As a small business owner, you are constantly looking for that edge.
How can I make more networking connections? How can I make my products or service stand out from the competition? How can I get my name out there quickly, effectively and, most importantly, inexpensively?
Many of you already have discovered an answer that is no further from you than your computer, online social networking groups. Sites like MySpace, Friendster and Facebook brought the trend of social networking into the mainstream and industrious entrepreneurs like LinkedIn and ZeroDegrees applied the concept to the business world.
As is the case with many facets of the Internet and new technology, sometimes it is difficult to separate the reality from the hype when it comes to social networking for business purposes. Some have heralded the technology as the end of traditional networking, with an eye toward the day when rich content like video and audio will allow people to meet and converse over the Internet through various communication tools. Others believe social networking is merely another e-fad with little real value for small businesses.
While the question of how effective social networking is for a business may be debatable, the amount of expense and effort it takes to become a part of one of these groups is so minimal that it is certainly worth trying.
The first step is creating a profile for yourself and your business. That part is easy. Visit a site like www.linkedin.com and create an account. Then things get interesting.
You can join groups, invite associates and friends to link to you, make professional recommendations, send and receive messages, ask and answer professional questions, look for or recruit for jobs and more. Anyone with an eye toward effective networking can see that this kind of environment has tremendous potential.
Effective networking has always been about making and keeping relationships, and these kinds of sites can be an invaluable aid. I've personally found these sites effective in re-connecting with past co-workers and clients.
Once you have your account set up and your initial set of contacts entered, you can easily begin to expand your group of contacts. Some sites even allow you to scan your e-mail contact list for other members of the network.
These types of sites are a great complement to traditional networking events, like the ones hosted by our very own Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. Most of the sites are free and easy to use.
Social networking is just another marketing weapon in the arsenal of a savvy small business owner/promoter.
For more information, call Chris Hilliard at (760) 599-9255 or visit www.valuelogic.com.
How can I make more networking connections? How can I make my products or service stand out from the competition? How can I get my name out there quickly, effectively and, most importantly, inexpensively?
Many of you already have discovered an answer that is no further from you than your computer, online social networking groups. Sites like MySpace, Friendster and Facebook brought the trend of social networking into the mainstream and industrious entrepreneurs like LinkedIn and ZeroDegrees applied the concept to the business world.
As is the case with many facets of the Internet and new technology, sometimes it is difficult to separate the reality from the hype when it comes to social networking for business purposes. Some have heralded the technology as the end of traditional networking, with an eye toward the day when rich content like video and audio will allow people to meet and converse over the Internet through various communication tools. Others believe social networking is merely another e-fad with little real value for small businesses.
While the question of how effective social networking is for a business may be debatable, the amount of expense and effort it takes to become a part of one of these groups is so minimal that it is certainly worth trying.
The first step is creating a profile for yourself and your business. That part is easy. Visit a site like www.linkedin.com and create an account. Then things get interesting.
You can join groups, invite associates and friends to link to you, make professional recommendations, send and receive messages, ask and answer professional questions, look for or recruit for jobs and more. Anyone with an eye toward effective networking can see that this kind of environment has tremendous potential.
Effective networking has always been about making and keeping relationships, and these kinds of sites can be an invaluable aid. I've personally found these sites effective in re-connecting with past co-workers and clients.
Once you have your account set up and your initial set of contacts entered, you can easily begin to expand your group of contacts. Some sites even allow you to scan your e-mail contact list for other members of the network.
These types of sites are a great complement to traditional networking events, like the ones hosted by our very own Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. Most of the sites are free and easy to use.
Social networking is just another marketing weapon in the arsenal of a savvy small business owner/promoter.
For more information, call Chris Hilliard at (760) 599-9255 or visit www.valuelogic.com.