My opinion of the blog, world was until recently, distorted by ignorance and a smug sense that it was something taking place at the extremities of the marketing communications world and not something my North East of England clients needed to be to concerned about. How wrong I was.

I had misguidedly shelved the blog world as something that I should keep an eye on but not actively integrate into my consultancy advice. I must make it clear that Im not a PR professional however I do work closely with PR people primarily under the broad banner of e-marketing. I know what youre thinking, how could I possibly claim to offer e-marketing advice without being in possession of a reasonable understanding of the blogsphere well believe me I feel suitably ashamed.

Within the regional marketing sector here in the North East I must confess, blogging has rarely cropped up in the discussions Ive had with clients and when the subject has been raised it has been in the context of a general enquiry about what is blogging all about. I have fielded these questions by dismissing blogs as online diaries primarily used by computer people and extreme pressure groups. Sadly, this is what many old school marketing people want to hear. They like the old ways. They know how to make money out of the old ways. Their clients understand the old ways. Given this situation why would you potentially unsettle a client by introducing a whole new communications paradigm that is totally measurable thus making yourself directly accountable?

I think this notion of measurability is crucial. No ad agency is going direct a clients budget toward pay per click advertising if they can get away with booking ad space instead. Why? Because fundamentally most ad people dont know what it is and there is no money in it for them in the short term. Similarly, why would the NE PR industry embrace a new channel they dont understand and ultimately cant manipulate by calling in old favours or entertaining the right editor?

To me this is just like the candle maker who dismissed electricity as he failed to see he was in the light business not the candle business. Ad agencies and PR firms are in the communications business and if marketing is mirroring effective sales strategies by becoming more of a conversation between customers and suppliers then we are severely short changing our clients if we do not take time to learn how these new methods can be used to add value and profit to our clients businesses. Maybe I have read the situation incorrectly and the NE is teaming with marketing professionals all actively promoting new marcom methods if so I apologise unreservedly.