Being more social also creates an environment where the consumer feels more comfortable. It’s like walking into a store and seeing friends chatting with the owner. You get an introduction, chat for a few minutes, and instantly you are more likely to ask questions, seek advice about a purchase, and make the deal. Need a new washing machine? Think about the scenario of going to a store where you’re Norman in Cheers and everyone knows your name or walking to the local Lowe’s and hoping the high school student has at least read the tags on the appliances. You will be more likely to go local if you see your friends have too. This is referral marketing at an advanced and automated level. Now the businesses must be creative in their use of this tool. The following are a few examples of how you can explore the Open Graph and Social Graph offerings from Facebook. Creative use of this technology will reap a multitude of benefits. As user behaviors continue to develop online, your site may encourage visitors to reach out to one of your mutual friends and ask about their experience. Imagine an “on-demand” testimonial system with the business knowing exactly who you should ask. Let’s say I’m looking at buying a new set of golf clubs, and I don’t just want to read online reviews from people I don’t know. Well, perhaps the site recommends I post to my Facebook wall and ask my friends if any of them are swinging with these clubs. Crowdsourcing is a major trend – use it to your advantage. This environment is exactly what we’re creating. Another benefit is the customer service improvement this demands of the business. The more social the connections and communication about a business, the more that business must be customer centric. continue to page 3