Are you part of the new digital age?

I hate to text, I even have texting blocked from my phone. I never saw the need to twitter, yet I just got us signed up before going to Texas and have sent out some tweets, but I do have a personal facebook page besides our business one and business listings on Linkedin.com and MerchantCircle.com. But there are some new social networking ideas that I think every business person should atempt even if they are not a big player in this new digital wave.

I spoke before about a company Bookfresh.com, and they just asked me to join their group on MerchantCircle.com. A business to business only site not unlike facebook.com and very close to Linkedin.com. Merchant Circle puts you in touch with other local business that might use your service or that could help you network to find new customers. Bookfresh is doing something like what I had mentioned in a previous blog about getting a virtual office to take calls and make appointments for you and your business.

They also use the social network feature of linking you into facebook that allows new customers to find you and book jobs right from thier facebook page. How cool it that. You do not even have to pay for the marketing to find these new customers, your freinds and their freinds on facebook does it all for you! And if you still have not made yourself a website like I have written about in other blogs, they have a simple single web page for you that you can customize or if you already have a web site (good for you) that you can link to, increasing your exposure for SEO.

Another great new thing that just came out late October is an 'app' to Valpak.com. Here is an article that tells about it. http://blog.kudzu.com/?p=1775. Many of you might already use or know about Valpak, a national company that sends out local coupon sheets in a blue envelope to homeowners in the zip codes you want to market too. Well they have recently added an on line version and are giving out this free app to link phones and hand helds to Valpack on line to instantly get their users coupons. Go here to see it or get it. www.itunes.com/appstore/. What a great way to be on top of the list when a customer deceides that they need their house washed, deck, driveway or roof cleaned, or maybe even help with holiday light instalations (if you offer that) here is how to contact them http://www.valpak.com/advertise/index.jsp.

Also you do not have to be using the local Valpac blue envelope program to use the on line one. You can do them separatly or together.

Here's to you, your business and better marketing the digital way in the new year.