Primark recently turned down the opportunity to create a presence on Facebook. (Thanks to InternetRetailing for the story). With a customer created 'fanbook' of almost 100k people the company realised there was no point in trying to compete. What is equally important is why bother? If your customers care enough about your company, service and products that they want to self organise and write about you what more could you want?

Certainly you should treat the 'fans' as you would any other important source of communication. Here is where most companies mess up. The PR department and their PR agency know how to deal with traditional media but what about 'online' social networks? Primark should engage with their Facebook based fans and treat them just like the important group they are. Invite the Facebook administrators along to media and company events. Ask them what, when and how information should be delivered to them so that the administrators can keep their 100k members looked after.

What should companies not do? Talk to customers in a patronising way or think they know best. For a great example of what NOT to do read Jeff Jarvis.