In The News
FranNet: Social Media Help the New, Practical Entrepreneur
Dec 21, 2011
AmEx study shows small biz owners look for high impact, low cost
A Facebook user. From Google images.
Small business owners who have continued to succeed during the recession are among the most avid users of social media to reach customers, says a new national survey of entrepreneurs.
The fall American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor found that 58 percent of business owners who described themselves as “riding high” say they use social media to attract new customers, and 37 percent say their companies’ social media presence is part of their everyday interaction with customers. Facebook, which a full third of surveyed businesses use, is the most popular social media tool among small business owners, the survey found.
FranNet, a North American network of franchise consultants, maintains a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media outlets, encouraging its team of more than 75 franchise owners in the United States and Canada to maximize their impact via social media as well.
“More and more people are reaching out to us and reading our content on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter,” said Jania Bailey, FranNet’s president and COO. “They’ve become indispensable tools for our franchise owners because they provide a way for customers to learn about and communicate with FranNet, and at no cost and minimal expense of time and energy for our consultants. I can’t imagine trying to succeed today in a small business without a significant social media presence.”
More than one in four small business owners surveyed said social media has helped their businesses survive the recession, and owners who are “riding high” are less likely than others to see social media as a waste of time and energy. The degree of social media expertise varies widely: Nearly half of respondents described themselves as social media “newbies,” while 24 percent said they were “mavens” and 18 percent said they had no grasp of the medium.
The state of the economy has forced entrepreneurs to make some hard, practical choices, the survey found. Only 31 percent of respondents said they planned to add staff over the next six months, and 38 percent said they believed the United States is still in a recession.
But the survey showed some signs of optimism, too. A lower percentage of business owners are worried about meeting payroll, and an increased number — nearly half — plan to make some kind of capital investment before the next survey in the spring.
Interested in a franchise opportunity with a growing team of franchise consultants? See http://www.frannet.com.
Copyright © 2008
This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only.
The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:
)
