Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

Social Networking A great resource or simply a waste of time

Social Networking A great resource or simply a waste of time

It seems at every turn we are hearing about the “latest and greatest” place to network and build market reach on the Internet. Regardless of the size of your business, there are likely things you could be doing to increase your market reach, but knowing which is the best for your particular needs can be a daunting task.

Although some online methods are incredibly powerful, effective and necessary, others can be a complete waste of time and fall into the category of yet “just another passing fad.”

Something that has been around for a while, but as of late is getting much more “water cooler” attention is social networking. The term social networking was first coined by JA Barnes in 1954 to describe formations of various communities and organizations. In the early fifties the term had nothing to do with the Internet, but rather communities of people who would benefit from knowing one another.

The term is now most frequently connected to online communities of people who connect by way of places such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Ryze, StartUp.Biz, Twitter, and other such names.

The early adopters of social networks as we know them today were college students and young people who grew up on technology. Many professionals still view social networks as communities that have nothing to do with them. The fact is, more every day small, midsize and large corporations are finding value in utilizing the power and profit that comes from this powerhouse method of marketing.

Although corporations and smaller businesses haven't embraced online business networks with nearly the same enthusiasm as teens and college students who have using social networks for years, more companies are steadily overcoming reservations and using them to build potentially powerful relationships and business tools.

The fact is, when used correctly social networks can actually lower the cost of doing business. When you tap into the right social network for your goals and objectives you are able to more quickly reach your target market.

Other benefits include using social networks as a great tool for building credibility and trust with your current and potential clients and customers.

We are moving from a predominantly technology driven age to the age of recommendation. What this means is that more and more business is built based on referrals and recommendations.

Consider this. Each person you are able to connect with has a market reach of their own, often in the thousands, tens of thousands and in some cases, hundreds of thousands of people who likely have similar interests and needs. This is like networking on steroids; one person has the capability of introducing your products and services to thousands of people with the press of a button.

By the same token, they have the power to tell their network about things they don’t like about a company with the press of a button.

This is why now, more than ever, ethical business practices are so essential to a businesses ability to thrive.

Many large corporations are only just discovering that social networks are actually an excellent avenue to do targeted marketing and sales. The reason being is there are social networks for just about any interest group.

One of the greatest, yet most underutilized aspects of social networking is the ability to feed the postings that are done on one platform into another. For example, many smart marketers are using blogging as a part of their overall online position. When a new post is added to your blog, you can literally feed that post into other locations such as the social networks you belong to.

As powerful as social networks can be, it is easy to get carried away with all the excitement around them. What could be a very effective tool in your overall marketing can quickly turn into a technology nightmare and complete waste of time.

For micro and small companies it is recommended to limit the amount of time you spend posting on social networks. For larger companies consider having a department that handles this aspect of your marketing and public relations. Have measures in place in order to know if you are getting a good ROI from the time, money and effort used in this arena.

The fact remains; millions of web users, both in the B2C and B2B arena are using social networks. Additionally, many journalists are using social networks to gather information for timely stories. If it’s good enough for them, don’t you think it at least warrants some investigation as to what the benefits to your company are?





Social Networking A great resource or simply a waste of time - To learn more about this author, visit Kathleen Gage's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback
Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website

Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website

John Alexander
John has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center.
I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website

John Power
John Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website

David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

Linda Richardson
Linda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

About The Author


Kathleen Gage
(Visit Kathleen's Website) Kathleen Gage is an Internet Marketing Advisor for spiritually minded speakers, authors, coaches and consultants who are ready to turn their expertise into money making products and services. She teaches her clients how to optimize their time and efforts to produce the greatest results while remaining in complete integrity with their purpose and values.

Kathleen Gage is a Platinum author on EvanCarmichael.com
About The Author

View Author Blog
View Author Blog

View Author Video
View Author Video

Free Downloads


Kathleen Gage's

Complete
List Of
Marketing
Articles

Name
Email
If you enjoyed this article, get Kathleen Gage's Complete List of Marketing Articles For FREE!

More Kathleen Gage
Social Networks are they for you
The Only Option is to Succeed
The quiet voice speaks loudly when you listen
A Life Can Be Changed by a Few Simple Words
Dont put me on your mailing list
Is Becoming an Amazoncom Bestseller Worth Anything
Most online job and business opportunities are bogus
Confessions of a Facebook Reject
Recession proof your business with teleseminars
Internet Marketing Who can you trust
Free Downloads

Referred by: http://www.sandcconsulting.com



 
 
 


Evan Elite Authors
John Alexander  
John Brennan  
John Power  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video

Business Opportunities
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"

How to Start An Online Business

Click Here To Learn More
Business Opportunities



Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Business / Personal Plan Icon Business / Personal Plan
Factual Icon Factual
Trainning Template Icon Trainning Template
Manage, Click, Learn. 2009 Icon Manage, Click, Learn. 2009
Pulse Check Assessment Icon Pulse Check Assessment
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top Marketing Blogs of 2010
 
The Top 10 Guy Kawasaki Posts - Best Posts for Entrepreneurs
The Top 10 Guy Kawasaki Posts
Best Posts for Entrepreneurs
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Sabine Diatta Thiékène; Thiès, Senegal,
Sabine Diatta
Thiékène; Thiès, Senegal
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Adam and Matthew Toren , $200k to $3.4 Mil in 3 Years
Adam and Matthew Toren
$200k to $3.4 Mil in 3 Years
Lisa Shepherd, $335k to $1.1 Mil in 2 years
Lisa Shepherd
$335k to $1.1 Mil in 2 years
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Coco Chanel, Chanel Inc.
Coco Chanel
Chanel Inc.
Terry Matthews, Mitel
Famous Entrepreneurs - Complete List

Entrepreneur Advice
Paul Kedrosky, Venture Capitalist
Paul Kedrosky
Venture Capitalist
Guy Kawasaki, The Art of the Start
Guy Kawasaki
The Art of the Start
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     The Benefit of Hope
By Paul Donehue
     Closing the Sale: Assume the Close, But Never the Reason
By Paul Donehue
     What Are You (Really) Selling?
By Paul Donehue

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information