With the rise of smart phones, more and more small businesses are using QR codes and snap tags to enhance their marketing. Check out this Free Enterprise blog post on how these two new mediums are being utilized by small businesses. Do you use QR codes or snap tags? What about other new media features?

Not sure if I got it right, but when I search for "QR" nothing came up!

OK, let me throw it in then. We do QR code, and we do it specifically to help SMB retails to get new customers acquisition and enhance old customer revenue. You can try out 3-month with our iSqratch at http://www.iSqratch.com for storefront mobile lucky sqratch (scratch) for walk-by to walk-in on-spot conversion. Also you can try out our iQASH at http://www.iQASH.com for customer loyalty mobile wallet. Both iSqratch and iQASH utilizes QR code targeting smartphone user population. Interested?

What sort of social media campaign does your small business have? One new social media outlet, Pinterest, is exploding in popularity recently. Entrepreneur magazine even predicts that Pinterest is the next big thing in social media for businesses. The “virtual corkboard” is a great branding opportunity (so long as you know how to use it properly.) “The big benefit for small business is that it expands your visibility … because it can potentially increase the number of people who see your board and as they share what they find, the number of incoming links to your site will increase—and that builds credibility for your Web space as well.”

So, could using Pinterest expand your businesses’ visibility and drive people to your site? Let us know what you think about Pinterest and if you use any other social media resources to boost your business.

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As I'm posting, the U.S. Chamber has 115,863 Facebook 'likes'.  Facebook and other social media platforms such as Twitter and You Tube were among the top marketing trends of 2011.  How are you reaching your online audience?

It turns out that Facebook isn't just a way for friends to keep in touch. Some businesses have turned to Facebook for recruiting employees and tracking down job-seekers. Check out this article in the Wall Street Journal for some great tips on utilizing Facebook for recruiting: http://on.wsj.com/sNpcMx.

Have you ever used Facebook or other social media outlets for recruiting purposes? When you're looking to expand, how do you typically go about seeking out potential employees?

Is new and social media integral to your small business's marketing strategy? Share your stories and advice with other small business owners and leaders.