Be Social.

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jan2009/sb20090116_666697_page_2.htm

"Why Social Media Is Worth Small Business Owners' Time"

-by Steve McKee

from The Wall Street Journal



Steve McKee writes this article for small business owners, understanding their position, but attempting to convince them that social media could be very helpful in their businesses. He states that he understands that this type of advertising or business practice is intimidating to many, but recommends that small business owners take the time to get their feet wet in these areas. Due to the increasing popularity of networking tools such as Facebook and LinkedIn, social media is becoming a huge opportunity, and one that is too big to miss. He says that while they can be scary at first, once users get the hang of them, they can be fun and rewarding. While many people were first confused and intimidated by web sites, too, he sees these forms of social media continuing to take off and thrive. McKee encourages small business owners to take on one new networking site a month, and guarantees that it will help business and contacts, stating that by the end of the year, the businesses that utilize this tactic can be ahead of their competition by 90%.

It seems odd to me how quickly things are evolving. I just learned of LinkedIn in the fall, and now I feel as though I hear about it everywhere. I look at those who don't know what it is and think "Where have you BEEN?", yet I learned of it in October. I can also recall when I had no idea what facebook was. When I heard the term the summer before I came to college I thought the concept was absurd. So did everyone else who never had it. My sister told me she remembers "vowing" to never get facebook. That didn't last long once its popularity struck. Now, as it has become a household term and its fame seems limitless, it only seems intelligent to use it as a business, marketing, and networking tool. Why didn't we think of this before? Seeing all the technologies evolve seems, at times, overwhelming, and I can't imagine what it must feel like for businesses.