They all work but it's the guy doing the cooking that makes the difference. The balance between each, complementing the different inputs and understanding how much weight to place where. The web is as powerful as it is diverse and the one thing that is still in short supply, that is missing, is that personal interface.

Quote Originally Posted by Blurock View Post
...... but preferably I would ask the neighbours for a recommendation.
This is what we are looking for and don't get from Facebook, Linked In and even Google. And the question I always want to ask but am ignoring, is how relevant is mobi? Maybe I shouldn't. But how does one decide? And I believe the best policy is to wait for the dust to settle and then figure out what should, by then, be obvious.

A web site is an essential business tool and you have to make sure Google knows where to find you. But it is not a stand-alone solution. It is a fishing float that bobs on the water until you take your eye off it. Look at it as just some more sign writing that you have to do, a shop frontage. Keep it current, use it but temper your expectations and understand you want to get to a point where you do as little as possible as often as possible. Advertise in your papers and use your web site to say everything you don't want to pay for in print.

You would be crazy not to use Facebook but it's value is limited. It's a glorified dating site and you have to figure out how involved you get. Find that one in a thousand profile who has the personality to draw the audience you are looking for and hang on to their coat tails. Most of us don't do aimless banter well, so cut what you do, to what you do well and recognise that the chances are, that you are going to waste more time than you should. Linked In is better for business but once again I find it directionless and Twitter is beyond my reach.

What you want to do in your spare time, when you are waiting for clients to call, is to secure leads. Leads are the life blood of any business. They have a value. So whilst you are hustling for the business that will keep food on your table think about spreading your net a bit further. This is what the web allows you to do. Ask yourself who is in a position to feed you business referrals and whilst you are trawling for customers you can service, see if you can't hook a few for them. These you can use to trade. And if it works you might find that it becomes a career changer.

The web with all it's different twists and turns is as fascinating as it is challenging.