Investments in developing markets focus mostly on setting up new plants to increase capacity, marketing investments and expanding distribution networks.

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These companies are smart to get an early read on new technologies so that they test it and determine if it is scalable across their marketing networks.

FORBES: Connect

There was little incentive for them to work closely with other Schneider divisions on marketing or to develop new products designed to capitalize on the trend toward centrally controlled and monitored networks.

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This demonstrates how networks can create their own volume of social media activity that, in turn, becomes a new form of impression marketing.

FORBES: Old Media Must Deliver Digital Experiences Consumers Demand

With all the recent studies showing the growing potential of digital marketing channels such as mobile and various social media networks, it was somewhat refreshing to run across new research that shows good, old-fashioned Word of Mouth (WOM) is holding its own as an important tool to deliver marketing messages.

FORBES: Word of Mouth is Still a Valuable Marketing Tool