We have a lot to do!
March 2014… Markus Lafrentz and I are sitting together for coffee in his office. That is behind us twist with VOX auto mobil, our discussions revolve around the usual topic. At some point, the sentence that will cause change.
“What NEVS delivers is not enough for me,” I say. The realization results from the experience of working with the Swedes, before and during the shoot. Without wanting to go into details, but from this point on, the “saabblog.net” project is on the test bench.
Saab & Volvo on the blog?
I like to write, but I'm bad at writing about things that could have been! I'm interested in the future, I'm curious and hungry for what's to come ... not for what might have been. The other Swedish brand is renewing its product range, an exciting story, it has what Saab doesn't have: new cars! The first idea was to write about Volvo in addition to Saab. Because both brands come from Västragötland, because there are more things in common than you might think. What could have been a good idea at first glance, was discovered after a consequence analysis (for the time being) discarded.
Among the winners of the idea would have been the Saab blog, which would have addressed a wider audience and had found its way out of the small Saab niche. Volvo Germany would have made me out of pure enthusiasm a brand new Volvo in front of the door (only a guess). Volvo would have been present in one fell swoop on a heavily frequented platform with several thousand readers, all potential new customers. That would have the corks pop in Cologne.
You do not play with blogs!
But if you look more closely, then the brand Saab would have been the weaker part and the loser in the medium term. The blog is a hobby for us, but not a toy. At the same time, it is an economic factor that must be managed with responsibility. Some dedicated Saab partners (why so few?) have recognized the opportunities and reach of the blog, they support us and repeatedly provide raw material for reporting.
For them, the proximity to the blog pays off. Their names are mentioned, they show presence as a company, which keep the brand flag in the wind. They stand behind the products, are committed to the customers and benefit from the cooperation. Their order books are better filled than those of their colleagues, the customers accept long journeys, the vehicles for sale have shorter service lives. The likelihood that the Volvo reports would dominate the blog in no time was high. Not a good idea !
The reader structure changes
While the Volvo idea wandered into storage, I was still looking for a solution, changed in recent months, the reader structure. Germany, Switzerland and Austria have always been on the squares 1 to 3. For more than three years, the Dutch claimed rank 4, followed by Little Luxembourg.
In the meantime, the Dutch have given their fourth place to readers from the USA and share fifth place with Swedes and the British, who will probably soon push our Dutch friends down to sixth or seventh place. For years, readers from the Anglo-Saxon language area were hardly relevant, and the Scandinavians hardly played a role either. Swedes and Norwegians are also on the rise, things are changing. You just have to look. For saabblog.net the future was clear because it is made by our readers.
The Saab Blog starts into a new era after 43 months! The blog will be bilingual in the coming days, more cosmopolitan, more Swedish. What a daring experiment and perhaps an imposition might be for the one or the other reader.
Saabblog.net in english.
The main language remains unchanged, the blog has its roots in the German-speaking world. English-language articles will appear regularly in the future, important “breaking news” will be published in both languages. The articles come from our new editorial office in Stockholm, and it closes a big gap.
A big wish of mine has always been to make the blog “Swedish”. Saab is Sweden, the philosophy of the brand is strongly influenced by its origin. Now we are bringing a substantial portion of Sweden to the blog with author Michèl Annink, moving a little more north - to Saab's home.
Michèl rides the first approved in Sweden Saab 9-5 NG sportswear, a Saab 9-4x, and other vehicles from Trollhättan are in his garage. He is a Saab fan with a big heart through and through. His reports, his Swedish view of things, which will be different from my southern German perspective, will enrich the blog. I look forward to the future!
With Yves in Switzerland, Michèl in Sweden, Mark and me, our team has now grown to 4 authors and one editor. In the future, the responsibility will be distributed over more shoulders, which is good. Should there ever be better times in Trollhättan, we will be closer than before.
Saabblog.net = pure Saab.
In the future, I hope there will be a little less "paperwork" and time for other things related to Saab and the blog.
We stay online, “pulling the plug” has never been a serious option, and we're also more Saab than ever. What comes in addition to bilingualism are new projects, including a closer collaboration with Orio Deutschland GmbH, which will shortly publish the new edition of “Saab Inside”.
In the future, we won't just write about Saab. We will give Saab young and old timers more presence. And also, no fun, giving away a real Saab. This is a topic for the coming winter and 2015, which will be an exciting story. Our promise to the readers and fans: ”Pure Saab” - nothing else comes on the blog!
Thanks and nice that you continue!
I recently met Michèl and his white 9-5 SC. Very nice person. And a really good confériecier. An asset to the blog.
Hello Tom, that's a great idea. Also in my environment there are many fans who speak English but not German, for which a new, very good and informed Saab news site appears.
I would not mind Volvo, it's currently my alternative until Saab produces again.
I would have come with the new topic VOLVO also clear and readers remained. Have had several VOLVOs and was extremely satisfied. The last one was a convertible. But SAAB is and remains a niche. A pity, but it is. Bilingualism is an excellent idea.
Wow, that's consistently SAAB.
And I am glad that it continues. The bow was well stretched.
Sounds good, I'm looking forward to the next years!
(By the way, I find Volvo hardly interesting)
Congratulations, Tom, with this good and only right decision.
Had also not remembered that it was the end 🙂
Welcome to Michel.
Binned.
Thank you - keep it up !!!!
SAAB and good news that is still there
Good luck for the extended blog with swedish and swiss Sochtweise
Grüezi Tom. Congratulations on your new goals and ideas. Keep the "Spirit of Saab". Even if Saab were to be built more, Saab is already a legend. We enjoy and care for our pearls. It's always fun to enjoy your story. Greets from Zurich.
So I would not mind if sometimes something is written about Volvo. These are also very beautiful and reliable cars and there are really many things in common with Saab.
Volvo really would not have fit to saab the v70 looks shit. My friend has one I showed him with my 9-5 ng and he asked me what my turbo 4 xwd aero 2 exhaust pipes need and his v5 doesn't even have 220 elk strengths but only 215 with my 260 deer strengths have him on the country road suspended at my home in schleswig.
Hello Tom.
As a Saab fan for 34 years, I would not have been that excited if the Saab blog became a Saab Volvo blog. Sure, Volvo also has good and some nice cars, but Saab is just Saab! In addition, there is already a Volvo Saab Koenigsegg blog (nordicwheels.de).
Saabige greetings!
Wolfgang (saab-archiv.de)
Hello Tom.
Puhhh ... I have to take a deep dive. Even with all this negative news about NEVs, I feared the worst, or rather something moderately bad!
But as! Wonderful. This is how a week has to start!
Hopefully I'll get my 9-3SC back from the workshop today and it will run smoothly again ...
Thank you again Tom and Mark for the previous work on your hobby, in which we all participate.
Also all the best for the new extended team of the SAAB blog!
Thanks and ToiToiToi
Andre
OK then! Thank you!
... and it lives, the SAAB energy.
with a slight melancholy, as no flight from the ashes is in sight.
However, I have it, I feel it, and every time it rises a little bit from the bottom ashes with joyful energy to “start” the day.
To create and maintain an economically successful business field in the long term, so many circumstances have to interact positively with one another….
My SC XWD is well supplied with me, for service in Freilassing / Ainring, also in Bad Tölz my Aero is well looked after.
Greetings from Salzburg
That's really great news! I'm looking forward to the blogging future!
I'm relieved. First, that this Saab blog continues to exist under the excellent leadership.
And after reading the other, that Volvo is first left out. Otherwise I would probably have written the fingers sore, what you would have to do in Volvo, or at least m () a V70 not everything better. This will be spared me now. Have more time to enjoy our 9-3SC.
Thanks to the team!
Breaking News! Wonderful, let the Saab Greif continue to blow in the wind!
Great news, I'm looking forward to it!
Thanks, I think the idea of bilingualism is excellent and I'm looking forward to many contributions. Especially in the sister forum there are always interesting news from the USA. And while the creators there but slowly move to another brand, your Saab remains. I think that's TOP!
It's a pleasure to see you stay so innovative! Since the brand from Trollhättan could look a great deal! Keep up the good work, I'm looking forward to the changes!
I really enjoyed reading “Pure Saab”, dear Tom!
I think many of us are not yet ready to switch to another Swedish or another brand.
Our Saabs are no longer the youngest, but both drive on without any problems ... so don't rush!
You and the co-authors have fun writing and we are all looking forward to your contributions!
Hello Tom (& Co.)!
Just come back from vacation and just read the latest news from the blog.
Great news is what you spread! I am looking forward to more exciting information about SAAB and I am particularly pleased that the blog is being expanded so competently. Can only be good, or get even better! 🙂 THIS is the news we fans are waiting for! Positive forward!
But you've been waiting for us, Tom!
But in the end: "All's well that ends well!"
Yes, for a change it was tension with a positive result
Great, great news!