Forrester reports on their latest B2B marketing teleconference which highlighted that a large percentage of marketers are holding fire with actively participating in social media as they are unsure of the value.

Having said that just over 1/3rd say they are using blogs, podcasts and other 'Web 2.0' type tools. The details are shown below:

The Forester blog site for the forthcoming book 'Groundswell: Winning in a world transformed by social technologies' they have access to a very interesting technographics tool which shows different European countries adoption of the 'Ladder'

I posted last year about Lego's strategy of engaging with its customers and using beta programmes for feedback. Here is a great update (thanks to Charlene Li of Forrester Research).

Notice how company counter-culture and 'wisdom of the crowds' is now paying big dividends.

The message is simple. Use the size and interconnectiveness of the internet to get a 'buzz' going by engaging in conversations. What is great news is you do not need the budgets or global brand of a Coke or MacDonalds to participate. Look at the most watched video of all time - Star Wars Kid - estimated by some to have been seen by over 700m people. Made as a personal video, uploaded and them 'mashed-up' hundreds of times until it became a cult.

Forrester Research recently held its Consumer Forum 2007 in the USA.

They have posted video extracts of some of the presenters. Well worth watching to listen to explanations from companies like Playboy Enterprises, MTV and Edelman PR.

The message is companies have to consider consumer engagement or conversation marketing. With social networking increasing in scope and importance the old 'command and control' marketing mantra needs to be replaced by 'let go and participate'. It is scary. It can be rough. But it can be rewarding. Ask Dell, GM and Lego.

When working with clients it is always good to have some 'best practice' examples, our own, and other peoples. Forrester have just announced their Groundswell Awards for the use the social media as a communication tool.

Great post by Forrester Research on the rumoured value of Facebook. A silly amount? At first sight maybe but not if you look at how transactional data underpins that valuation it starts to make sense.

Sony Electronics are starting to blog. The blog is by their Head of Corporate Communications in the USA, Rick Clancy.

Thanks to Josh Bernoff at Forrester Research for the heads-up.

I have never met the Sony blogs author Rick Clancy personally but having spent part of my career in Corporate Communications (the job Rick has) I know all the potential pit-falls.

His first post has already had 18 comments. Here is one that captures the value of blogging to a company...

       July 17, 2007 1:47pm | Posted by: Stan M.

Wow! Finally! I am glad that you guys decided to come up with a blog that will
have a 2 way street: Sony - Consumer. This is something Sony should have
started a long time ago as consumer feedback can progress the company and
better it in many ways (I am not saying that you do not listen to us at all
though). Hopefully this place will become a great resource to share comments
and get some insights. Looking forward to reading and posting!
Stan M.
Very Loyal Sony Customer/Enthusiast
P.S. hey if you need an extra moderator, I am up for it! =)

See how a customer welcomes the opportunity to get into conversation with the manufacturer. No reseller or distributor to filter it. In the case of this customer see how they are actually offering to help Sony at no charge.

I am sure Rick and Sony will get a few ‘brick bats’ but with customers like Stan act as unpaid and impartial evangelists and influencers to their own personal network of contacts they will be even more successful.