Hi Dennis, thanks for stopping by. Yes FROST certainly has a product/situation that lends itself to utilizing social media effectively. Talking passionately about unique doughnut flavors is probably more likely then log style products (only because of the wider target market), but I think you can still find a niche that works for you. Having a Facebook page is a start for sure and connecting with existing satisfied customers will get you going. I'd also become a frequent user of Twitter Search (http://search.twitter.com/), and create feeds of queries that match your business. Then you can respond quickly to those posting questions, or wanting certain items that relate to what you offer.

Also don't be afraid to ask ALL your customers if they are on Facebook and/or Twitter and ask to connect with them. It might take you longer to build a FROST like following, but patience and persistance will pay off.

If you ever want to further the discussion feel free to reach out to me.

Oh definitely, lots of automated followers. Certainly I hope that by following someone they'll return the favor, but my goal is that those that I'm following will have valuable and relevant info to share and vice versa. It's not an exact science by any means. Hell, I've got my fair share of garbage needing taking out.

Thanks for stopping by Barbra. Couldn't agree more, however there are flocks of individuals who are "automating" the process and branding themselves as social media experts. While I don't think engaging in social media activities is rocket science, it certainly takes more expertise then a large Twitter following.

By the way, absolutely love your blog design. Very unique, and different approach. I'm sold!

Good points. I think it just comes down to how individuals (or businesses) decide on their strategy to build out their follower base. A slow, methodical approach to ensure those following are relevant, or a shotgun approach. It certainly can vary depending on the individual or business, but I still think investing the time strategically to grow your following will pay off larger dividends over the long term. I certainly think you can do both, but sacrificing quality for quantity would be a mistake.

Very interesting stuff. I should look into this as working out of the house is starting to get old real quick!

Thanks Josh. Be sure to leave contact info here with your post.

Great points. I think Joomla is a great option, but a steep learning curve for those not having much open source software experience. Plus I feel like their admin UI is really bloated and confusing. They need to simplify that.

I'll have to check out uservoice.

True on the Big 3. It may very well be that some businesses find that not all 3 make sense, but to clarify on my point, it's those 3 that a business should focus on in terms of where to start whether it's using all 3 or just a combination of.

Ning does have it's drawbacks, but what I think it offers is the easiest out of the box solution. I think most people don't have the experience, time and knowledge to handle software like Dolphin. I think like Joomla, it requires some user savvy that only time and experience with those platforms can bring. Definitely worth it though for those that can consider it.

Thanks Reggie. I'm no expert, but those are the things I've found to be useful for business.

"I see three of 'em"
"Hit the one in the middle"
"Right!, hit the one in the middle!"