Companies are deeply afraid of their markets. By speaking in language that is distant, uninviting, arrogant, they build walls to keep markets at bay. Most marketing programs are based on the fear that the market might see what's really going on inside the company. Brand loyalty is the corporate version of going steady, but the breakup is inevitable and coming fast. Because they are networked, smart markets are able to renegotiate relationships with blinding speed.
Networked markets can change suppliers overnight.
Networked knowledge workers can change employers over lunch. Smart markets will find suppliers who speak their own language. Learning to speak with a human voice is not a parlor trick. To speak with a human voice, companies must share the concerns of their communities. But first, they must belong to a community.