June 2010

Magazine Features

Crumbling into Communities

Even as Facebook's membership nears the half-billion mark, your customers are splintering into thousands of other communities. Whether or not these groups are yours, you need to pay attention.

Crafting a Community

Companies can corral as many customers as they like, but any true community has to truly benefit its members—customers and companies alike.

Community Activism

Online roles and responsibilities

Marketing to a Community

Gathering your company's brand fanatics together is only the start. Now you have to mind your messaging.

Infiltrating the Community

When customers gather in social networks beyond the brand's control, the marketing effort has to adapt.

Employing a Community

How Zappos.com became a billion-dollar company—by delivering happiness, an exclusive excerpt from the new book by Zappos.com Chief Executive Officer Tony Hsieh.

Cutting the Community

Facing a difficult economic outlook, Zappos.com handled a critical cutback with astonishing transparency.

What You Are Is Who You Are

On January 3, 2009, Zappos.com Chief Executive Officer Tony Hsieh posted "Your Culture Is Your Brand," a now-famous message on the company's blog. We've included an excerpt of that blogpost here, but the original can be found at http:sn.im/hsieh/010309.

Front Office

Social CRM Is Growing Up Fast

Reality Check

Is Your Community of Customers Sustainable?

Eventually, you have to start buying your competitors' clients.

Customer Centricity

Postcards from the Edge

Just because you can engage with a community doesn't mean you have to.

The Tipping Point

Five More Community-Prep Steps

Sure, you've covered the basic guidelines—but you're not ready yet.

Scouting Report

Analyzing the Workforce

Analytics and on-demand offerings are changing the nature of workforce optimization.

Pint of View

Your Community Is Almost Entirely Mute

And yet communities are expected to reflect the people who show up—even the quiet ones.

Insight

Crashing the Community

Nestlé feels the crunch when its own social network turns from semi-sweet to dark.

What Is Going On Down There?

In the land of 'feminine-hygiene marketing,' a new campaign changes the way products are advertised.

Market Focus: Sports and Entertainment

Facing Off with Social Media: Two National Hockey League franchise have goals for Facebook and Twitter.

Required Reading: Measuring Your Social Marketing

In his new book, Social Media Metrics, Jim Sterne explains the right way to gauge your success.

CRM on Twitter: June 2010

REAL ROI

Learn Before You Leap

Leapfrog, a maker of educational products, gives its customers something to jump up and down about: an online community powered by Lithium Technologies.

A Community in Crisis

A specialist in real estate information offers answers amid a sea of foreclosures.

Secret of My Success

Wax On, Wax Off

A Communispace-built community helps Turtle Wax shine up relationships and burnish its brand.