As a reporter, I used the "social media" long before it became known as the social media. Some 20 years ago, I belonged to an online service called Q-Link (an indirect forerunner of AOL). At the time I was a general news reporter.
Most of the members posted profiles or participated in chat or bulletin boards around their profession or other interests (much like today). Using this information, I was able to use an on-line private chat room to conduct interviews with story sources I might not have been able to make connections with otherwise.
Fast forward to now. Services like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and more allow users to make connections with potential business sources.
Now, says one executive with an online community, participating in the social media is the key to a business' survival.
"With new social networking tools and resources cropping up every day, companies are learning to use the web to create better and more focused customer service efforts," says Caitlin Rosberg, community manager of WeSeed.
The boilerplate on the company's press release calls it "the first online community designed to empower ordinary Americans to use their knowledge about the things they already know and love - whether it's their passions or their professions - to become successful investors."
Ms. Rosberg continues, "This is not a choice, but a must for many companies. With so much financial chaos and uncertainty, many companies are turning to customer service efforts that go beyond the traditional to build real, long-term relationships with their clients. Those who embrace these new tools will be the survivors and leaders of the future."
There are a growing number of companies with Twitter accounts that are using them to improve customer service efforts, including Comcast, Home Depot, Southwest, JetBlue and more.
Now, a name familiar to many in the mortgage broker industry, Gibran Nicholas, the chairman of the CMPS Institute, has formed a new company, Published Daily, to help professionals generate business from the social media.
"In this age of social media and information overload, people are constantly being bombarded with an overwhelming flow of information and noise. This means that people don't need more information - they need relevant information. If you are the one providing it to them, it elevates your value and transforms your network of friends, clients, and prospects into a referral-generating sales force," he said.
Published Daily is a customizable online magazine, newsletter, and marketing service that helps professionals communicate relevant and timely information to their clients and prospects via e-mail and social networking platforms.
Users can pick content specific to their industry and create their publication from scratch or by using the templates provided.
Their publication can be automatically updated every time a writer associated with the service makes a new post.
"Most people don't have the time or patience to recreate the wheel every time they want to send out a newsletter or marketing message," Mr. Nicholas said. "The key is to put your marketing on auto-pilot so that you can spend your time doing the things that you do best."
The newsletter can be sent out via email to your list of clients or posted on your website, blog, Facebook, LinkedIn or any other social networking profile.To learn more, visit
