It seems strange that word of mouth and technology are mentioned in the same sentence. Maybe it should be renamed word of finger? (Not very catchy) But strange as it seems, in today's lifestyle, most of our daily communication happens on-line. That being said, it is important to note, that even though we use technology to communicate and may be a member of several on-line social networks, it's about connections.

People, who are connected to others, be it on-line or offline, share their likes, dislikes, concerns, and points of view with others they feel connected to. When people have interests in common, they will talk about those interests with others on-line or during a night out. If brands want to be a part of that conversation, they need to insert their voice into a conversation both on-line and off.

Technologies that encourage conversation are abundant, most are FREE! Sooner or later all brands will need to figure out how to leverage these technologies, become part of the conversation on-line, allows the community to influence that brand or face extinction (a little dramatic-but you get the point)

Check out ooVoo a video conferencing tool, usable with anyone WORLDWIDE, for zilch. Imagine being able to discuss things not just through a blog, but visually. The conversation can of course continue offline and for further comment on-line. Technology=Connections