Marketing.

• Position: SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE

Why social media?

It's important to have an integrated strategy attached to your social media. Here are some worthy marketing objectives where social media tactics can excel:

* Spread your content and expertise to new audiences

* Network with like-minded individuals and companies

* Build a community of evangelists

* Involve your customers and prospects in co-creation

* Reach new audiences in the exact way they choose to communicate

* Be seen as a thought leader in your industry

* Easily hear literally everything that's being said online about your brand, products, or industry

* Be seen as a trusted source of information

Source: Let's Talk: Social Media for Small Business

Tips for building a brand

Define the key messages you want to communicate about your brand--all employees should know them

Develop a tagline--a concise and memorable statement that captures the essence of your brand

Create brand standards for your marketing materials logos, color schemes, templates

Be consistent--it takes ongoing effort and time to develop a recognized brand

Deliver on your brand promise--your brand is ultimately defined by the experience your customers, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders have with your company.

Basic online market research resources

Hoover's (www.nclive.org)

Simply Map--psychographic and consumer expenditure data (www.nclive.org)

U.S. Census Bureau's...