Social media marketing can be thought of as an indirect method of marketing your business. It is a powerful process that uses the principles of traditional marketing programs with the social objectives that ultimately promotes your business through social media channels. Social media marketing is the new wave of online marketing, while traditional marketing focuses on the immediate sale. Usually along the lines of ‘This is what we are, this is what we do, that’s why you should buy our product or service, buy now’. The length of sales cycles vary within traditional industries, but the goal remains the same – close the sale.

If you provide useful information to make constructive comments and ask the right questions, you need to offer added value to potential customers and eventually this will mean more value for you. One problem inherent in the social media marketing is that it takes a lot of time and effort to finally achieve the desired result – that is the sale. Many companies have little to no time to devote to something that does not provide the immediate results you want or oppose the use of a powerful social media marketing options just because of the indirect approach to the sale and the time needed to see the results.

Social media marketing is not very different from most social networking off the Internet such as when you attend trade shows or business opportunities. The social networking environment is usually only used to increase the customer base. Companies that sponsor golf trips, corporate picnics and other social events, often invite employees, clients and potential clients. Here they can socialize and network, in a similar way to they would online. While some people can develop friendships at these events, the main and final goal of these events is to increase the bottom line.

The Internet offers a huge source of networking through blogs, forums, communities, and, of course, a huge number of social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo, Dzone, collect, Ryze, Squidoo, Tagged, Xing, and many others. Network concept is the same, the platforms are exponentially larger and different. Several websites can be overwhelming, so you should focus on the social networking sites that are specific to the industry as well as some of the largest, commonly used generic sites like Facebook, Plaxo, LinkedIn, etc. I prefer to use LinkedIn as it is more suited to a business layout whereas a site like Facebook is more suited to family and freinds.

I like to put myself in the shoes of another person to understand where they come from. I do not buy anything before going to the Internet to find out everything about the product or service that I’m thinking about buying. I read the reviews and what has been said about a product or service.

It’s important to keep in mind that social networks consist of a large groups of faithful and committed members of the public. Social media marketing can be good for a business, as it will add to your brand, business and online profile. However, social media marketing requires time and dedication to be worthwhile, but you the final return is worth the time spent.

Whether a business owner understands the value of social media marketing, there is no escaping the fact that the Internet is a new challenge for marketing. Social media has taken a life of its own, and if you have not jumped on the bandwagon, you are missing out. Social Media Marketing can be very beneficial for any business as it compliments your brand profile, and online business.