You can’t run from it: Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other social networking tools are everywhere these days. They’ve even made a movie about it: “The Social Network”, the story of the Harvard University students who launched Facebook, premiered in theaters on October 1.

Yet you still may ask why you, as a retailer or restaurant operator, should extend your social networking activities beyond your personal life by using Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or the like to promote your business. Here are just a few reasons to “get networking”:

1. It attracts new customers. Just like celebrities, businesses can create “fan” pages on Facebook that existing customers can, on their own pages, indicate that they “like”. If a social media “contact” of “Customer X” notices that he or she is a fan of your business, that person is likely to view your page—and your business—and become your customer as well.

2. It gives you an edge over the unknown. Interacting with consumers on “fan” pages may not translate into immediate sales at a retail store or visits to a restaurant. However, if potential customers have been “engaging” with you and your business online, they will be more likely to seek you out to fulfill a need when it does arise.

3. It enhances your long-term branding efforts and reputation. Social media can help build and manage your brand’s status among core audiences. Urban Outfitters has a major, active presence across the big social networking sites, YouTube, etc. Conducted correctly, social networking offers a great extension of your branded customer experience.

4. It expands the reach of your customer loyalty program. Linking social networking with your loyalty program by automatically posting updates to participants’ social networking sites whenever they purchase something from your store or eat in your restaurant gives your customers’ online social contacts yet another reason to “check out” your business so they can start earning rewards themselves.

pcAmerica can help you jump on this bandwagon and integrate your loyalty program with your social networking component. Visit www.pcamerica.com to learn more.