Social networking websites are no longer just a medium to connect with friends... they do wonders for business too
Social networking websites are no longer just a medium to connect with friends... they do wonders for business too
We connect with friends old and new through social networking sites, but have we once thought about the other benefits one could derive from them?
You could start a whole new business venture and even find yourself a business partner and investors. You could start teaching a skill and spread the news to millions. You could sell products and services and use the site as a free of cost word-of-mouth medium to get you numbers and even profits.
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A good marketing medium
Moksh Juneja (27) is a social media catalyst. In other words, he helps people use social networking websites to promote their businesses.
"From people organising treks to corporate companies using social networking applications and groups in the form of advertising, social networking sites have proved to be a good medium. I help market people online whether they are friends or corporate executives. I teach people how to use these websites for their brand. In the United States, one could use a social networking website to order pizza. Basically, you are promoting a product or service without saying, 'I want to sell'," said Moksh. He figured that the marketing power of social networking could be put to good use two years ago. Start and maintain a business
Nihar Mehta (36) and Mamta M (44) were able to start their venture, Tribal Route, aimed at promoting handmade articles, thanks to social networking. They met up through a website and found that their business goals matched. Thus was born Tribal Route at Aram Nagar, Andheri.
Networking with people through such websites also brought in clients and investors. "You need to know people socially first, as before people know about a product they put a face to it. You cannot force people to buy. Not every person you meet is a customer. People get to know about what we do and spread the message. There are no boundaries to a networking site. You can connect to anyone around the world and we also help people connect. We are also getting franchisees from around the world. Business is a relationship, and social networking sites help continue this relationship," says Nihar. He believes social networking sites have helped 60 per cent of his business. 
Mamta, who believes that status messages can be used to convey almost anything from needing a flat to looking for a maidservant, said, "These sites have helped us make contacts overseas. It's business mixed with social interactions. The number of people you reach through these sites are huge. Some allow you to make business pages, paste photos of your products, write notes and even give you space for advertisements."
Bringing in the numbers
Mamta introduced Darryl Neves (42), dance instructor, Fast Forward Dance Studios, to try out social networking to let people know about his classes. Soon, success and students formed his friends list. He said, "I started social networking to meet people besides my normal friend circle, so I could know more about others and understand people better.
"I found that social networking was popular and groups came into the picture. Numbers came in and it became a good platform. I'd say it helped my business 30 per cent."
Brand boost
"I started making handbags in 2007 and then I realised that I could use a social networking site to showcase my work. A person from Holland ordered around 30 bags and I made around Rs 65,000 worth of an order.
Another lady from a store called Craze in Dubai, approached me to supply bags for her store. My brand Pepper by Pooja has a group on a social networking website which now has 500 members. I let people know about my exhibitions and new products through this group," says 24-year-old entrepreneur Pooja Pariani.
She is excited about her bags being used in ramp shows and is receiving huge orders for her bags even as this story goes to print.
Travel guide
Keyur Kapadia (28), works as a manager for a financial company but his real passion is organising expeditions across the country. "I started organising treks in 2003. I decided to use the social networking sites to tell people about my expeditions.
"I not only got in touch with people to join me on these trips but also got the contacts I needed in order to arrange them. It also became a source of information regarding a particular trek. Also, fellow expeditioners challenge each other. If you accomplish a particular expedition you invite others to go to the same place," said Keyur.
Building relations
Etienne Marques (24), MD, Marques and Lowden, a public relations and event company, worked a few years ago with a PR company and then explored the use of social networking websites to meet prospective clients.
Through this he found that blogging and web pages paved a way to get his clients a platform for promotions. He said, "A year after I tried this medium, people started approaching me for promotion and events. I credit 45 per cent of my business to social networking websites.
"Harman Baweja's cousin Johnny Baweja got in touch with me through a social networking website, as did TV actress Nisha Lalvani. I am on the
verge of signing corporate clients whom I got in touch with through someone I met in a social networking website."
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