Riding around my suburban neighborhood this summer, I will occasionally see an enterprising youngster set up on the sidewalk selling fresh lemonade in the afternoon sun. It gets me thinking about how challenging and satisfying it is to take an adverse situation and turn it into a positive – particularly in the world of business. Wouldn’t it be great to take negative chatter about your brand and convert it into something that promotes it? Well, Frank Eliason from @comcastcares has done just that by “socializing” customer service. By embracing Twitter and using the micro-blogging service Frank and his team respond to customer problems and issues in a timely and efficient manner. The result has been amazing - what could have been a legion of frustrated customers is now just the opposite – Comcast brand advocates. Many have sat up and taken notice, including BusinessWeek, which has called him “the most famous customer service manager in the U.S., possible the world.”

That’s why I’m really excited to announce that Frank has agreed to lead the PMN’s next webinar on October 21, 2009. In this interactive session, Frank will share his thoughts on the importance of listening and participating with customers and how you too can leverage interactive tools like Twitter to converse and ultimately convert customers into brand advocates. The addition of Frank to the impressive line up of PMN speakers -- including Charlene Li, Ron Shevlin, Steve Rubel and Dave Evans -- continues our mission to provide marketer with the very best know-how necessary to start marketing with customers rather than at them. We hope to see you at the Webinar and for those of you wanting to learn more about how to leverage the power of Twitter for your business check out TWTRCON DC the following day, October 22, 2009 where dozens of other leading brands will be sharing their thoughts, advice and stories.

To register for the PMN webinar on October 21, 2009 featuring Frank Eliason from @comcastcares click here. To register for TWTRCON DC Early Adopter pass, just $395 on October 22, 2009 click here. Til Next Time.