A Little Controversy Is a Good Thing
“Barry, You’re dead wrong.” OK, so his disagreement wasn’t that blatant with my blog post, but nearly. You see, I ran the last post on my consulting blog and received a comment from a user that totally disagreed with my position. And of course that’s fine - he’s entitled to his opinion and his right to express it on my blog.
The comment got me thinking about the role controversy plays in business. Most people shy away from any form of confrontation. This is true for me as well. Various experiences in life taught me that non-violence is definitely a healthier lifestyle. But I still shy away from confrontation. It’s not really me and a long list of grade school bullies could offer stories affirming that description.
But opposition and controversy in business can actually be a good thing. Why?
Here are three ways it can actually help your small business become even more irresistible:
- Controversy attracts attention. Once the word is out that you’re having a ‘little spat’ with a reader or a Guru, people want to see what all the hub-bub is about. It’s like the phenomenon of a crowd of onlookers around two guys duking it out on a playground. It doesn’t have to get dirty, but a clean, polite little sparring match can actually attract more attention to your site.
- Controversy demands you defend your position. Translated, that means you gotta-know-your-stuff. I mean - if you take a stand that you know is going to garner some attention and opposition, you’d better know why you believe in the principles you’re espousing. If you suddenly back down and accommodate your opposition’s opinion, that could mean a loss of respect and a few readers. Know your position inside and out before you post it anywhere and your flag will stay planted.
- Controversy (successful ones) make you even more of a subject matter expert. You’re in business doing what you do because you’re an expert. There’s nothing like a little controversy to make you stand out even more. Case-In-Point: Remember Mark Furhman? He’s the L.A.P.D. Detective who was flayed alive on the witness stand by legendary trial attorney F. Lee Bailey during the O.J. Simpson trial in 1996 for his denial about making racist remarks about African-Americans. As this article explains, Furhman has not only become a regular ‘expert commentator’ for Fox News, but has also become a controversial author. What’s this show? Only that controversy attracts even more attention and supports your exptertise.
While I’m not urging you to purposely become controversial, if you write enough blog posts or articles about your subject area, you’re going to experience some opposition and, perhaps, your share of controversy. But like I said before, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. 
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
.jpg)
.png)
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment