I always welcome comments on my posts from vendors – after all they’re the ones with the in-depth domain knowledge about areas I’m writing about.

I can even live with a bit of a commercial bent to the comments – after all there is a reason the vendors spend their precious time writing comments, it’s only fair that they get to push their own message a little.

But when the commenting system gets subverted and becomes a complete public relations exercise it’s time to call the offending party out.

So today’s brickbat goes to Interprise and specifically Evolve Systems that distributes the Interprise product in Australasia. On two of my recent posts (here and here) they used the opportunity to comment on a SaaS accounting related post of mine. Unfortunately the opportunity to comment with a relevant and pithy observation was replaced with the pasting in of a glib press release pushing their product.

Guys – social media in general, and blogging in particular is a fantastic opportunity to capture the thoughts and needs of the community and to join them in a dialogue relevant to your business – when you use that opportunity however to shove marketing spin down their throats you immediately lose and “new paradigm” mojo you might have had.

Sorry, but that’s a fail…

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