When our grandparents arrived in America with their new businesses and ideas they used techniques that were considered revolutionary for their time. Some of the most radical ideas of the 20th century for businesses came in the form of marketing to customers. Everything from TV, Radio, Direct Response, and other innovative strategies were used to build a business. They worked and more and more people used the ideas to form their company. Then times changed again. This time instead of creating national marketing campaigns the world became a little smaller with the advent of the internet.

Now, thanks to social networking all small businesses have the opportunity to reach out to their customers in a more effective and faster method with little to no capital needed. Instead of using a shotgun approach that most advertisers used with more traditional methods of advertisements, we can go onto Facebook and Twitter to find the target markets we want to jump start our business. Here is a way that I use social networking for my business and build connections and business at every step of the way.

First, I find like minded people on Twitter and Facebook that I can connect with immediately. Once I have done this I then send them a direct message, or chat on their wall. The idea here is to start up a conversation that can lead to business.

Second, once I have chatted with them and it looks like we can benefit each other and feel comfortable with each other I like to take the connection to the next level by calling them or emailing them. Get off social media and into a more one-on-one relationship. Think of this like courting a girl. First you have to ask permission to go out with her and then you go out for coffee in order to start connecting.

Third, you continue the relationship off line and continue using those tried and true methods of connecting with your clients via phone, email, and mail.

This is how the personal connections are being created every day online. People reach out to each other and create the basis of a lasting business relationship through a tweet, a Facebook post, or a blog post. This is the wave of the future that will help us all. Enjoy it now!