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The Shift: 90% of small business owners are networking online...how do YOU find them?

by DaniMc
4 replies
I came across this image today and thought about my fellow business owners here. For offline marketers, you might be able to use these stats.

If you are skilled at networking online to find customers, what tips can you offer?





#90% #business #find #networking #onlinehow #owners #shift #small
  • Profile picture of the author Steve Solem
    Thanks Dan. That 90% number seems way off to me though, and digging a little further into the press release released with that graphic indicates
    Manta polled 614 small business owners across the nation, who are members of Manta.com and have claimed their Manta business profile, via an online Silverpop survey between August 16 and August 22, 2012
    The more truthful headline really should've been "90% of manta users already online are networking online" which is much easier to believe.

    Good to know all the stats displayed and they're certainly useful, but it helps to view them in the proper context.

    Cheers,

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author rob19028
    The great thing about statistics is you can make them say whatever you want them to say: Yes you can take the same data and prove both sides of almost any argument.
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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    Statistical gymnastics are normal but I think you have missed the point of the thread.

    Here we are in an offline marketing forum, where every day hundreds of people talk about how to get clients.

    So let's say the number is only 50%....

    What are some strategies people can use to connect with these 50% who are networking online?
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  • Profile picture of the author DarrenRM
    I know small business owners that network online, but knew them in person beforehand. We struck up our rapport one way or another in person and use social networking to maintain our relationship.

    I serve a few local businesses (marketing, design etc) and find it important to show up to their premises and have a person to person chat. Online networking is all good but I don't think you can build real old fashioned trust in quite the same way. Plus, some of my clients are of a certain age and have not necessarily bought in emotionally to what the internet has to offer.
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