A few years ago I had the distinct pleasure of sitting thru a 7 hour session with Shel Holtz presenting on the topic of using new media tools for all sorts of repurposing communications efforts. Besides getting to see Ray Kurzweil speak for 2 hours, Holtz's presentation was the best I've seen on the topic. So I'm going to review his book, co-authored with Ted Demoplous, blogging for Busines: Everything You Need to Know and Why You Should Care.

Now, right off the bat, some employees may contend that their blog is not used for business purposes, to which I ask...are you kidding? If you're talking about your company, you're talking about the business of your company, end of story.

First I'll cover why the book is worth talking about on NetSquared, then drill just a bit below the surface of a few chapters. Simply put, Holtz and Demopolous tell it like it is when it comes to blogging and how it has affected business: 1) people are already talking about your business, join the conversation or don't complain, 2) let your employees blog, the ones with something valuable to say will step up, the ones without will (most likely) not take the time, 3) please, for-the-love-Pete, PLAN before you post, 4) yes, it is completely kosher to PROMOTE your blog, just keep your eyes cut to see that fine line where promotion turns into marketing...be wary, the blogosphere is unforgiving, and 5) enjoy your blogging and readers will enjoy with you.

As well, the authors have valuable points that are both practical and technical. This is the type of book that NetSquared denizens who are concerned about starting their own blog presence can read and gather a few nuggets from that will make them feel comfortable about starting to blog. Holtz and Demopolous perform an exquisite balance of writing in an easy to access voice while embedding the content with lightweight technical information that entices the reader to begin blogging.

Okay, on to the chapters. If you're completely drawing a blank on what the word 'blog' means, well...that's interesting. And you should read the first chapter What Is A Blog. 'Nuff said.

The chapter Business Uses of Blogs is worth your time because the focus is entirely speaking to the goal of engaging the customer where they're at, rather than having them come to you. As they state: "...the nature of the customer has changed" and that's no different for non-profits. Consider the fluctuating populations of those-in-need, donors, and volunteers of non-profits over the past decade. And, yes, I think non-profits should consider those who GIVE to the particular agency as customers - they have many choices of what non-profit to give to. You should be thinking of them as you publish content about your ogranization because how you define yourself is why they are compelled to supplement your cause, rather than another. Holtz and Demopolous give excellent advice on how organizations engage (and disengage) customers with their communications, the skepticism customers have these days of non-transparent organizations, differences between executive blog posts, company posts and product posts. Of particular interest to you should be there section on Advocacy and Employee blog.

They also dedicate a chapter, Blogs On The Inside,to thinking of your employees as customers and operating internal blogs for any number of reasons. Some of things they recommend you consider before starting is: 1) topics - whats of value to your internal customers (ex's - benefits, affect on the comunity) 2) writers? - do you have people who will continuously and steadily publish content?and 3) to moderate or not moderate - I recommend not, so do they, but it is a concern you should put on the table before go-live.

The chapters on Measuring the Results of Your Blog and Legal Considerations are populated with content a bit more on the technical side, but very practical for reading. In Measuring the Results of Your Blog, the authors guide you thru the sometimes confounding shoals of server statistics, measuring feeds, revenues, site traffic, assessing comments, media placement, surveys and other relevant ways to follow your blogs progress. As for Legal Considerations, its not as spooky as it sounds - they're just making cerain that you know about the policy that everyone signs when registering a blog (but no one reads) and items such as disclosure, intellectual property, defamation, right to privacy and scenarios of people being released from their jobs for blogging inappropriately.

Check out the book online and let me know what you think. You can also find Shel Holtz blog at blog.holtz.com.