In my last blog post, Messengers of Trust: Part I, I stated that all products, services, and messages are created by people and that customers have an innate ability to interpret the intentions of the (often unseen) people behind the products, services and messages they are evaluating. As companies evolve, my argument is that the enlightened ones will enable their people with the tools to build direct, real-time relationships with web-based customers through customer engagement because there is no better messenger of trust than an authentic, well intentioned human being. Trust is perception. MORE >>

What is that sets brands like Apple, Nordstrom and Nike apart from their competitors? It isn’t “customer satisfaction.” ” Lots of technology vendors, retailers, clothing makers and other types of companies have satisfied customers. What sets these brands, and outstanding performers in other industries, apart from their peers is reaching a level beyond mere satisfaction (which customers now expect): customer connection. We ‘expect’ to be satisfied.” ” Across industries, customer connection now drives increased brand loyalty, sales and referrals. MORE >>

Search engines, company websites, directories and social bookmarking sites are great for finding things. They help you find products, prices, related websites and other information. About the only thing they don’t help you find is people—the right people to talk to when you have questions about a product or service. Corporate websites particularly seem designed to prevent real, and real-time, human contact. Asynchronous communication has its place, but what about when you want to talk to someone now ? Who are they? Where are they? What’s their background? It can be done. MORE >>

GUEST POST. Social media networks were supposed to be the promised land for small businesses. They were supposed to be the great equalizer, the marketing tools that finally gave start-ups the same exposure as the industry leaders. But if that’s the case, why does your company still only have eight friends on Facebook? Running a successful social media strategy isn’t as easy as many small business owners think it will be. While thousands of businesses struggle to establish a presence online, they all tend to have trouble with the same four issues. 1) Stop trying to build Rome. Never. MORE >>

I remember the late 1980's Internet (pre-browser days) when I would connect via the telelphone line in my home with a Hayes Smartmodem. Back then your only choice for "social networking" was IRC, it was text-only and you would like. Other than my handle, I was basically incognito. Over the last twenty-something plus years the World Wide Web has blossomed into this marvelous tool where first the world's information became organized and searchable, then the people. Who could have imagined that a single website called Facebook would become a digital playground for 900 million active monthly users? MORE >>