Do you ‘Tweet’? It sounds like a pick up line. However, the new tools of social media marketing like Twitter, Facebook, Linked-in and the rest are more than just a passing fad.

Social Media Marketing is opening up a whole new world of selling for organizations and businesses, including small businesses.

Social media marketing, social network marketing or social level marketing is an advertising method that makes use of a social or professional network to increase a Web presence. It can range from direct advertising on social networking sites like Facebook, to viral marketing that spreads through Web, e-mail and word of mouth to increase “brand identity.”

I’ve been reluctant to give in to the new wave of marketing, but I am secretly enticed and drawn to the buzz and immediate gratification of social media marketing.

But what is all this tweeting about? Recently, I was fortunate to attend a workshop at the Sustainable Enterprise Conference,  presented by Joey Shepp founder and co-owner of Earthsite, an online marketing for a sustainable planet company. Shepp’s presentation provided a background to the new wave of social media marketing, and ideas on how a small business owner can effectively utilize Internet social media to sustain and grow your own brand identity.

Social media marketing “SMM” is also known as a “disruptive technology.”

A disruptive technology is an innovation that improves and product or service in a way that we did not expect. A good example is how advertising dollars flocked to Facebook when it grew from $100 million to $200 million. Social media marketing is growing faster than any other area of marketing. The disruption is SMM has changed the game rules. Now, masses are able to brand and market themselves through Internet media sites.

According to Shepp, “SMM is ‘new school’ where the message comes from the bottom up; as opposed to old school marketing that dictates messages from top to bottom. SMM provides a venue for a conversation via new media. SMM is open world, open culture, open brand and more transparent than the old style of marketing.”

In short, social media is based on a culture of transparency and openness. It is not for the shy and meek of heart; it is ruthlessly honest.

Social media marketing has many benefits.

It’s relatively inexpensive. It allows customers to give immediate feedback, allowing for new innovation. It provides a venue for a dialogue with your customers. It is green and does not use a lot of resources. It is easily measurable through brand metrics. Small business owners and large corporations are using this tool to build loyal customer networks.

Social media marketing is here to stay. Business owners should consider how it can be a benefit to them.

To learn more, take advantage of the workshops the Napa Chamber and Napa Valley College Small Business Development Center are providing.

For more information call the SBDC at 253-3210, or e-mail epratt@napavalley.edu and find me on Linked-In. I’m still working on the Twittering.