| Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are | | | | Maybe you're a real estate agent. If a homeowner |
| useful networking tools. But how can business owners | | | | contacts you through your personal Web site, you can |
| use these sites to build and grow business? It just | | | | then look that contact up on Facebook. If the |
| requires some out-of-the-box thinking. | | | | homeowner is on the site, you can give that person |
| The micro-blogging service Twitter is growing at an | | | | "friend" status and then attempt to learn as much as |
| amazing rate. eMarketer estimates that the number of | | | | possible about him or her. Sometimes, this information |
| people using Twitter will jump to an incredible 18.1 million | | | | can help the real estate agent turn that potential |
| in 2010. This would mean that 10.8 percent of Internet | | | | customer into an actual customer. |
| users will be on the site. | | | | Maybe the potential client will have left a direct |
| At the same time, more than 100 million users log on to | | | | message complaining about the lack of closet space in |
| Facebook at least once a day, according to | | | | her current home. The agent then knows that this |
| eMarketer. | | | | client's new home must come with first-floor closets |
| But how many of these people are actually using | | | | as well as bedroom ones. The agent now has |
| these social networking sites to build business and add | | | | valuable information to better serve this potential new |
| customers? There's no statistic available for that, but | | | | customer. |
| it'd certainly be far lower than the roughly 6 million | | | | If you own a restaurant, you can send short |
| Twitter users that eMarketer says existed in 2008. | | | | messages to your contacts at Twitter to tell them |
| The vast majority of the users of any social media | | | | about expanded hours or new menu items. Maybe |
| site rely on the services to keep in touch with friends, | | | | you're a financial planner. You can send your clients |
| family members and distant acquaintances. But there | | | | quick congratulations on their birthdays. Facebook, |
| are ways for business people to use sites such as | | | | after all, can notify you when your contacts are |
| these to boost their existing business and make more | | | | celebrating a milestone. |
| money. | | | | It is possible to use social networking sites like these to |
| Business people just have to use these services in a | | | | boost business. Users just have to be willing to use the |
| more creative way. | | | | sites to better serve existing customers and leads. |
| For instance, business owners might use social media | | | | Trying to find new customers through them may end |
| sites to learn more about the customers they already | | | | up being a waste of time. |
| have. They can then serve them better. | | | | |