So, where was Facebook when I was in high school?

I have 200 friends on Facebook and another (overlapping) 100 or so people following me on Twitter.  I can say that my network has expanded, but has it been a good use of my time?  I think so… even if it is just to see what other people are doing with their businesses.  Twitter sort of simulates an office water cooler — the nice thing is — you can turn it off when you don’t have time to deal with it.  I have found and connected with long lost friends through Facebook — I have also been bought and sold several times (what does it mean when someone owns you on Facebook?  

Here are some reasons why twitter and facebook are valuable…

1.  They provide a fabulous window into the lives of your target audience.  Even fluffy tweets — like "I’m going to the store now" tell you something important about your potential audience  You get a sense of the rhythm of their days, what their primary problems are, how you can help them.

2. They give you access to people you might not ordinarily be able to reach.  People seem willing to follow and befriend folks on Facebook and Twitter.  You can make friends with people who might not answer regular emails.

3. They give you another avenue to get out there and be seen.  It never hurts to get your name out there.

The thing is,  that using these tools can also be a tremendous time suck.   Here are a few hints to make them work for you.

1. Hire a virtual assistant to set up your profile and create conduits between your blog, your facebook profile and twitter.  Your VA could also commit to a daily update. You also want to spend time doing these things yourself — you want your personality to show through.

2. Set aside specific social networking time.  Don’t leave your twitter reader open all the time.

3. Consider using twitter on your cell phone.  It is a great way to kill 10 -15 minutes of time waiting in line, etc.

What results have you gotten with your social networking?