Are You Using Social Networking to Promote Your Business?

The explosion of social networking over the last few years has given every business an opportunity to promote products and send visitors to websites to view products. By promoting your product or business what are you trying to achieve?

As an internet marketer I use social networks to promote my websites and the products that I am selling or affiliated to.  And I am having success by using some methods which are essentially free. By free I mean they are not costing to advertise by pay per click.

Which social networking sites are the best to use?

The answer to this question is not as straightforward as we may think, and perhaps you need to understand more about the site and the users before we understand this.

First of all the sites which you could use are:

Twitter – Launched 2006

Linked In – Launched 2003

Facebook – Launched 2004

Bebo – Launched 2005

MySpace – Launched 2003

MySpace was the first site to start networking socially on the internet and was the largest member site until 2009. In early 2011 it is reported that MySpace has some 63milion unique members. The demographic of the site is young people up to 24 years old.

Facebook the second site to launch into the social networking arena is by far the largest and most popular site in the world, and has over taken its competitors. In 2009 more than 250million users had accounts and it is still growing.  Facebook is used by a wide range of people of all ages and demographics.

Bebo was the third site to launch into the social networking foray and by 2008 had 30million members. The site has undergone a number of changes not only in content but also owners, and is very much a niche area of social networking sites in my opinion.

Linked In is the first site for networking online for professionals. It boasts 120million users and growing. Used by professionals to keep in touch with customers, old colleagues and suppliers.

Twitter is unique in comparison to the other sites we have discussed as your tweets (posts) can be viewed by all, and you can follow anyone you like without permission. The number of members is at 56milion in 2011 and still growing. Used by a wide variety of people including celebrities and orgnisations.

How to use social networking sites to promote your business.

It may sound obvious but when you use social networking make sure it is relevant to your audience and targeted correctly.

For instance it may not be the best use of resource if you promote the next big PC game on Linked In. It would be a better use of your effort if this was promoted through Facebook or Bebo to the friends in your list who you know are into gaming.

Of course if you are reviewing a product or promoting that product it is an absolute must that you understand the product features and benefits fully before commenting. To be deemed an expert when reviewing the product it is a must that you own the product and have used it. If your readers or visitors buy the product because you have reviewed it and they relate to your recommendation when they have used it, this will build trust and the customer is more likely to buy again.

With the correct relevant audience through social networking you can build a trust and relationship with your customers which will promote your business and loyalty for those repeat purchases.

Whatever your product or business that you promote through Social Networking make sure that this is not the only way that you promote your products or business.  To be successful you must use the other proven methods to increase your sales and business, such as article writing or pay per click advertising.

Take a look at other ways you can pomote your business PJW Enterprise

When you started your online business did you set a budget?

As a businessman I understand about setting budgets. But do you set a budget for your online business or do you just spend money when it is available from your salary and earnings in an attempt to increase your earnings?

It is so important that when you start your online business you decide and understand what your expenses will be and set a budget. If like many online business start ups you fall into a trap that you buy product after product that promises that you will be making money in minutes and on to your fortunes in hours than it is likely that you will spend more than you make.

By understanding what it will cost you to start a business online and what to invest in you increase the likelihood of success, and keep under control your costs.

Starting an online business will cost you money in the initial stages, but if you understand this and set aside some money then you not only increase your likelihood of success but you also have a head start on the individuals that buy products and expect the success to come.

An online business is not that different form an offline business. You need to understand, control and budget for your costs.

If you need advice on setting a budget for your online business take a look at this.

How to start an online business from home.

Starting an online business is easy isn’t it?

If you use the search engines to look at ways to start an online business from home you will find a huge number of products that will convince you that you can make a fortune online.  Is that true? Did the seller of that product really make his or her fortune with an online business at home that quick, that easy, with that few clicks?

Think about your day-job, or full time job that you have now. How long did it take you to reach the position you have today?

 I am going to use an example to illustrate my point.

A store manager for fast food restaurant did not start his career last week and take the role of store manager and the salary that goes with it. He had to learn the way the restaurant runs, the basics of customer service, how to use the checkout, the menu, the special offers and so on. To become a store manager will take years. And to start an online business from home will also take time (but not necessarily years).

The reality about making money online is that in the next hour, week and month you will still need your full time job while you are building up your online business from home.

Who to trust to help you start your online business

This is the most critical part of starting your online business, because it will determine the niche that you choose, the product you promote, the method to sell to your customers and the work it will take to establish a regular customer base or flow of customers to your online business.

These points will help you determining who you can trust.

1.       Don’t get taken up with the hype.

a.       Claims of easy earnings fast are not usually possible

b.      Where you are considering a product from a trusted source, remember that the income these individuals enjoy today took time to build up to

2.       Choose a product that offers a money back guarantee

a.       If the system works then a guarantee is a must, if it doesn’t the person behind the product probably doesn’t believe in it

b.      The longer the guarantee the better because it gives you time to assess if it is the product for you

3.       Sign up for free email tutorials before you buy

a.       A large number of internet marketers give you the opportunity to learn some of their techniques as part of a free 5 or 7 day email campaign.

b.      This is an excellent way to assess the material, but be aware that every time they email you they will also be wanting to sell you something

These 3 tips will help you assess the products and niche you want as your online business at home.

Be Patient

When you have decided to what you will do to start an online business and you have purchased a guide to get you started, create a plan, get going and stick to what choose.

If you are patient, follow the instructions and tips in your guide, dedicate time to your online business the earnings will start and grow.

Take a look at www.pjwenterprise.com to  see what products are tried and trusted and will help you to decide how to start your online business from home.