Four years ago social networking was the preserve of teens and students with nothing better to do with their time. Now social networking sites are vital networking tools, within the space of a few short years every man and his dog are on facebook. Although most people are using social networking tools most people don't make effective use of this exciting new resource.

The key to using social networking sites to boost your business is to remember that your social networking presence must be an extension of your business' brand. The great thing about social networking sites are that they allow prospects to build a more informal connection with you. However, many business people go so far as forgetting that they can use social networking to promote themselves and their business. This is a terrible mistake. It is often said that the secret of successful business is all about building relationships. This is an easy and effective way of building relationships with people that may be interested in your products and services, you would have to be mad not to use it!

If you bear this in mind then you already have an advantage over most others that use social networking sites. What this means is that you must ensure that people are aware of what your business is, what you specialise in and how you can help them out. Don't go overboard or be pushy but ensure that people can easily identify you with your business. This is the end product you are aiming for: brand recognition.

The main social networking sites that any self respecting business person worth their salt should be signed up to are Facebook,Twitter and LinkedIn. Their may even be sites specific to your industry that contain social networking elements which could provide you with useful contacts. Take a look around and see what you can find! Of the three main sites LinkedIn is the most business oriented, this is explicitly designed to provide business people with networking opportunities. The other two, twitter and facebook, are used by a wide range of people for all sorts of reasons. There is no harm in using all three. One of the best uses of these social networking sites is to maintain contact with past clients, these are the people that know the quality of service that you offer, these are the people that you know are interested in your product, these are the people most valuable to you and your business.

Get involved in groups and discussions that are relevant to you and your business. If you can contribute something relevant or show your expertise then do it! Interaction is important, identify people that also regularly post on topics that you post on or that seem to have the same business interests and talk to them! Even if they don't turn into prospects it gives you the chance to put your brand out there. Taking an interest in conversations and posts on social networking sites is also a great way of keeping your ear to the ground about what your target market or other professionals in your field are thinking.

There are a wide range of reasons to be enthusiastic about social networking as a means of enhancing the effectiveness of your brand, you may be surprised at just what can be achieved for you and your business, the only way to found out what it can do is to log on and tune in! Remember, if you don't take advantage of the opportunities provided by social networking then others will. It is not necessary to spend every waking moment on social networking but for a small amount of time invested you could reap great rewards.