Unless you have managed to avoid turning on your computer, television and radio for the past several years, you already know that social networking is probably the biggest thing to hit the web since AOL popularized the online experience in 1996.

Some of the most talked about social sites are Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter.  Facebook claims to have over 500 million ACTIVE users worldwide, LinkedIn claims 75 million, Twitter claims over 125 million, and YouTube claims to be the second largest search engine, just behind it’s parent, Google.

In all probability, you are a member of Facebook and probably LinkedIn too.  I am sure that in the last 30 days that you have viewed at least one YouTube video, and you may even have fired off a tweet or two.

But, like many, you may not be aware of the tremendous marketing opportunities that these social sites offer to you.

If you are a real estate professional or a small business owner, you already know that business has dropped off considerably these past few years because of the economic mess that has caused many consumers to put purchases and moves on hold.

Yet traditional advertising is expensive and doesn’t yield the results that it used to in the past.

Here is where your adoption of social media advertising and marketing can save the day.  With so much of our population on Facebook, and so many people viewing YouTube videos (Over 2 billion views per month according to YouTube) it’s imperative that you learn how to utilize these methods.

There is a caveat however, improper use of the tools, coming on heavy handed and failing to be attentive to the “conversation” can work against you quickly and decisively.

You need a coach, a pathfinder if you will, to show you the way.  That would be me.

In the Fall of 2007 I started evangelizing the use of podcasting to the management of the large, nationwide real estate company that employed me.  The concept was so new, and my understanding was imperfect, and I failed to sway the company.  Like many companies, they did not see the change that was coming and persisted on redoubling their efforts on methods that had worked in the past. They kept chasing fewer clients by spending large amounts of money on traditional advertising methods.  Ultimately, they sold the company and are no longer in the residential resale business. I still believe that they would not have left the real estate business if I had been able to be more persuasive.  By now they could have been the leader in real estate in using social media because they would have attracted some of the best minds to help them get there.

Fast forward 3 years and there is no question that social networking has become mainstream.  The only question is whether or not you will pick up the tools and use them to your advantage.

Because my own personal social media marketing journey that was more of a hit or miss experience, I started a new service which I have placed on line at http://www.SMMinteractive.com.  My hope is that the lessons, techniques, processes, failures and ultimately successes that I have learned can be useful to you.

Please go there and look through what I have online.  See if it makes sense to you and then please click the Facebook “Like” button there and if you have a Twitter account, please click the Tweet button as well and help me get the word out.

Here’s what’s in it for you: Your understanding and use of social media marketing can be the difference between being in business in the future, or learning how to ask “Would you like fries with that?”

I can help you promote your business on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter in an ethical, responsible and effective manner.  You already know what to do when a customer shows up, let me help you get them to show up!

Three years from now you don’t want to be looking back at the Fall of 2010 and saying to yourself “I wish that I had taken action…”