I'm researching the opinions and experiences of business people on the topic of social networking for an article. If anyone can answer the following questions I'd be grateful.

How much of an impact does social networking have on your business in both B2C and B2B marketing and joint ventures?

What social networking techniques and tools do you use and which two would you find the most useful.

I'd like to include comments from businesspeople and while I have several lined up if I spot anything particularly relevant I would be asking the author if I could quote them.

All contributors will be duely noted and linked.

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Heels to Boot - Eccentric Eclectic's unit!
Genkii Design Solutions - The green kooshball commands you!
L33tmonkey - More fun than a monkey with a shotgun
Learning 4 Ever - Changing the Face of Business

I haven't tried social networking yet, to a high level of it anyways. I've put my name about on a few social groups online and added a link to my site here and there and received some fairly good feedback and hits. A few sales have came from it also, in a way this could be the way forward, but i can't really comment to be honest, it's not something I've ever tried to do.

i have done a bit test with orkut, works good, have seen some hits always coming from there. if you have lot of friends then it becomes much easy , more people visit your profile and you get maximum hits. though leads are fewer but it does work

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Trade Huge
Business, Finance & trade news, info

Thanks guys, I also meant networking in terms of events, partnerships and affiliations with other businesses and business people, not just the dedicated sites for it.

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Heels to Boot - Eccentric Eclectic's unit!
Genkii Design Solutions - The green kooshball commands you!
L33tmonkey - More fun than a monkey with a shotgun
Learning 4 Ever - Changing the Face of Business

for that matter i am yet to do anything, its hard to go offline and spend time , as most work is quicker via the net,

i have been to few trade exhibitions, responce was okay types, was wondering at times i should have my stall up there.

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Trade Huge
Business, Finance & trade news, info

Networking works pretty good for us. Almost our customers come from word-of-mouth networking

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Houston Website Designer
http://www.texwebdesign.com

Thanks for that. Do you use any social networking sites or attend any events? Is there a specific technique for social networking you find most useful, such as alliances with bloggers or forums or referral programs?

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Heels to Boot - Eccentric Eclectic's unit!
Genkii Design Solutions - The green kooshball commands you!
L33tmonkey - More fun than a monkey with a shotgun
Learning 4 Ever - Changing the Face of Business

LOL, "doing business on MySpace." Well, MySpace is used to market businesses... bands, comedians.. etc :P

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- WAPages

http://www.WAPages.net

Lets not talk about myspace. It's a valid resource an' all, but it just bugs me >.<'

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Heels to Boot - Eccentric Eclectic's unit!
Genkii Design Solutions - The green kooshball commands you!
L33tmonkey - More fun than a monkey with a shotgun
Learning 4 Ever - Changing the Face of Business

It's depend on the type of your business/who are your customers. Since Our customers are small business, so local chamber of commerce/ workshop /business forum/even/show biz .. are good place for us to buid our network

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Houston Website Designer
http://www.texwebdesign.com