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Grow Your Business With Social Networking!

By Marilyn Katz

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 21Mar2011
Word count: 545
Viewed: 536 time(s)

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How can your business grow by getting social? There is a new trend in the online world. New websites that actually allow the users to participate and connect with others are getting huge. These are called social networking sites.

When you think of social networking sites like Facebook or Myspace, you may imagine people trying to find dates or posting pictures of their dogs. However, beyond the personal connections, these websites have become a very productive place for marketers to get attention for business. This is true for global, national, and local business.

These sites are important because the provide an automated form of "word-of-mouth" advertising. I, myself, have visited restaurants or stores that my friends have "Liked" on Facebook. I have also avoided some places that got some negative exposure on a social site.

So, getting attention via social sites can be bad or good. You want to be sure you are doing your best to make sure your own online business is getting positive, and not negative, attention in the social media!

When I talk to local business people about social networking, they shake their heads and tell me they have no idea how to begin. It is actually fairly easy to get started, and you can do most of the work in your off hours when you do not have to attend to your physical business.

Consider this example of a good use of social networking. An old coworker of mine started an upscale thrift store in town. However, while that store was still getting constructed, she was online making sure she made connections with everybody she could think of. She also hoped that her connections would attract other connections.

At first, she just expressed excitement about her new business ventures. As the work progressed, she posted photos of her progress. She made us feel as if we were not just potential customers to her, but somehow part of the progress she was making. The feeling was similar to watching a baby being born.

When she was close to getting the doors open, she showed us pictures of her inventory and asked for comments. Then, when the doors did open, she had several dozen excited people lining up to share the experience with her. Of course, we all tried to pass on the news to as many friends as we could!

This is a great use of social marketing!

Sometimes social advertising can go wrong. Other business owners display great enthusiasm, but their posts just get annoying. Be wary of posting too often, and of making your posts too promotional. I have had friends tell me that they deleted connections because the posts just got annoying. They were too frequent or too promotional. These online marketing attempts generated the wrong kind of attention.

If you do not use social sites, your competitor is probably getting customers you could have. If you use social marketing the wrong way, you could be hurting your business. Take the time to study good and bad uses of these networks so you can reap the benefits of your efforts. Done right, you can enjoy a lot of positive attention with just a little effort and no investment

Is your website helping your business grow and thrive. We provide local SEO help so you can maximize your online efforts. Social networking can be a power tool if you use it right. Get started with social networking today!

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