The Social Customer Manifesto Joins The Corante Marketing Hub

A big post-Thanksgiving "thank you" and immense kudos to the folks at Corante who today launched the Corante Marketing Hub, which includes the Social Customer Manifesto and nearly two dozen other blogs concentrating on "the best writing and thinking on marketing across the blogosphere and beyond."

I'm proud, honored and humbled to be associated with this group. Here are some of the best-of-the-best from the network:

• Renee Hopkins Callahan, our fearless editor, takes on innovation in the grocery store.

• Elizabeth Albrycht on blogs as foundational tools for network building.

• Tom Asacker opines brilliantly on why it's much better to be "loved or hated" versus trying to please everybody (and invokes the inimitable Bertrand Russell in the process).

• Toby Bloomberg with sage words: "No longer does an organization control the marketing message."

• Bruce Fryer tells Sony that "treating your customers like sheep is not a good policy" with respect to Sony's rootkit fiasco.

• Susan Getgood relates her best and worst customer service experiences in recent memory.

• Neville Hobson shares his thoughts on the importance of trust in online purchasing.

• Shel Holtz reminds us that it's not just customers who blog about their experiences with an organization, but ex-employees do as well.

• Lois Kelly comments that a big part of "markets are conversations" revolves around friendliness.

• Andrew Lark on transparency.

• Mike Manuel on CNet's special report on the social web.

• Grant McCracken nails it when he says "it's no longer 'if you build it, they will come but 'if they build it, they will come.'"
  

• Michele Miller shows how you can lose a sale in two words.

• John Moore of Brand Autopsy reminds us of the big picture with respect to blogs and RSS.

• Johnnie Moore ponders on what would happen if financial services were interesting.

• Jennifer Rice on the difference between theory and practice, via an analogy between customers and the ocean: "Talking to customers is a very basic starting point, and I'm always astonished when I find that businesses have never tried it. They're sitting in their offices staring at a picture of the ocean on their screensavers, thinking they understand it. At least get your ass over to the water and dip in your toe."

• Evelyn Rodriguez runs with a similar notion on the adventure of understanding your customers.

• Mary Schmidt on collaboration vs. competition.

• John Winsor on the importance of being proactive.

and last, but not least...

• David Wolfe says we recharge differently as we go through different life stages.

This group rocks. Subscribed!