To blog, or not to blog. That is the question.

Fellow WordPress Marketing Blogger Matt Hames writes about the pressure to blog, and blog well and consistently, in response to this post from Michael Gass. While I agree that Gass might be giving short shrift to the challenges of blogging, I think there is another issue here as well. 

Matt is correct, maintaining a blog, which is oftentimes a major vehicle for brand exposure, should be done properly and that requires forethought, planning, dedication, intelligence and a whole lot more. But you can be too careful as well. Don’t be paralysed by the thought: “What if I post something that people don’t agree with?” Sure, you don’t want to write something really stupid, but let’s assume you weren’t going to do that anyway. Blogging is a very organic exercise. You may contradict yourself over time. I believe it’s more important to get your thoughts out there, even if they aren’t perfect, than to wait until they are. Because if you do that, you’ll never write anything.

The idea, when it’s in your mind, will always seem better than the actual thought on the page. And if you don’t actually publish, but just think about publishing your thoughts will always be genius because that’s how you imagine them. When you put something out there and it gets challenged, that’s when you really grow. Get involved in a conversation and defend your ideas, or acknowledge that someone else has a better take, that’s ok too. I don’t think any PR firm, ad agency or marketing consultant has a lock on great ideas – or is immune from having some stinkers. I’d rather work with somebody who has the occasional bad idea than somebody who has no ideas at all.

Ideas, Insight & Innovation

Two recent articles that are worth tracking down:

In Sunday’s NYT Business Section there is an article that highlights the delicate dance between inventor and investor. Doug Hall, CEO of Eureka Ranch Technology, is developing a database, to be launched in 2009, that will help connect inventors with businesses looking for innovations.

You might also want to check out the May 12 issue of The New Yorker. Gladwell takes one of his trademark looks, this time into how conventional wisdom assumes ideas are generated. It’s become fashionable in 2008 to bash Gladwell a bit; first there was the Fast Company story about Duncan Watts and his challenge to Gladwell’s “Influentials.” Then, Slate gave Gladwell a poke for some truthiness regarding tales of his time at the Washington Post. But when Gladwell is on his game, as he is with this piece, he really is a pleasure to read. He can make seemingly dry topics come to life and provide a human insight that is truly illuminating.

Monocle – Epitomizing the Eyecube mentality

The Eyecube concept (Innovation, Insight & Ideas) came to me in early 2002. I say this to cover myself because otherwise it could be easily construed that I derived the idea from Monocle, the supersmart global media operation that produces a gorgeous and always surprising magazine, as well as a very sharp website. The editorial is always smart and filled with intriguing and challenging articles. In a nutshell, these guys cover innovation, insight and ideas on a global scale, with a focus on business, culture and design.

Stories range from the latest in the travel and automotive industries, to retail, hotel and food trends. One recent video segment highlighted the frighteningly sophisticated world of video games in South Korea.

If your work inolves travel, or just collaborating with colleagues and partners from foreign lands, Monocle is a must. If your gig is strictly domestic, Monocle will show you what is likely to be hot here in the States in the not too distant future.