Seven Social Networking Strategies for Smaller Businesses

2. Sourcing Talent on a Social Network

Goldmine: If your business suppliers or employees use the Internet, social networks are a great place to find them -- cheaply. Consider that a retained search can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, but a basic membership to, say, LinkedIn is free and for $19 to $50 a month you can buy the right to e-mail any one of millions of its members. Facebook has no membership fees, but discovering information about members requires more active involvement. "A lot of our small and large clients are actively mining networks and identifying potential hires," says Gartner's Austin. Hiring managers also "run through networks of people to get independent confirmation of [a candidate's] skills, capabilities and attitudes."

Landmine: If your firm's target suppliers or new hires aren't on a social network, then of course you are wasting your time looking for them there. Still, it's no big investment on your part to test the waters.

Seven Social Networking Strategies for Smaller Businesses:

1. Prospecting on a Social Network
2. Sourcing Talent On A Social Network
3. Building Widgets For Social Networking Sites
4. Encouraging Employee Use, Not Abuse, Of Social Networking
5. Building A Custom Social Network For Customers
6. Building A Custom Social Network For Employees Or Suppliers
7. Building Brand Awareness On A Social Network

Next Page: Building Widgets for Social Networking Sites

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