Everyone's got an opinion. Putting that aspect of the human psyche to work is important because making informed decisions -- and purchases -- these days is increasingly shaped by group opinion. With the proliferation of electronic social media and networking avenues these days, it pays to see what is "out there" and how these forms of communication can benefit a business or those looking to land one of those Indianapolis sales jobs.

Facebook. Fickr. MySpace. Twitter.

Even if you don't use any of these electronic social networks, chances are many of your potential customers or employers do. Starting an account on any of these networks is easy. The primary investment is spending a little time learning how they work, then adding content relevant to the ways users actually use them. For example, one method on Facebook is to use Photo tagging. This term refers to the way pictures are published through news feeds to all of a user's "friends." Used wisely, this can greatly increase market exposure in a short amount of time.

Start a blog, Get Connected

A survey conducted by The Discover Small Business Watch released in April 2009 showed that 38 percent of small businesses with five employees or fewer have a website. That means just under two thirds of the companies in this class still haven't adapted. With that in mind, simply establishing some form of web presence is a competitive advantage in itself.

A well-maintained blog, for instance, serves as a forum for various perspectives and provides a doorway for the foundation of new relationships. However, in a world that's accustomed to being bombarded with advertising messages, it's important to choose the content of messages and their frequency wisely. An abundance of useless posts could come off as spam, making it an instant turnoff for customers. Good news travels fast, bad news even faster. It's important to keep in mind that the content of messages should always provide something of value to followers.

Social Media Costs and Payoffs

The main cost associated with social media is time rather than money. That means a business of any size with the inclination to invest some time on social media/networking sites in order to build a community or fan base can benefit.

From a business perspective accustomed to seeing activities generating returns on investment, taking the time to investigate and use social networking may seem anathema. However, instead of measuring participation based that translates to direct sales, the measure of success could be seen as identifying a partner, picking up some advice, even holding a few conversations that could lead to developing a new customer.

Another class of social networking is known as a referral networking site. Although these are relatively new, they offer a way for a small business to combine the power of social networking with a more traditional view of return on investment.

Instant Results? Yes!

Benefits from blogs that are kept current can be seen immediately: Those that are refreshed on a regular basis can see a jump in search engine rankings. One way to boost productivity is to write away from the office, during evenings or on weekends. By using social media and networking rather than watching from the sidelines, small businesses
in particular have a real opportunity to stand out from larger competitors by establishing a more fleshed-out presence, not just a cardboard cutout.