The Financial Times this morning has a story that underscores the need to listen, engage and embrace bloggers as a force to be reckoned with.

Here's the takeaway from Scoble, who is quoted...

"If companies don't understand that and don't learn how to track what people are saying, they are going to be hit violently with PR problems that they don't understand or know where they are coming from," says Robert Scoble, a Microsoft employee who writes a popular tech blog.

..."It's the new world and you want to be part of the conversation," says Mr Scoble. Mr Masnick is quick to agree. "Companies that don't recognise this are going to get bitten," he says. It is a lesson that Verizon Wireless is learning the hard way.

This is part of what I will be discussing today at the iMedia Connection Brand Summit in Florida. I will post an article including my full Powerpoint later this week.

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