Social media dilemma for small business solved

Added by Pat Williams on November 27, 2011

According to Regus, the global provider of flexible workplace solutions, in a survey of 17,000 managers globally, it was reported that 43 percent of companies are successfully using social networking to win new customers – up almost 10 percent from 2010. At the same time, businesses struggle with the efficacy of social media. In fact, it’s duplicity at its finest hour. While HR managers scramble to fill Social Media positions to create effective campaigns to compete in the ever growing social media scene, they are at the same time creating policy to limit the amount of time employees spend in their working day on social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Face book.

Small business however, has embraced social media with both arms in a virtual hug. However, they also faces their own challenges when it comes determining the value of social media. It can rob them of hours a day.

“Social media is very important to small businesses,” says Mandie Crawford, who created her first social media account in late 2005. “For many it is the only way they connect to other business owners ñ and how they market their business often with little or no funds. It is how they build community. And now studies show it is invaluable – we are only 3 connections ( via social media) from the next person we want to meet “

For small business the question still remains: how much time should small business owners allocate to social media ñ and which applications do they choose? Mandie Crawford says she has the answer.

Crawford is the founder and President of Roaring Women, what she claims is the most resource rich business support organization in the world. According to Crawford, small business can get their resources, training, networking and social media all in one place – saving them time and increasing effectiveness of their efforts. “We have just launched the Social Media component of Roaring Women where members can access training, services, events both live and virtual, and post to social media ñ all in one place.”

Crawford adds that a member can log into the social media component, post offers, events, ask for needs, start discussions and even post RFP’s and then with one click not only share them with the local community; but also share them with their social media communities as well. They can also follow other members, re-post things of interest, cross pollinating lists and comment ñ similarly to Facebook.

“This will be a game changer for many small businesses – it is a very robust application,” says Fiona Prince, VP of operations for Roaring Women. A communication specialist, Prince is also active in social media and sees the value in building online communities. “Scheduling a mere 10 minutes a day to post and share within our own and to our respective communities will save us all time and bring a closer connection.”

Crawford explained, memberships that access the social media component amongst all the other benefits, start $15.97 a month. “Very affordable,” maintains Crawford. “Small businesses have limited budgets and we accommodate them because we believe small business drives Canada”.

Contact:

Mandie Crawford
President, ROARING WOMEN LTD
403 836 8810
http://www.roaringwomen.com