Putting the “Social” Back in Social Networking (HBR)

Extracted 30AUG2011 from http://hbr.org/2010/10/the-globe-how-french-innovators-are-putting-the-social....TlzUG-UfgSs.facebook

As many businesses begin to spend serious money to develop a social networking strategy, the approach some French companies are taking is refreshingly counterintuitive: They drive revenue by engaging deeply with fewer people, not more... They have figured out that while technology is changing consumer behavior, it’s the relationships that matter—and sometimes, the best interactions still take place offline...

In the same way that traditional retailers came to realize the multiplying power of having both brick-and-mortar stores and a robust e-commerce website, smart companies realize that the best way to listen to customers is to use a combination of high-tech and low-tech methods...

Whether they deal with physical goods or with digital products, more companies are becoming aware that suppliers are customers...

[see also http://tinyurl.com/3t945yw]