For many social network marketing involves joining any of the available online communities, making contact with members and 'blazing' away with your promotional arsenal. What is wrong with this approach is that more times than not it will take you a long time to get results. You must first start with the recognition that online social networking requires a more personal and casual approach in order to successfully connect with others. Secondly, if you have got a business to run than you must learn to make the best use of your time! In order to do this, effective social marketing strategies must be developed and implemented so time and effort is not wasted.

Here are 5 suggested social marketing strategies you can use to help you make the best use of your time and energy when working within any of these online communities. After all, time is money, right?

Locate Your 'Target' Audience

Find what social sites your target audience congregates at and join if you are not already a member. Online social networking communities for the most part contain a very large cross section of people with varying interests and even socioeconomic profiles. Your aim is to locate those people who have the 'profile' that matches up well with what you offer.

'Nail' Your Bio

Putting together your bio is very important from the standpoint that you want it to be professional while also reflecting a little about you as a person. This is something people can see even if they do not have direct communications with you. Remember these are online communities that revolve around sharing interest and ideas with one another. With that said it is therefore common for people to check out the bio of another before deciding to 'engage' in conversation.

Plan Before Interacting

When using these online social networking sites for business purposes you need to be mindful of how you use your time. Remember you do have a business to run! Before engaging in any conversation have an idea of what it is you want to get out of the interaction. Are you just meeting someone for the first time, sharing an opinion during a conversation or promoting something. In any case you want to make the best use of your exchanges all the while maintaining a casual and friendly demeanor.

Understand the Environment

Some of these communities are more casual than others and may even cater to particular interests or have an expected codes of behavior. You need to be aware of how it is you are expected to act within the community and then act accordingly. In all cases, if you are there for business it is always recommended to behave in a professional manner since this is a reflection on not only you, but your business as well!

Know What is Appropriate

Even the 'niche' that you are working within at any given site will have its own 'unwritten' rules or parameters for expected behavior. These groups that form within online communities have banded together due to common bonds and interests. They will often have their own accepted behavioral patterns within the group itself. Identify through observation what these patterns are so that you can act in a manner that is most familiar and acceptable to the others. You want to gain acceptance (fit in) which will lead to familiarity allowing you to promote your goods and services more effectively.

The purpose behind social network marketing is to promote your business and increase your sales, however, tact must be used when working any of these online communities. Recognition that online social networking is primarily about meeting new people and making friends is the key! As an internet marketer, failure to do so will only extend the time and effort it will take to gain any 'success' from your efforts! The 5 suggested social marketing strategies reviewed above serve to help you better plan both your approach and determine the potential any particular site may hold for your business. By implementing these simple strategies you can save yourself much time and wasted effort since as we have already stated above, time is money!