Home: Message List - Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

davidglenn33 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:23:49 GMT

Glad to see the comments and suggestions. I just posted a question related to small business owners & managers and their input on social networking for the business.

I've started a company called blueknowledge and we are developing sites that leverage social networking technologies for small business in either a new site or taking what the business currently has and layering into it.

I'd be very interested in people's input on the idea and how they think it can best help the small business owner.

Very Best Regards,

David

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

AppleGraphics — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:23:42 GMT

Jayman, I have recently become a member of both this online community as well as linkedin. From my perspective I actually think this Small Business Online Community is better suited to at least my companies needs. That being said there are significant advantages to a system such as LinkedIn and I do not plan on dropping my membership from there either.

SmallBizLink, I think every small business owner is always on the look out for ways to save money and promote there business. So a new social networking sit for small businesses would be welcome, but make sure you understand that you will not be the only site out there and the others already have a head start. In my opinion if you would be able to meld the social networking part of LinkedIn with the community based forums on this site you would have a recipe for success. Adding benefits for businesses who post often on the forums (maybe a small free ad on the main site or forum site) should ensure growth in the community.

Please keep us informed on the site and when it goes live.

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

jayman8117 — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:41:36 GMT

if anyone would like an invitation for LinkedIN, I have a large network of almost 4,000 direct connections, send me an email, in the email state your full name, and the email you want me to send it to. NO Spamming, don't Spam me either - i report every spam. just LinkedIN, don't email me if you don't want an invitation

jayman8117@yahoo.com

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

SmallBizLink — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:49:22 GMT

I think that is a great idea. Networking is most effective when people or businesses can actually network on a community level. Granted the World Wide Web denotes a global position, but most small business owners are not global, they are local. Having the ability to find business or people in a local area would be much more benifical than on a global level.

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

NickiLaycoax — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:01:38 GMT

Jayman,

If you do business nationally, then LinkedIn is a very nice tool. I have been on LinkedIn for over a year, and it is more of a database for me to begin my search for the people that I want. What has proven more effective for me has been Smaller Indiana, a local social networking site, focusing on solely Indiana. Another very, very good method of networking has been Rainmakers, an Indiana based networking group. Where in the U.S. are you? If in Indiana, I strongly suggest checking into both of the above mentioned. If not, collaborate with some of the business people in your area, and create a site on Ning for your state! I definitely see the benefits of having a local vs. national social networking site... All I have to do is throw a name or a company out and I get who I want within a matter of hours. It's fantastic!

www.smallerindiana.com
www.gorainmakers.com

Nicki Laycoax
**Squish Designs
****www.squishdesigns.com

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

HandyHerman — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:54:30 GMT

Linked-In is a great site for businesses owners to communicate with other business owners, but Handyherman.com a site for small business to post a profile (including a description, picture, map, reviews). These profiles can be found by other business owers as well as customers by an easy to use search function. Check out an example profile at handyherman.com/whiteoakteas

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

Biz Online — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:58:07 GMT

Ibid, Lighthouse. For those that don't know literature annotations, google ibid...
Cliff

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

wealthcarebiz — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:29:45 GMT

Very interested in this type of site. Isn't this site for small business owners already? Perhaps you may want to focus on categorizing members of this site such as (1) Business to Business services (2) Real Estate, Mortgage (3) Construction/Remodeling related (4) Wellness (5) Food related.

I think this would be helpful as we search within this site.

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

jayman8117 — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:38:27 GMT

I have been on Linked IN for several years, and built a large network, this is truly an example of what you put into it, you get out of it.
I have met some incredible people, and it's how I found this Small Business Online Community. Also, you can meet people you want to get to know around the world. and it's still free, unless you require special upgrades, I don't.

Please visit my Linked IN profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jayman8117

It would be difficult for anyone to top Linked IN, but since my target market is tech start ups, if you can help me reach them, then count me in too, and best of luck.

Regards,
Jay Rose
Echo Electronics

Re: Social networking site just for Small Businesses!

ModernGorilla — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:10:03 GMT

Why go through the hassle of starting your own? Just start one on Ning.com..