I’m posing the question here because of late, my face book personal page has slowly grown into a powerful space for business networking and lead gen. I believe that facebook is certainly a site to watch and utilise!My prediction for 2010 - Facebook will be the premier social networking site for small business owners. Linkedin, plaxo, xing will start to fade into the back ground.

Why???…because those busy little beavers at facebook are innovative, extremely savvy and driven. Just take a look into the past at the tricks they have been pulling!

Facebook has a history of attacking their competitors at their strongest points says Josh Catone . 

MySpace had a strong widget system, so Facebook dived in and launched their application platform which forced MySpace to hurry up and do the same. MySpace focuses predominantly on music and film, so Facebook has recently got on the case too. LinkedIn has a strong stake in business networking. Facebook has now been laying the groundwork to go after LinkedIn’s audience the way they’ve gone after MySpace’s!!!!!There’s nothing stopping this driven and savvy team!

Simply check out their latest new business3.0 application. Now if that’s not business forward thinking then I don’t know what is?

I also believe fan pages and profile pages are just as powerful if used in the correct Facebook etiquette manner – check the next post for this!

You ask any small business owner (who is successfully growing their presence via the web), which sites they use to connect, build relationships, create lead gen and drive traffic to their website/blog…you’ve guessed it! Facebook and Twitter!

 So,  what are other business owners saying about Facebook? Is all this hype really true?

Small business owner Stan Dubin says “I’m not on Facebook to rush into people’s faces with my products and services.

I’m making new connections, both of a personal nature and a business nature. I enjoy meeting new people in both arenas and I’m fine if I make a connection and the person isn’t compelled to buy something today or ever. It’s nice to make connections”.

Nigel Legg adds “I have accounts with LinkedIN, Plaxo, Xing, Hi5, and Facebook, as well as a couple of specialist forums and bulletin boards, but the only one I use regularly is Facebook. I have recently done business with someone I am in contact with on three platforms, which came out of a Facebook personal message conversation. At some stage, almost all business will go to email, telephone, and face to face, wherever it is initiated, so the move to facebook is not a hard one” 

Mari Smith is a huge digger of facebook! Mari comments “ Absolutely, serious business can be done – and IS being done – on Facebook by solo-professionals, entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, internet marketers, info-product creators etc. etc.

No way is Facebook  just for kids anymore! Businesses who ban Facebook in the office have their head in the sand. 

I can attest that significant business profits are being generated as a direct result of being active on Facebook. The trick is not to be a ‘marketer’ – but to connect, to care, to be a thought leader, to add value… to come from win:win, and to think relationships first, business second”

So you can read and hear what all the buzz is about! Yet is it true? My advice….if you are serious about building up your online business then start  a facebook fan page and profile page then get back to me! What do you think?

I have been living with my parents now for the past 2 months, (if you are curious to know why then, click here - http://www.youtube.com/sammutimer).

In short – I came to the Uk on holidays to see my family, broke my leg and now have to stay for the next 3 months until my cast comes off. It’s cold, grey and I miss my husband, friends and business colleagues immensely. I must say it has been one of the most challenging times of my life, and at the same time a fantastic learning opportunity! Thank you mum and thank you broken leg!

Why am I writing this post and what’s it got to do with business?

I usually tend to write more specifically about the ways business owners can utilise Web 2.0 and Social media to enhance their business, yet today I felt this had to be expressed.

I believe we can all take something from a poorly wrapped gift and turn it into an opportunity. Business and pleasure. The more we focus on what we can do, the easier life seems to flow and the more opportunities seem to pop up.

Let’s use my dear mother as an example to demonstrate my point. Mum is in her mid 50’s, runs her own business, yet she’s classed as “old school” in my lingo. Bless her, and quite frankly she is happy about that……… so was I, until she became increasingly more interested in myInternet Marketing Business.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love my mum taking an interest in what I do, yet after many challenging moments of explaining  this to her (in my calm Sammy tones), can you imagine my reaction when I received this response:

“I still don’t understand”, “that doesn’t make sense”, “why would people want to waste their time on the internet when they can speak face to face”

Valid questions, yet then it goes further:

”Facebook for business-now that’s a waste of time” “Twitter- how sad”, “why would people want to see what you are doing?”…..”Are you making money from this?” “Why are you sharing all your tips with other people?” “You are giving so much out, what are you getting back?” “Do you have to link in with them all the time?” blah blah blah!

(Many of these questions are great, now I look back, and I will endeavour to answer them in different posts, yet for today I want to stick to my point).

Now, from these responses I could feel my heart rate bolt up to it’s MAX and then an intense, impatient frown sprung onto my face. I was in defence mode – BEWARE! Mum was REALLY pushing my buttons, and that evening, boy did I let her know!

After calming down (a few days later):-)  I reflected back on our heated discussion.

Wow, of course mum was confused, I wasn’t explaining it clearly and simply to her…instead I was going into my own comfortable “jargon talk” and expecting her to just get it! How could she not? It was clear as day to me!

This situation reminds me of a statement a friend said to me once, and it’s so true – “the response you receive is down to the way you have communicated your message”

This time spend with mum was a huge learning curve for me, and I know it will lead to an even more flexible and diverse Sam Mutimer. I also trust that the service we provide has just jumped up to a whole new level.

Sometimes I believe we all get caught up in what we think is right. “I’m fine, it’s all of them that have the problems”…..”They just don’t get it”!!!Pleh!

I believe in life, that it’s great at times to just step back and put yourself in the shoes of the other person. I believe this is crucial in business and even more so when you are running your business online.

Here are a few pointers I had to refresh myself with.

• Who is your target?
• Who are they more specifically?
• Where do they hang out?
• What terms do they use?
• How old are they?
• What do they need and want from me?
• What’s in it for them?
• How can I communicate this through a computer or mobile phone screen?

The more we can define our target market and communicate to them using their language, the more successful our businesses will be. Why? Because when we use the right words, pictures, videos, sounds, terms then our audience feels like we are talking straight to them. This usually leads to good rapport then eventually trust-creating lead generation and sales.

So wrapping up, I want to thank my mum for her probing questions and the interest she has taken in me and my business. I am now more aware of the words I choose to use and the way I say them, taking into consideration the audience/person I am talking with.

It’s taken me back to basics and refreshed me, and that’s a good thing. I trust it has added value to you too!

Keep it simple!

 I’m so pleased you asked! The simple fact that you are here right now shows me that more and more businesses, like yourself, are looking to understand and utilise this powerful platform and the strategies available to make business simpler, easier and more productive online. 

This post has been specifically written for the Freshies out there – I love working with you guys because you get me to think right back to the basics! The fun stuff!

Ok, I believe to gain a better understanding of Web 2.0, Web 1.0 would be the first step to move you forwards.

What is Web 1.0?  When you search on the web and pull up a site, a web 1.0 site tends to be a read only site (1 way communication). You get shown some information and then…..you read it. There is very little in the way of interacting with you or how you can contribute with content. However, in its day, this is exactly what most business owners online wanted. Their goal for a website was to create an online presence then make their information available to anyone at any time.

Yet the world has moved on, thank goodness. Whoop whoop!  More and more people are using the web to interact and connect these days (business and pleasure) and it’s all thanks to Web2.0!

What is web 2.0? Web 2.0 creates a platform to interact, communicate, share information and build up strong relationships – and it’s all through a screen on your computer or mobile phone. Imagine the power that this has within business-your business!

Already, I am starting to form an opinion in your head! You may be starting to warm to me and like the way I communicate with you, leading you to subscribe to my blog…or not!

 I’m using this Web 2.0 platform (a blog) to share with you my knowledge, opinion and I trust inspire you, compelling you to act! The most successful way to use this platform for your business all boils down to TRUST! If you trust, like and respect someone then you are more than likely to talk about them, buy from them or work with them for a win win!

Hosted services like social-networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies have led to the development and evolution of web culture communities – and I love them! Choose which ones best meet your business goals then start to work your strategy from there – and most importantly BE YOURSELF!

Here is another view on Web 2.0 by Tim O’Reilly

“Like many important concepts, Web 2.0 doesn’t have a hard boundary, but rather, a gravitational core. You can visualize Web 2.0 as a set of principles and practices that tie together a veritable solar system of sites that demonstrate some or all of those principles, at a varying distance from that core.  

Some eg’s of Web 2.O platforms you may know of.

Face book, Twitter, You-tube, Blogs, Linkedin etc

I trust I have shed some light on What is Web 2.0? Feel free to use this web 2.0 based platform right now to share or contribute your thoughts and feelings through the wonderful world of Web 2.0 space! I’m really looking forward to reading your comments! Whoopa!