Are you a tweeter? A poster? A pinner on Pinterest?  Do you SnapChat, Instagram, or tweet with Twitter?

If you're overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of social media outlets, you're not alone.  But if you're in business and you're not actively engaged in some type of social media, you're at a disadvantage.  You're missing out on potential sales, client leads, powerful exposure and relationship building.

I encourage you to take some time this summer to get familiar with social media.  It's a powerful medium for exposure.   

• 3 in 5 small businesses say they've gained new customers via social media
• 46% of web users look toward social media when making a purchase
• Social media is the top online activity in the U.S.  The average American spends 37 minutes a day on social media

According to our most recent member survey, many of you are using social media but about 30% aren't measuring its effectiveness.  Our survey also showed that marketing via social media is the number one topic you'd like to understand better for your business.  Your chamber actively utilizes and tracks the impact of our social media outlets and the good news is it's driving referrals to our members.

If you haven't participated in one of our Tech Tuesday events, I encourage you to do so.  Experts in the field of social media are at your disposal so come learn more about how to maximize this powerful marketing tool for your business.  There's no cost to attend.  It's a benefit of membership and one we're glad to offer. Tech Tuesday topics are always listed in our Monday Morning Briefings and you can register online.

Marketing your business via social media is so much more than just having a Facebook page or a LinkedIn account.  It's how you use these powerful tools that makes all the difference.  When done well, the minimal time investment is worth it.

Have a great week!    

Sincerely,

Bill Miles, IOM, CCE

President & CEO

Follow Me on Twitter @MilesatChamber