Small Business Marketing Kit For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Benefiting from Social Media Activity

Marketers used to have debates about whether to get involved with social media. Those days are gone.

Research by Social Media Examiner (www.socialmediaexaminer.com ), the world’s largest social media online magazine, shows that nine out of ten marketers now consider social media important for generating business exposure, and that more than two out of three marketers want to know more — particularly about Facebook and blogging. Here are some other facts about social media to get you going:

It doesn’t cost much. Doing it well takes an effort, but most small businesses invest next to no money and handle social media interactions without additional staff or services.

It’s not an all-or-nothing proposition. You don’t have to start everywhere. Figure out which networks the people you want to build relationships with use and start there. You can always expand to other networks down the road.

It addresses a long-standing marketing need. For as long as people have sold goods and built reputations, they’ve sought ways to talk with those who can affect their success. It’s what made rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, business lunch places, and industry ...