There are so many networks that you can join! Each has it’s idiosyncracies but they all have one thing in common: It’s all about building relationships & connecting. For simplicity I’m going to talk about Twitter, but the concepts apply to all of them. (The key is to choose a network where your customers are at.)

Here is an overview of how you can use Twitter:

1. Share ideas with others in your niche

Build a network of like-minded people by noting conversations of interest. Follow the person that has caught your attention.
Participate in the conversations. Listening is good, but you need to get involved to gain the full benefit.

2. Find new customers

Make sure that your bio info describes your services
Monitor Twitter using summize.com (bookmark it & set up an RSS feed)
As you network you’ll find people interested in your services

3. Provide Customer Service

If your product is being discussed on Twitter (use Summize.com to find out) then you can respond to them. People love getting a response when they’re just venting.
There are many examples of this – I’m using @NetSolCares to assist Network Solutions customers.

4. Gather information

Creating a new product or improving on one? Twitter is a great place to ask what they think. Any social network is & what better group than people in your niche? They will tell you what they think. You simply need to ask.

5. Share product info, coupons, etc

How creative can you be? You could share pre-release info on a product, coupons, sales info, etc. What about running a contest on Twitter? I’m sure that you can come up with many more. You could even start a brainstorming session on Twitter!

Here is further reading with links to tutorials & some resources for finding new people on Twitter. If you want an idea of how many businesses are on Twitter check out this list & maybe even follow a few!

I also have written a number of articles on Twitter. Feel free to follow me @cbensen