Biz Talk - Business Blog Roanoke and Beyond

Most people don't understand the power of social media.  They don't understand how blogging and other forms of social media can impact the business environment.  Viral Marketing is a marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily.  Let me show you direct proof of how an ongoing internet conversation can effect a topic or situation.  Imagine if this were your business and why you have to be cognizant of the affects, good or bad, it can have on your business.

I found this article in the Washington Post regarding the rage over the new drivers fee's invoked by the Virginia Legislators.  Marc Fisher reported…

Since when do ordinary people take up the cause of offenders such as the 5 percent of drivers who are eligible for abuser fees because of their bad records? Since when do Virginia's supposedly hard-core anti-tax voters slam their lawmakers for avoiding a general tax increase by slipping in fees aimed at some small group?
Well, since the Internet changed the speed and power flow in politics, says Del. David Albo, the Fairfax Republican who finds himself the target of much of the popular rage.

Fisher added..

In the wild world of Virginia political blogs, that made Albo Public Enemy No. 1 — accused of concocting a dishonest way to raise money for transportation projects, making it extra unfair by exempting out-of-state drivers from the fees and topping it off by working in a field in which he stood to profit from an increase in court battles over these fees.

Social Media is changing the landscape of our politics as well as how we do business.  This is what we call viral marketing.  Several months back Roanoke Biz2Biz hosted a social media workshop where I explained about the Power Of Blogs. (see my white paper Blogs - Your Power Marketing Tool) 

You can accept it or not, but this is a part of your future.  Five years ago, few took a serious look at a Google search as a marketing tool.  Look at them now!  If you don't have a top ranking in Google you can bet your competitor does!  

Blogging has grown into a powerful venue for businesses to gain valuable exposure.  Companies now use various forms of social media marketing to introduce new products and services, announce events and generate leads for their business.

It's YOUR choice, you can be pro-active and an innovator in incorporating social media into your marketing strategies or you can lag behind as your competitors evolve.

Tags: marketing, social media, social media marketing, business blogs, marketing strategy, viral marketing