The Greatest Market Research Tool?

I am finding more insights in Tim Manners' Relevance: Making Stuff That Matters. Manners quotes Yahoo!'s Jeff Weiner when he writes " I'm amazed people don't get it yet...Never in the history of market research has there been a tool like [blogs]."

This triggered me to look at the evolution of communications between customers and brands. It has gone from letters, phone calls and emails to now blogs. The difference is with blogs, as well as other social media tools, the consumer does not just speak with the brand but to others who have a passion with the brand or the consumer. The ability to communicate with people that have similar interests gives the feedback extra authenticity. The transparency of the web allows the marketer to gain insight on how it's brand lives and breathes in the consumers world.

If done well and the brand has relevance to the audience, the blog allows for the brands fans to share experiences and the solutions that makes their life better. Why don't more B2B marketers use this technology?

Are We Pushing or Connecting?

I am currently reading Tim Manners' Relevance: Making Stuff That Matters. He writes that "...Patagonia's president of communications, once explained to me, the goal is not to advertise your stuff but to connect with your customers." Manners goes on to write about how Patagonia, the outdoor lifestyle brand, dedicates 50% of their catalog to non-selling space and fills it with customers' stories and the adventures they had.

This got me to reevaluate how often written communications (whether it be email, brochures or newsletters) are connecting with the audience's day-to-day needs vs. how much focus is placed on the products and services we provide.

Do you have a formula or strategy that strikes this balance?