Web Marketing Models for Your Business

Author: Gary Davies

Web Marketing came as a natural phenomenon that coincided with the popular use of the internet for various purposes that, until now, continues to evolve and traverse almost all, if not all, aspects of life.

International commerce and trade used to be a monopolised domain of the mighty multinational companies as it involved physical movement of products and equipment entailing trans-ocean set up or employment of administrative and operational human resources.  It unambiguously required a lot of financial resources to implement such an enterprise.

Web Marketing effectively empowers even those with limited financial resources to do multinational business.  There are e-commerce sites that cater even to one-time single-product selling for a small percentage of the proceeds.  To protect its interests, such a site requires the seller to register or sign up with the site to insure business transaction integrity.  The e-commerce site handles the transaction as its service offer including the changing of hands of both product and payment, ensuring collection of its percentage before the net proceeds are received by the seller.

The seller may also opt to create his own website, conducting web-based business in his own way, with his own products, parallel to the modus used by large-scale manufacturing corporations (which are mostly China-based).  This model does not command optimum profits as there are still costs for inventory maintenance and management.

A growing optional model used by small-scale (or even micro-scale) entrepreneurs with a little knowledge of web development or has easy access to web development services is 'drop shipping'.  This modus does not involve keeping inventory in stock but access the products from manufacturers or wholesalers instead.  The reseller/retailer advertises or posts his products on his website or an e-commerce website, incorporating computation or projection of shipping costs to his retail price offer.  He then takes orders from customers and in turn orders them in bulk from the manufacturer or wholesaler (for discounts) who 'drop ships' the product directly to the buyer or end-user without disclosing the shipper\'s or company address, effectively implying that the product was shipped by the reseller/retailer.  This ensures optimum profits as there are almost no overhead costs.

Large corporations also use web marketing in many forms.  The primary purpose for which it is used is similar to that of the small entrepreneur – maximising profits by minimising costs and speeding up the process of concluding business.  One of the techniques used by companies is web social media.  It effectively speeds up promotion and marketing of its products and services to the farthest reach the internet can.  The rate and volume of business concluded through the facility are only limited by the web design concept and the capability, experience and skills of the personnel handling the web marketing arm.

Have you identified the web marketing model that perfectly suits your business operation?

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/web-design-articles/web-marketing-models-for-your-business-5334690.html

About the Author

Want to take advantage of the worlds biggest store - The Internet?

Get your business online today - Web Marketing Melbourne
Professional, Great Looking and High Rankings Websites - http://www.melbournewebmarketers.com.au is the first port of call.

«Petit ou grand, avec le Web, le monde vous est ouvert»

Je reproduit un article pupblié sur www.lanouvelle.net suite à une conférence que j'ai donné à la chambre de commerce de Victoriaville

http://www.lanouvelle.net/Economie/Affaires/2011-10-18/article-2780750/-%26laquo%3BPetit-ou-grand%2C-avec-le-Web%2C-le-monde-vous-est-ouvert%26raquo%3B/1

«Petit ou grand, avec le Web, le monde vous est ouvert»

Publié le 18 Octobre 2011

Claude Thibodeau

«Internet peut aider les PME. Internet a redéfini la façon de faire des affaires, mais une stratégie définie, un plan d’action doit supporter un site Internet. Petit ou grand, avec le Web, le monde vous est ouvert.» Ces propos viennent d’André Goyette, associé, technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) à la Banque de développement du Canada (BDC). Spécialisé en TIC depuis plus de 30 ans, M. Goyette prenait la parole à la Place 4213 de Victoriaville, mardi midi, devant 70 personnes invitées par la Chambre de commerce et d’industrie des Bois-Francs et de l’Érable (CCIBFE) à un dîner-conférence tenu à l’occasion de la Semaine de la PME.

Sujets : 

BDC , Fonds , Google , TIC , Canada , Québec

Le représentant de la BDC, d’entrée de jeu, a indiqué que le Canada accusait un important retard concernant la productivité. «Ça se dégrade. Parmi les facteurs qui expliquent la situation, le nombre disproportionné de petites entreprises et le fait que les entreprises investissent beaucoup moins en équipements et en TIC. Il existe un lien entre le taux d’investissement en TIC et le faible niveau de productivité», a expliqué le conférencier.

Voilà notamment, a-t-il dit, ce qui explique pourquoi la BDC vient d’annoncer la création d’un Fonds de 200 M $ sous forme de prêts pour aider les entrepreneurs à s’équiper en technologies de l’information et de la communication. «Nous voulons favoriser les investissements dans les TIC, soutenir les entreprises canadiennes, assurer un service de consultation pour aider les entreprises. Parce que, selon un sondage, les entrepreneurs demandent à 64% qu'on les aide pour leur présence sur le Web», a fait savoir M. Goyette.

Le même sondage révèle que 75% des entrepreneurs considèrent les TIC comme étant importantes ou très importantes pour favoriser l'innovation en entreprise. Et 49% d'entre eux ont dit prévoir investir dans les TIC. «Il y a de l'espoir, il y a une intention des entrepreneurs», a signalé le spécialiste.

Mais, a-t-il insisté plus d'une fois, une stratégie Web s'impose pour les entreprises. «Il le faut pour soutenir le site Web. Internet a beaucoup évolué tout en faisant évoluer la société. Internet a changé la manière dont les entreprises s'affichent. Aujourd'hui, a dit André Goyette, les entreprises doivent s'arranger pour que les clients puissent les trouver.»

Et «s'arranger pour se faire voir» requiert, selon lui, une stratégie pour optimiser les moteurs de recherche. «On perd 85% de chance de se faire voir si on ne figure pas dans la première page d'un moteur de recherche comme Google, par exemple, a-t-il soutenu. Un site Web, c'est une place d'affaires à gérer. Et pour ce faire, il existe des outils. Je suis étonné de voir qu'un grand nombre de sites de PME ne sont pas gérés, ne font pas l'objet d'une gestion active. Ce n'est pas étonnant alors qu'ils n'aient pas de retour sur leurs investissements.»

• 
• 

André Goyette note qu'Internet peut aider les entreprises à réduire certains coûts, comme le service à la clientèle. Internet a redéfini la façon de faire des affaires, mais une stratégie, un plan d'action s'impose. «Sinon, le site ne demeure qu'une brochure électronique perdue dans le cyberespace», a-t-il fait remarquer.

L'expert en la matière a exposé à l'auditoire différents cas d'entreprises qui ont connu une croissance grâce à Internet. «Mais l'optimisation des moteurs de recherche constitue un art, une science, une discipline qui s'effectue en mode continu, a-t-il observé. Il vaut mieux confier la tâche à un spécialiste. Un site Web doit être aussi mis à jour fréquemment.»

Les médias sociaux

Le conférencier n'a pas manqué aussi d'insister sur l'importance des réseaux sociaux, les Facebook, Twitter et compagnie.

«Ils s'y brassent des affaires considérables. On en est au tout début. C'est le moment d'agir. N'ignorez plus les médias sociaux», a-t-il lancé.

«C'est à la portée de tous, a-t-il poursuivi. On peut gagner si on le fait comme il faut. Il est possible de réduire les coûts et d'augmenter les affaires avec une bonne stratégie Web.»

D'où l'importance d'engager d'abord l'architecte avant le constructeur, a-t-il imagé. «Les projets Web exigent une approche multidisciplinaire, un travail d'équipe», a-t-il précisé.

Son organisation, la BDC, propose, a-t-il dit, des services de consultation, d'accompagnement et un carrefour techno au www.bdc.ca/carrefourtechno où il est notamment possible d'obtenir en ligne des évaluations de sites Web et des TIC.

10 Tactics for a more successful 2011

I am reproducing an interesting article I found on BDC.ca
http://www.bdc.ca/en/advice_centre/articles/Pages/10_tips_to_meet_success_in_2011.aspx

Enjoy the reading...


If you’ve ever made a New Year’s resolution that lasted all of one day, you know making positive life changes is tough. For time-pressed entrepreneurs, the challenge of making changes in their business can be equally or even more daunting.


Financial Post columnist Rick Spence has referred to the problem as “entrepreneur inertia” — the tendency of business owners to not follow through on good ideas. Consultants are all too familiar with the phenomenon: they spend long hours with entrepreneur clients fine-tuning a strategic or marketing plan only to find out a few months later that the document has sat on a shelf.

Whether entrepreneurs are any worse than your average mortal is a matter for debate. However, there is no doubt that one way to combat the problem is to start small and build momentum for bigger changes.

Here are 10 tactics you can do right away to set your company up for a more prosperous 2011.


1. Call your banker — Regardless of whether you’re in the market for a loan or not, it’s a good policy to keep in touch with your banker. Build trust and credibility by keeping your banker up to date on developments in the business including realistic short and long-term cash flow projections. That kind of transparency can make all the difference when your business hits a bump in the road and you need some leeway.

2. Develop a cash-flow planner — Using a software tool or a simple spreadsheet, take an hour and record your month-opening bank account balance and all anticipated cash inflows and outflows. Then, each day for 30 days, track your cash as it comes in and goes out. Once you’ve done it for a month, you’re on your way to developing a healthy habit. Your cash-flow planner will help you stay on top of problems and make adjustments, such as delaying discretionary payments.

3. Follow the ABCDs of improving your marketing — BDC marketing consultant Jennifer Galley says her top marketing tip for entrepreneurs is ABCD—Always Be Communicating your Difference. It’s a simple acronym, but critically important to marketing success. A company should consistently express the unique value of its offering as part of every marketing tactic. “In my consulting experience, many companies have a real challenge in understanding and expressing their ABCDs, no matter what industry they're in,” says Galley, who advises clients in Vancouver. “I have also consistently seen that those entrepreneurs who put the time and effort into doing it right generate significant market impact.” So, figure out what your company’s “secret sauce” is and then push it relentlessly.

4. Get started on a tech makeover — Many entrepreneurs find technology to be a costly and confusing pain in the neck. But information and communications technologies can be a key to more efficiency, growth and profits. So figure out how you can make better use of technology in your business by starting with an inventory of your current systems. Then, list problems and opportunities in line with your strategic plan. Before investing, make sure you get some guidance from an independent tech expert on your needs and take the time to request detailed proposals from a number of vendors.

5. Focus on your team — Your most valuable resource is your people and no one is too far down the line to provide meaningful input. One method is to focus your team on the biggest challenge you are facing each week. In your weekly staff meeting, ask everyone for their ideas on how to meet the challenge and what their contribution will be. Create a timeline and make the goals and responsibilities visible, for example on a flipchart in the staff room. Everyone will feel included and will remain focused on the company’s highest priorities.

6. Crown cash as king — Getting cash in the door faster is critical for your firm’s financial health. You should have a policy on payment terms and enforce it diligently on slow pokes. You can also consider rewarding fast-paying customers with a small discount. On the other hand, trusted suppliers can help your cash flow by extending payment terms. But it’s important to be the kind of customer you like to do business with. Protect your relationships with suppliers and your reputation by paying your bills on time.

7. Eliminate your worst customers — The customer is always right or so the old saw goes. In reality, smart entrepreneurs know that problem cases – the last-minute demanders, the constant complainers, the slow payers — often aren’t worth the expense and stress. Other customers may not fit into the segment you’re going after. If you can afford it, free them to patronize (or antagonize) another company and you will liberating yourself and your team up to improve service to your preferred customers while working on getting more just like them.

8. Bury your dead stock — Excess inventory is a drag on your cash. It may be painful, but it’s time to face up to facts and get aggressive in marking down and clearing the stuff out. You’ll feel better when it’s nothing but a memory and some cash in your bank account. Consider offering dead stock at a reduced price in combination with a purchase of a new product as a win-win for you and your customer.

9. Organize a sports day for your employees — There are many ways to encourage employee engagement. One fun idea is to organize a sports day where employees can build team spirit in a non-work environment. Make sure to get workers involved in organizing the event and offer a variety of activities to appeal to different interests and fitness levels including something light and relaxing for those who aren’t into sports. You can wrap things up with a shared meal.

10. Get clear for a new year — Many successful companies make business planning an annual activity. It gives management a chance to work on the business and to re-focus on strategies that deliver long-term growth. If you do not have a business or strategic plan then it is time to create one. Be clear on what your core business is and why customers will choose to buy from you.

Strategic planning: big gains for entrepreneurs

In my role as a Senior Manager Consulting for BDC I meet with many entrepreneurs every week. I am observing that many if not most do not have a formal  and documented strategic plan. They are managing their business by the seat of their pants, chasing business opportunities in all directions and going to one crisis to the next. This opportunistic approach to management is often causing them to make errors, poor choices in resources allocations, burning energy and cash as they go.

From time to time entrepreneurs should take a step back and take some time to work «on the business» not just «in the business», and reflect on their priorities, objectives and on the best way to achieve them.

Just as we make new year resolutions in our private lives, business owners would be well advised to take a litle bit of time to reflect on their businesses.

I am reproducing here after an article on the subject of Strategic Planning which I believe is ritht on.
Please contact me if you would like to discuss the subject in more details.


from BDC.ca
http://www.bdc.ca/EN/advice_centre/self_management/Pages/RelatedArticles.aspx?PATH=/EN/advice_centre/articles/Pages/strat_planning.aspx


As the economy heads into recovery, entrepreneurs should be gearing up for growth. That makes it an excellent time to put strategic planning at the top of the agenda.


"Strategic planning means looking at where you want your company to be in the next 3-to-5 years and determining what you need to do to get there," BDC Consulting manager Nyron Drepaul says. "Whether it's buying a competitor, increasing your capital or aiming for higher growth, you need the right strategies, structure, plans and controls in place to optimize the return on your investment."

A common misconception is that strategic planning is only for large companies. But the reality is that most businesses can greatly benefit from the exercise.

"If you're always busy putting out fires, you may feel you have no time for planning," Drepaul says. "But by developing big-picture strategies to guide your day-to-day operations and setting goals, you're no longer flying blind. A long-term plan simply increases your chances of success."

Another reason for entrepreneurs to make strategic planning a priority is that it reduces risk, particularly in periods of economic uncertainty. "As part of the process, you'll be assessing your current situation, resources, strengths and weaknesses, competitors and the business environment. This way, you will be better equipped to make decisions and therefore to minimize risk."


For Drepaul, strategic planning also helps entrepreneurs to shake things up a little. "It's a way to rekindle the entrepreneurial drive that got you started in the first place. For example, you may have started out with a dream of a $10-million business with stores all over the world. But along the way, you got distracted by daily challenges, lost sight of that dream and settled for less than your true potential."

"Strategic planning reignites that passion for what you're doing. If you have a real plan with goals, it's very rewarding to achieve each milestone. That sense of satisfaction builds the momentum you need to push even further."

Drepaul recommends entrepreneurs involve their employees in the strategic planning exercise, particularly in smaller companies. When employees contribute, they take ownership of the plan and help you reach your goals, he says. "This builds enthusiasm in your company and gets everybody on the same page." For example, entrepreneurs can ask employees to brainstorm about a company's strengths and weaknesses. After all, your staff knows your company inside out.

A crucial part of successful strategic planning is to ensure you seek an external, objective point of view. Most small businesses don't have the resources and expertise in-house to guide them through the strategic planning process. "A consultant can give you a fresh perspective on your business, help you envision the future you want and define your long-term goals," Drepaul says. "An expert can also ensure you follow a rigorous plan with clear timelines and assigned responsibilities.

"It's about getting you thinking differently about your company and bringing you closer to achieving your dreams."

At a glance

Strategic planning enables you to:

• Envision your company's future over the next 3 to 5 years

• Define your long-term goals

• Assess your current environment, as well as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

• Develop strategies and tactics to address any identified problems

• Assign timelines and responsibilities to turn your plan into reality

• Reduce the risk of doing business based on better decisions and achieve your company's potential

Your guide to better sales performance

Following is a copy of an article puplished on http://www.bdc.ca/ to which I collaborated.

Your guide to better sales performance

You’re half-way through the quarter and one of your sales representatives is not delivering. You want to correct the situation but you have nothing on paper setting out the person’s targets. Like many entrepreneurs, you may be making a common error —trying to run a business without a sales plan.


“You can’t manage results. You can only manage the activities that lead to those results,” says André Goyette, Senior Manager, BDC Consulting. “A sales plan is focused on how you’re going to specifically reach your sales goals, whether it’s by acquiring new business or by growing existing business.”

“A sales plan is a practical tool that you can use to proactively manage your sales team and document what is expected of them,” he says. “If it’s not written down, it’s not going to happen.”


Goyette provides these pointers to put together a winning sales plan:



•Make sure your plan is simple, concise and easily revised. Keep in mind that it’s a document you need to revisit on a regular basis in order to track ongoing performance.

•Stick to what is measurable, so that you can easily monitor progress, i.e. number of calls, prospects, account reviews, client referrals and leads.

•Along with company-wide sales strategy, be sure that every sales team member has an individual sales plan. Consider key factors such as the nature of the territory and sales representative experience. Adjust goals accordingly.

•Ask sales team members to devise their individual sales plans; this ensures that they are accountable for their commitments and helps them set realistic and attainable goals.

•Ensure each sales team member develops specific tactics; i.e. “I will hold 12 seminars in order to attract 136 potential clients.”

Or, “I will send 35 letters a month to existing clients to offer them our new product.”

•Ensure your sales people have “stretch” goals that challenge them personally and keep your business growing.

•The plan should have the right balance of “hunting”, which is acquiring new business, and “farming”, which is developing existing business with current clients. “Farming” can be a more cost-effective use of your sales team’s time because the client relationship has already been established.

•Don’t forget the skills development component of your plan. You should document what skills your sales people need to improve in order to bring your company more business. For example, a team member might need stronger presentation or negotiation skills. They can then seek out seminars or other learning opportunities to develop those skills.

•Take advantage of sales plan templates on the web to get you started.

Un sondage de BDC démontre que 46 % des entrepreneurs se fixent des cibles de croissance des revenus d’au moins 10 %

Les résultats détaillés du sondage sont disponibles sur le site Web de la Semaine de la PMEMD de BDC, à l’adresse www.bdc.ca/fr/sbw2010/pages/medias.html.



Un sondage de BDC démontre que 46 % des entrepreneurs se fixent des cibles de croissance des revenus d’au moins 10 %



Faits saillants du sondage



Une vaste majorité (78 %) des entrepreneurs affirment que la croissance de leur entreprise est importante pour eux.

• Les propriétaires d’entreprise canadiens sont optimistes en matière de croissance. Presque la moitié (46 %) d’entre eux visent une augmentation d’au moins 10 % de leurs revenus l’an prochain. Les cibles de croissance varient toutefois d'une région à l'autre. En Ontario, 18 % des entrepreneurs visent une hausse élevée des revenus de 20 % ou plus; dans les provinces de l’Atlantique cette proportion descend à 3 %.

• La taille de l’entreprise et le secteur d’activité influencent considérablement le désir de croissance. Les propriétaires des entreprises qui comptent 50 à 499 employés accordent plus d'importance à la croissance que les propriétaires des entreprises qui comptent 1 à 4 employés. Les entrepreneurs qui aspirent le plus à la croissance œuvrent dans les secteurs suivants : médias et culture, fabrication ainsi que transport et entreposage.

• Les entrepreneurs estiment que l’amélioration de la productivité générale et l’accès à de nouveaux marchés sont les mesures les plus efficaces pour favoriser la croissance d’une entreprise.

Montreal, le 21 octobre 2010 – La Banque de développement du Canada (BDC) a dévoilé aujourd’hui le troisième volet d’un sondage visant à mieux comprendre l’expérience et les intentions des entrepreneurs en matière d’investissement, d’innovation, et de croissance. Réalisé par Opinion Publique Angus Reid, le sondage a notamment démontré que 78 % des entrepreneurs croient que la croissance de leur entreprise est importante. À peine 6 % affirment qu’elle ne l’est pas. Les données du sondage ont été dévoilées dans le cadre de la Semaine de la PMEMD, qui se déroule du 17 au 23 octobre afin de célébrer l’entrepreneuriat canadien.



Près de la moitié (46 %) des entrepreneurs visent une croissance des revenus pour la prochaine année de 10 % ou plus. Plus précisément :

• 22 % ont un objectif de croissance de 10 à 14,9 %

• 9 % visent une croissance entre 15 et 19,9 %

• 15 % ont un objectif élevé de 20 % et plus (18 % en Ontario, mais seulement 3 % dans les provinces de l’Atlantique, ont un tel objectif)

« Contrairement à certaines idées reçues, la grande majorité des entrepreneurs canadiens ont soif de croissance, a constaté Jean-René Halde, président et chef de la direction de BDC. Quand on sait que près de 98 % des entreprises canadiennes sont petites, c'est-à-dire avec moins de 100 employés, et que la compétitivité est souvent fonction de la taille, il est encourageant de constater que nos entrepreneurs gardent le cap sur la croissance. »



Le désir de croissance varie en fonction de la taille de l’entreprise et le secteur d’activité. Les entrepreneurs dont l’entreprise compte 50 à 499 employés sont plus nombreux à considérer la croissance comme importante. C’est le cas de 89 % d’entre eux, comparativement à 82 % pour les propriétaires d’entreprise comptant 5 à 49 employés, et à 75 % pour les propriétaires d’entreprise comptant 1 à 4 employés. La croissance semble plus importante aux yeux de 96 % des entrepreneurs qui travaillent dans le secteur des médias et de la culture, de 92 % de ceux du secteur de la fabrication, et 90 % de ceux du secteur transport et entreposage.



Des mesures pour favoriser la croissance

Pour favoriser la croissance de leur entreprise, les entrepreneurs considèrent qu’améliorer leur productivité (23 %) et accéder à de nouveaux marchés (22 %) seraient les mesures les plus efficaces. Les entrepreneurs considèrent également que développer de nouveaux produits et services (16 %) et embaucher plus de travailleurs qualifiés (16 %) pourraient également s’avérer bénéfiques pour la croissance de leur entreprise. Comparativement à la moyenne nationale, les entrepreneurs du Québec sont plus nombreux à mentionner le développement de nouveaux produits et services comme une mesure bénéfique à leur croissance (27 %).



Trouver des moyens d’accéder à de nouveaux marchés est particulièrement important pour les entrepreneurs du secteur de la fabrication (37 %). Embaucher davantage de travailleurs qualifiés est plus important pour les entrepreneurs du secteur de la construction (29 %).



« Les entrepreneurs sont optimistes par nature. Ils préfèrent voir le verre à moitié plein plutôt qu’à moitié vide et ne se laissent pas facilement décourager par les aléas de l’économie, a déclaré Jean-René Halde. Compte tenu du rôle clé que jouent les PME dans la création d’emploi et de richesse au pays, il sera crucial de redoubler d’efforts pour soutenir les entrepreneurs dans leurs projets de croissance. »



Méthode de sondage

Le sondage de BDC a été mené en ligne auprès des Canadiens participant au panel Forum Angus Reid, parmi lesquels des entrepreneurs ont été choisis au hasard. Les Canadiens propriétaires d’entreprise comptant de 1 à 499 employés ont été invités à remplir le sondage, entre le 15 et le 23 juin 2010. Un total de 830 personnes de toutes les provinces et de tous les territoires l’ont fait (taux de réponse de 33 %). La marge d’erreur maximale pour un échantillon de 830 répondants serait de ± 3,4 points de pourcentage, à un niveau de confiance de 95 %. Les résultats ont été pondérés en fonction des régions et du nombre d’employés pour demeurer représentatifs des PME canadiennes.



Les résultats détaillés du sondage sont disponibles sur le site Web de la Semaine de la PMEMD de BDC, à l’adresse www.bdc.ca/fr/sbw2010/pages/medias.html.

Using social media to find top recruits

from bdc.ca

Canadian businesses face a paradox. While unemployment remains high, employers can't find the skilled people they need. Can technology turn the tide?




Entrepreneurs who know how to use social media — or are willing to learn — will find that interactive Internet technologies are good for much more than telling the world what you had for lunch. Interactive communications tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook and even Twitter can help you identify great people sooner, become a talent magnet, and weed out people who don't fit your workplace culture.



Business-focused sites such as LinkedIn and Plaxo, as well as industry-specific online forums, can connect you to potential candidates whose intelligence, drive and experience make them likely to succeed in your organization. How do you identify these people?

• Join industry forums and regional business discussion groups. Follow online discussions, or start conversations of your own, and you’ll connect with many smart, outgoing people who you can then arrange to meet offline.

• Many of these sites contain detailed resumes or descriptions of current activities. Use these databases as your own HR search engines. Want a CFO with big-firm experience, or a programmer who knows Apple apps? Instead of posting ads or hiring recruiters, you can now find and pitch these experts directly.

• Even ads are more effective with social media. Social sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn let you reach the market you’re targeting, whether it’s accountants, geological engineers or sales managers in Winnipeg. By purchasing specific demographics or keywords, you can target qualified candidates for a fraction of the cost of a traditional search. Using LinkedIn ads, one Montreal entrepreneur recently hired two hard-to-find technicians for about $500, one-twentieth of what he usually spends on a specialist recruiter.

Filter out bad candidates

You can also use social media to help to weed out unsuitable candidates. Employers have always complained about candidates who interview well, but don't have the underlying character they need. A recent study showed that 45% of North American employers are now using social media tools such as Facebook to learn more about promising candidates.



With more than 500 million active users, there’s a good chance many of your candidates are on Facebook — and as the site relaxes its default privacy settings, it’s becoming easier to follow what members are doing and saying. Reviewing messages that candidates post to their Facebook friends can give you a better idea of what they're like “off-stage.” Many employers have found this a useful way to filter out immature candidates who lack a professional work ethic or communication skills.



You can also look up individuals on Twitter, LinkedIn and other sites to get additional insight into their “candid” character.



Once you find good people, you still have to sell them on joining your company. So use social media to position your business as the place to be. Encourage staff to blog about their work, and why your company is so cool. Create Twitter streams for your company or products that let customers, suppliers, employees and potential employees know about your market-leading initiatives, and what makes it a fulfilling place at which to work. Ask a staffer to put up a company page (a mini-website) on Facebook as a place for employees and customers to share their ideas and enthusiasms.



How do you find the content to fill those channels? You can announce new products, introduce new employees, report on company events or comment on industry trends. Just make sure that all your communications consistently represent the company as you want it to be seen: a market leader, a positive member of the community and a satisfying place to work. Because great employees want nothing less — while you're Facebooking them, they're Googling you.