Rising to Mark Lee's challenge, here is the case for accountants to create a blog:
Jeremy Newman, global CEO at BDO has successfully used his blog as a way of communicating and raising awareness of the firm's positioning:
I asked whether he sees an ROI in using the blog: "I have people who track the statistics and they tell me it is doing just fine. Now, did we win a new client or got that world class graduate trainee because of the blog? I cannot say but these days, I frequently meet people who say they've read the blog. That's gratifying and means we already have a common connection. At one time it would have been very difficult for me to get an appointment with the CEO/CFO of a FTSE 350, these days it's easier. Is that because of the blog? I'd like to think it has had a part to play."
Asked why he blogs: "The way we communicate today is electronically. We can reach a much larger potential group of interested people this way. It just makes sense."
This coming from a person who must be scheduled weeks in advance and travels extensively. If he can find time then what about you?
A Plus in Hong Kong provides an overview (PDF download) of the blogging landscape that includes thoughts from PWC bloggers as well as myself about some of the ups and downs of this medium. The general tenor of the piece is favourable which is surprising given the culture that operates in the Far East.
Maryland CPA's met last week and one of the tracks was on the generic topic of 'social media,' which inevitably includes blogs and microblogging (such as Twitter.) I've never been a huge fan of the term 'social media' but it is interesting to see that in the US at least, there is increasing interest in this topic as yet another approach to training.
To Mark's main point that:
But I’m not in practice. Given that I’m an enthusiastic blogger and spend a fair part of my time helping accountants to build more successful practices you might expect me to also advocate blogging by accountants. But I don’t.
I am aware of a relatively small number of accountants in practice who seem to enjoy blogging. I know of far more who gave it a try and then gave up. The benefits didn’t live up to the hype.
Marks' point that he's not in practice is well made. Having that relative freedom makes a huge difference. However, of itself, that's not an argument for not blogging. If anything it highlights the fact too many professionals are head down in what they're doing rather than allocating time to the all important activity of communicating with clients. Blogs provide that medium.
Clients appreciate it when you know what they are talking about. In my last practice we had a farming unit where the partner concerned knew more about ewes and tups than any sane accountant should have to bother themselves about. It meant that when he met clients he knew what was of interest to them. That's critical. Imagine if he had been able to blog about issues of importance to his client base?
Mark doesn't explain what 'the hype' is supposed to be about but I am going to assume it means something to do with marketing and attracting clients. This is entirely the WRONG mindset.
Blogging for professionals should be about connecting and communicating with the people and businesses that are of interest to your firm. That's the essence of relationship building, a cornerstone of our profession. Mohammed Amin's occasional PWC blog for instance introduced me to the idea of Sharia financing arrangements. That might seem highly specialized but when you've dealt with Asian businesses it helps if you understand how they operate financially.
The problem comes in how you measure success. If it's all about page views then you're going to be disappointed. If it is about who is visiting your blog then that's a different matter altogether. I am much more interested in who is reading my stuff. That's how I ended up across the desk from Mr Newman. It's how I came across and developed relationships with many of those interested in innovation. It was a contributing factor in Richard Murphy becoming tax advisor to the TUC. And yes - I have won business as a result of my blog.
Similarly, Mark doesn't talk about the amount of time that passes between blogs being set up and abandoned. If by hype he means that blog 'pros' promise instant success then think again.
Blog success does not come overnight. Neither does it come in a matter of weeks or months. It takes time to build credibility, to be accepted as a valuable resource and see significant traction. There are ways to overcome some of the early pitfalls (I've been down most of the blogging ratholes) but success - however you measure that - will come. If you are persistent.
What cannot be ignored though is the ease of use and low or zero IT cost associated with this medium. You can start for no cost via Wordpress.com provided you are prepared to compromise on what you can do. At the other end of the spectrum, you can invest thousands of pounds on a highly tuned presence. Or you can do as I have done and invested around $1,500 a year in bits and pieces of functionality and design to keep the site fresh plus some of my time coding. Trust me, if you're an accomplished Excel macro programmer, you can do PHP and Javascript.
The problem with no cost and ease of use is that many people fall into the trap of assuming that developing a blog's content must be easy. It is, provided you know your stuff and can keep a laser focus on what you're saying. Even then there is much work to be done. I sense that many professionals get lulled into a false sense of belief. Better to blog say once a week than not at all.
I sense that Mark has missed expounding on the more fundamental point: do you have an active marketing strategy into which blogging can fit? If not then you're going to struggle from the get go.
If you think: 'I'm too busy, I don't have time' then you're not managing your practice as well as you could. I'd bet the practice is managing you.
Sharing what you know thorugh a blog shows you care and provides the enabling medium that provides the context for collaboration among other professionals. As the world becomes more specialised, I see collaboration as an increasingly important part of the professional ladnscape. Gain a reputation for sharing knowledge and like minded people WILL come to your door.
The biggest benefit though comes through your ability to show your human-ness. People deal with people and if they see authenticity expressed through your blog efforts then they are far more likely to identify with you as a person. Given the professional reputation for being stuffy, that can't be a bad thing. Agree?