社交网络对小企业至关重要

It doesn't get more local than this, a 30-minute photo shop in Irvine, California. Same store front since 1990. But this is an international enterprise now.

When I started, customer base was about 3 to 5 miles. Today it's worldwide. People find us online through searches, through search engine, through twitter searches as well as Facebook.

Mitch Goldstone has tweeted some 32,000 messages. He has 10,600 followers on twitter where he broadcasts his promotions and he’s constantly trying to make a name for his company, Scan My Photos. He doesn't just self-promote. He shares links and product reviews and blends into a running conversation online about "All Things Photo".

If you are not into social media, social networking, you will be out of business. I am gonna repeat that you will be out of business if you don't tweet, use Facebook and social media today.

Smart small business owners are embracing and profiting from this free tool. Just as Ido Leffler, co-founder of beauty brand, YES TO.

Today you don't need to spend any money at all to set up a Facebook fan page. You don't need a huge marketing fund to set up a twitter account. You need zero.

When an expensive print ad campaign fell flat, Leffler launched an online contest to find the face of the brand. It attracted 150,000 fans on Facebook. Sales doubled in 6 months. The social media, social butterflies learned to use these free tools to grow their business. But it's not easy. Experts say the trick is figuring out how to turn posts and tweets into dollars and cents.

It's great if you have, you know, 10,000 followers on twitter, but how many of them are paying customers. That's where the strategic piece, a lot of small businesses overlook and the smart ones really focus on.