Small Business and social networking. Something that wasn’t taught much in the past, but something crucial to the success of the small business owner. I think that in other articles we’ve addressed what social networking is, so I won’t be over redundant in this article. However I want to bring a small business perspective into social networking. Small businesses are usually businesses that have either not been around a long time, or do not provide a great amount of service or products. Now the goal of every small business owner, well what should be the goal of every small business owner is to grow into a larger businesses. Now to grow into a large businesses what do you need ? The main thing you will need is capital, but how is capital obtained? Through either loans or the sale of services, most of the time its via the sale of services.

So how does one increase his sales to the point of where he can make enough to grow? The answer can be summed up in one word, and that one word is simply marketing. Marketing is how people succeed in this world we call businesses. It’s getting your name out there, and getting it out enough that customers consider you when deciding to make a purchase of an item or service that you provide. Now marketing also helps those who are looking for loans as you get your name out there and more customers the bank feels more confident in you to lend you their money.

So, marketing is the key, and one of those keys is social networking. I’m a small business owner myself, yet by socially networking in the right places and learning the right spots I was able to step in and get things going in places that I would never imagine being able to do so. Social networking has done so much for me, it has brought me business, which has turned into cash. Cash I have on hand now to grow my business and expand. Social networking has brought me contacts. Businesses sometimes need things. Whether the things you need is inventory, services, and other things the fact is you need them. Social networking has brought me to people who offer different services and even products I never imagined selling.

So now that I’ve explained how crucial it is to network, lets learn how to get out there. The first way I would suggest is face to face. Go to some chamber of commerce functions, go to business parties and functions. Have a stack of business cards on you so you can show people have to get back in touch with you. The next thing I would do after getting out thee physically is getting online. There are many different places you can go online where you can network. MySpace even though it seems for personal stuff it’s still a place you can go. Digital point, Digg, and other places are great places to socially connect and network. So get out there and expand your business! See you out there!

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Social Networking is such a huge thing these days. In person, on the internet, and now you can carry it with you. That’s right, on your phone. You now have the ability to network while say on the bus, on the job (though its trouble if your boss catches you.), you have the ability to network wherever and whenever. Think I’m lying? Fifty million people this year around the globe will be getting into social networking via the phone. By the time we get to 2011 its going to be up to one hindered and seventy four million people.

What are the reasons for this increase? Well one of the factors in this increase is the fact that now more than ever people have access to the broadband web. Fifteen years ago it was barely heard of to have a slow mo dial up connection. Now I don’t hardly know anyone myself who has anything less than DSL, with cable being the average and the super geek running with T1 lines. The fact that you can now have internet on your cell phone is also a big factor into why people are interacting via social networks through the phone.

Take for instance the company Helio. It’s a small up and coming cell phone which boasts some of the best phones in the business. Not only that they have some awesome services and an awesome web browser. In fact this web browser says it’s so fast that sometimes It beats your home networks connection. Now look at what they provide on their phones, you can access MySpace directly. Imagine that. Directly you can access MySpace, say your in the club hanging out with some of your fave friends and you want to advertise this online or make photos easier for them to get, well MySpace on Helio is to the rescue. You take the picture with that six megapixel phone and then you can upload it directly to MySpace and put it on your profile all in the club.

Looking at other companies they are not behind on this craze either. A lot of people may have heard of a company that’s getting bigger and bigger called cricket communications. Cricket phones are so big because of the fact that you can call and talk and text all day cheaper than the other services. You can do it unlimitedly and it doesn’t require any credit checks to get with them either. And so while they may not be Helio, they offer the net to their customers as well. Look at what they have… MySpace mobile, m3 communities, ad much much more. Even on a phone service that’s been touted as being cheap there are people that can connect to the webs mobile communities.

This is the future of networking. Imagine networking on the phone and web at the same time your networking in person, this is an amazing ability! So look forward to the new era of networking, it’s in the palm of your hand.

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Digg.com a company and website that was founded three years by two technopiles is expanding into a social network environment. Now on Digg people that share the same type of interests will be able to network and get together. More and more sites are moving toward this direction as time progresses. The success of sites such as facebook or MySpace has created a need and a vacuum for this industry. Digg users will be able to not only speak to the user that share same interests but send shout’s out, or news articles to other users who have the same interests selected.

How is this to come to past? By the end of October dig will be launching its photo only section. This section will allow likeminded users to be able to post things to certain areas of the website. These pictures would be available only to users of the same interest group. Most of the other change that are to come out will happen by year’s end. Some other exciting features that are coming to digg is the ability for people to chat with other people of same interests and “friends.’ Message boards are the next biggest thing that is coming to dig, message boards will act like a ‘wall’ where people can send messages back and forth to one another.

The next newest thing to come to dig is the introduction of profile pages. Profile pages will become a huge thing on digg as digg places a higher emphasis on those pages. Now I don’t believe that digg will go the MySpace route, MySpace is more for personal socializing though it can serve many many different business purposes if it wishes to do so. However digg is especially focused towards techies so this will be an all new level of profiling. Expect to see flash, expect to see some html and other advanced coding languages as people begin using their skills to show off to other technopiles.

The other major thing that’s happening on Digg is the advertisement deal that was just signed. Microsoft will be the sole advertiser on the site now. Now I’d hate to have to guess how much cash digg just made by putting Microsoft on as its sole advertiser, but I’m not sure what that will do with the site. I mean, c’mon how many products does Microsoft have? How many products do they make? There’s only so much Microsoft that a man can see. And only so much Microsoft that a man can deal with, however it will be interesting to see what directions the ads go and how this contract is put to past.

So, social networkers! You now have a new site to go to, especially if you’re a techie. Looking forward to the features that were released on September 19th, the features coming in October and the features coming at the end of the year. Social networking will be a great activity on digg, so what are you waiting for, sign up today!!!

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Answer me this question, does Social Networks have any real value? I believe that they do. I believe that they have huge value. Social networking is simply too powerful to ignore in our day. It’s done more than ever, and is a key to success in many situations. In another article I wrote about how this was the past and I will recap in this one. Social Networking has been around since the days of cavemen. From those very day people have gotten together in social settings to further push their business agendas. The days of social network and exclusive clubs go way back. Take Skull and Bones, a prestigious Yale University secret society. It’s been around since the eighteen hundreds, does that network have real value? Ask George Bush Sr. or George W. Bush if this has value. It could be these socially made connections that put them in the white house. Clubs and networks like this exist everywhere and re prevalent in our day to day society. These networks such as Skull and Bones show real dividends. How? Power, Jobs, Financial success and position. These people start off as young college students and end up in the most powerful places in society and what do they do? Look out for their friends?

Social Networks are not just for the rich elite, though the halls of power are full of them. Social networks of value can be found anywhere and everywhere. Go to a neighborhood bar and you can find a social network. Nightclubs, businessmen clubs and associations are just some of the few places you can find social networks. Look for social networks, the network may not even be the type of place that you want to attend, or the type of people that you wish to be associated with. But go and check it out, because I’m going to teach you a crucial and vital fact. Have you ever heard of the saying “I know a guy?” This is a powerful statement, listen to me now. Say you go to a local bar and while you may not see people that are per say hiring someone for your field, what if they are friends with a corporate recruiter of a company you want to work at? Or what if they know someone, a significant other, a family member or relative that may be looking for someone of your skills, well you just been hooked up via a social network.

That’s all a social network is, people who know people who know people. This is how it happens, and it can spell big dividends. Social networks and associations have resulted in people obtaining jobs. It has resulted in people getting into the right schools and places, doing this has placed people ahead of short lists and even gotten people jobs they were not really qualified for.

So I think I’ve expressed the worth and value of these social networks. So are you ready? All it takes is being social and you will be ready to go out there and meet people!

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Welcome to a huge discussion about whether or not social networking is a time waster or big thing. Before we dive into the issue I’d like to break it down by offering some information. If you look up the word Social in the Webster dictionary you get the following. “Of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group.” Now let’s break down the word networking. “The exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business.”

So let’s put it together, the interaction of the individual and the group, exchanging information or services among individuals, groups or institutions. Now I think that networking is the next big thing in society, and I will explain my position thoroughly. First and foremost lets establish the fact that Social Networking has always been around. Since the beginning of time people have gotten together to help further their own agendas and issues. In the stone ages you had cavemen who associated one with another helping to hunt or helping to build. In the core essence of it this is exactly what social networking is.

Social networking is now being focused on like never before. It has come out from behind closed doors, and it’s becoming the next biggest thing. Before networking was done behind closed doors, everyone did it, but most people just didn’t associate the title. Sometimes people called it the “good ol boys network”. Some people call it other things, but it’s always been a part of our existence to socially network one with another.

And now that this issue is out in front in so many ways, people are specializing in it. There are books that are now out about it. There are now groups in existence that are focused to planning events to start social networking. I remember going to a convention in NYC, and at this convention there was a “break out room” in this room people were networking while topics and workshops were discussed in the main room. This room was way busier than the main room. I had given out over two hundred business cards over the course of just a few days, it was crazy.

As the future begins to come more and more networking will take place. Have you noticed that a lot of jobs now invite people to apply instead of just putting it on blast that they have openings? Who do you think are getting these jobs? Those who have networked their way in, and as the future evolves I predict that this is just going to get bigger and bigger. And there’s so much to network about, you can go to almost any place and network. Networking is now outside of the private setting. You can meet people in clubs, bars, restaurants, sports events, the opportunities for networking are enormous. So strap up your laces, and get ready to go out there and introduce yourself. Learning this skill will help make you viable and ready to get ahead, so what are you waiting for? Get out there!

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