’m sure that we have been more successful. No big mistakes so far 😉
There are some general conclusions in this, I believe.
Related:
Neville Hobson: The new trust changes everything
Fredrik Wacka is the author and founder of the popular CorporateBlogging.Info blog which is a guide to business and corporate blogging.
Visit Fredrik Wacka’s blog: CorporateBlogging.Info.
