While I was addressing a group of marketing leaders from Nonprofits in Washington D.C. yesterday, the conversation about blogs was brewing at AD:TECH in Chicago. While I admit that there's little that these two events have in common, save for the general message that we're sending about blogs. Axe Deodorant's Senior Brand Development Manager David Rubin said something very similar to what I told my audience about handling the negative comments in the blogosphere. I urged them to 'turn comments to ON' and let the plusses and minuses work themselves out on the blog.

I know it's sometimes hard to accept that there is some altruism in the blogosphere and that things will even out for good organizations, but on the whole, it's really true. You will have your evangelists and your vigilantes and they'll balance.

We're so afraid of negativity that it becomes an unreasonable fear that impedes progress. Which brought me to the phrase I used for companies that aren't embracing blogging: "Years of tradition unhampered by progress." I hope that doesn't sum up your company. But if it does, there's hope.

The first go-round might be painful, but open discussions with your customers are certain to aid progress! You need to hear the good, and the bad from your customers.