Business professionals today face challenges that just did not exist centuries ago. In a world of tough competition and ever-changing trends, to be successful and effective in business, you must constantly strive to stay one step ahead of your competitors, and be on the lookout for new ways to get noticed. Social networking has emerged as one of the latest trends in business today, and utilizing the social media for sales, marketing, and recruiting can drive your business and help it flourish.Online social networks are becoming critical business tools, and with this technology at your fingertips, you must take advantage of the opportunity, and let the social media take some of the guesswork out of your business strategies. Communication has been defined as the exchange of information between individuals, and in this day and age, communication can be expressed in a variety of platforms.Many years ago, writing letters and making phone calls were the simplest, and most often utilized forms of communication, but times haves have certainly changed.
Now we are in an era in which modern technology is part of everyday life, and to communicate effectively and efficiently with friends, family, neighbors, and business associates, we must be technologically minded, business-savvy individuals and learn how to make technology work for us. All across the globe, owners, investors, managers, and employees are constantly searching for ways to improve.Desired improvements are often in areas such as sales, customer service, gaining new clients, and earning more profit. And although there will never be just one simple solution that is right for every business or organization, there are a variety of tools available to help virtually any business succeed in this digital world.
New technology platforms that have emerged in recent years have brought a new dynamic to the business world, and today, social networking is changing the landscape of business.Social networking, to many people, does not have a place in the world of business, but if we look at social networks from a new perspective, it becomes clear that this platform has a future in business, and if utilized to its full potential, social networks can revolutionize business, as we know it. As reported by Shih (2010), in The Facebook Era, “more than 750 million people around the world are on social networking sites,” where they seemingly spend more than 20 billion minutes a day.With so many people spending time on social networking sites, it only seems logical that these sites might be used as a stage for marketing, sales, employment prospects, and making business contacts, just to name a few possibilities. With so many choices for social networking platforms, it is important to know what the social web is all about, what different sites are out there and how they differ from one another.
Chief among the popular social networking sites are Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.Each of these sites is utilized for different reasons, and to best use them to your advantage in business, you should be aware of the differences. Facebook, according to Shih (2010) and many of her sources, “is the largest social networking site globally by an order of magnitude,” and “recently even beat out Google in becoming the most trafficked site on the Internet. ” With that said, it should be obvious that there is tremendous business potential for marketing, advertisement, and sales on sites such as Facebook.
Besides Facebook, LinkedIn is also a very popular site; “used by more than 95% of white-collar employers in the United States, LinkedIn is by far the most established professionally oriented network. ” (Shih, 2010) However, before you decide which social network is best suited to the needs of your business, you should first think about your target audience. Although many people may make the assumption that Facebook is for teenagers and college students, Shih (2010) reported that more than 60% of Facebook users are over the age of 25, and the fastest-growing audience on Facebook is women who are over the age of 55.In the same token, “LinkedIn has more than 50 million business professionals among its membership across 150 different industries,” and has been advertised as the ideal site for recruiting, posting jobs, and making contacts. (Shih, 2010) So, before you make your decision about which platform is right for your business, you should recognize that people of all ages use social networking sites for communication, news, and of course, networking, and no matter which route you decide to take, you can be sure that your properly placed advertisements and sales pitches will be seen.Social networking may very well be the answer to your business needs, whether they include marketing, sales, recruiting, or customer service and support, but to be effective in your ventures, you must first have a clear goal in mind of what you wish to accomplish.
Many companies and organizations have begun using social networking sites to advertise and promote sales. Utilizing a tool such as Facebook to promote your business can be much easier than doing so in person, and you will also reach a much larger audience than you ever could hope to meet face-to-face.Facebook also has tools available to help you market your product or service to target a desired group of people, in a certain location, or in a particular age group. (Clapperton, 2009) Essentially, Facebook is helping to take the guesswork out of sales. Additionally, if you are able to successfully gain customers through this platform, those potentially satisfied customers are likely to use the same platform to boast about your company, or product, or service, thus driving even more business your way.
Besides sales and marketing, social networks have become a popular source for recruiting.Most people with profiles on Facebook or LinkedIn will specify what company they work for, past experience, and skills, and these factors combined will make recruiting candidates for employment easier than you ever thought possible. Online social networking for business is still a relatively new concept to many people, but to stay connected, and maintain or develop success, keeping up with the latest trends in business is fundamental. We must evolve our business strategies, relationships, and interactions to account for a social network.
