Start on the Inside

One thing that Chuck Hollis' white paper mentioned was that EMC started inside the four walls of their business with social networking. He validates what has always seemed prudent to me.

Engaging customers through social networking will require experience, patience, and a cultural change that enables openness. Overcoming fear borne out of clinging to a "controlled message" pardigm from the past may be daunting for some. But I believe that fear will subside as experience will show that open, direct communication will engage and endear customers.