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Using social ne...

Using social networking to reach new customers

3/25/2008 2:31:23 PM

hendry@wecando.biz

2 posts

www.wecando.biz

Using social networking to reach new customers

We'll be launching a new "social networking" website in a couple of weeks aimed specifcially at small businesses and it will be the first of its type to provide tangible business benefits by putting trusted businesses and buyers together, with tools to help facilitate sales. We welcome early registrations at www.wecando.biz.

Existing social networks focus on person to person relationships, with the benefits typically felt only by individuals and only if they are prepared to put in the work. Teenagers have fully embraced the medium to connect with friends, but business people have been left perplexed as to how they benefit without losing many hours a day on such websites, vainly scavenging for possible businesses opportunities.

WeCanDo.BIZ puts the emphasis on promoting the business ahead of the individual. Once a business person lists their organisation using the service, existing customers can be invited to connect with that business. As each customer connects, they are invited to endorse the business. Each endorsement gets the business promoted higher in the website’s Trusted Business Search, a searchable directory listing aimed at business buyers and consumers. More endorsements means more happy customers, increasing confidence in that business. At the same time, buyers can achieve greater trust that the businesses they make a connection with are of high quality and integrity -- information that cannot be readily obtained using standard search engines or Internet Yellow Pages listings like Google, Yell, Scoot or Applegate.

But the big difference with other sites of this type is that each business’s customers become its salesforce -- as they endorse a business, their own contacts will see their recommendations. Search on printers in Manchester, for example, and the list of trusted businesses returned will be headed by those recommended by your network of friends and colleagues. So your customers do all the work for you. The best businesses get promoted with little effort; and those people looking for businesses find out which ones are recommended by the people they know, without having to call every one of their contacts in turn.

I'd welcome your views right here!

Ian Hendry

WeCanDo.BIZ

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