My father, Dan Lacy, sent me a SearchEngineWatch.com link in my email today that talked about the number of small business and social media. Now, I am a huge fan of small businesses and I am a huge fan of social media. I had to open it.

According to the Access Markets International (AMI) Partners, the number of small businesses using social networking services and strategies will double in the next year. Now, this is good news for companies like man that want to help small businesses leverage social media. It is good to see a tool being adopted by the small businesse market (my favorite).

I do have one word of warning to small business owners wanting to leverage social media. If you are wanting to enter the social media space whether it is through social networking sits, a blog, podcasts, wikis, blah blah blah make sure you have a strategy in place to complete your efforts. Get the right training and social media partner. It is a must.

Danny Brown made a great comment on the post saying:

“While it’s great to see such a positive step by small business owners in embracing all social media has to offer, it needs to be done properly.

Too many business owners jump in and then drop their social media strategy a month or two later, complaining about lack of any ROI. It can’t be judged physically – social media needs a different approach.”

We agree completely, Danny.

As the landscape of marketing starts to shift and small business owners from 25 years old to 60 adopt new tools like social media, remember to be proactive.

We are all in the same boat… sliding back and forth on uncertainty…use the tools.. adapt the tools.. and win.

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