I used some german phrases and kept it quite informal so I hope my translation back to English is not too strange - the other way around is easier for me :-) * Ensure you or your executive(s) have something to say, and write in a conversational manner (If don't have something to say then something's wrong anyway. You may continue to send boring texts as press releases to the press but don't do it that way with your employees) * Ensure your employees have an interest and appetite for reading a blog (If they don't have: Hunt for some evangelists and use them to lure the others into the trap) * Develop a content focus (e.g. strategy, innovation, “What keeps me up at night”) (If you don't have a strategy and don't want to innovate: Why should you stay awake at night at all?) * Encourage employees to join the dialogue by posting comments and questions (But don't write a work instruction / manual. Go ahead by commenting yourself, join your people and talk with them) * Write and blog regularly (e.g. 2 or 3 times per week or as much or as little as the audience demands) (otherwise a company magazine will do) * Write for the web (not for print): keep it short, succinct and break up blocks of text with bullets, sub-headers and tight paragraphs (Facts, facts, facts - feed the fishes with bite-sized snacks) Don't force it: Don't rush one's fences (it could be your fence that cracks) Check if blogging fits to your corporate culture. If not * Establish a corporate culture that blogging fits into. * (Also) Use blogging to establish a new corporate culture. Blogging means culture and it's only one of several communication media and one of several techniques. This way chances are good there won't be such breakouts like the email of an employee of the german Telekom to his CEO. There is no guaranty for it will not happen. But it will be easier afterwards to talk with each other. Explanation: Two weeks ago an employee (a technician) of the german Telekom (approx. 240.000 employees) sent an email to his CEO complaining in a harsh way of taken actions (especially for cost reduction) and of the management boards behavior. Copies of the email to the labor union made it throughout the company and to the newspapers. The technician got hundreds of emails from other employees openly stating solidarity.