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19 Jul 2010
SMEs reap financial benefits of social networking
44% of SMEs have acquired new customers using networking sites
London, 19 July 2010: In a global report of 15,000 businesses, workplace solutions provider Regus has revealed that SMEs are more successfully utilizing social media as a revenue generation tool than large businesses. 44% of SMEs have acquired new customers using networking sites compared with 28% of large companies.
While many businesses have been slow to fully embrace social media there are now 700,000 small businesses with fan pages on Facebook. And with tangible return on investment becoming visible SMEs are now even dedicating marketing budget to social media with 28% doing so.
Mark Dixon, Regus CEO comments: “Our global survey has revealed that social networking has finally become an effective business tool, and SMEs are leading the way in this. Whilst the most popular function of these networks remains that of keeping in touch with contacts, small businesses are also successfully acquiring new customers, supporting their retention efforts and interacting with customer groups. This survey indicates that organisations who have not yet ventured into the world of social networking may be missing a sizeable business opportunity.”
The industries most successfully using social media for lead generation are media & marketing but despite financial services having a heavy digital presence through online services and comparison sites, they are lagging behind in the social media stakes – and are on a par with the manufacturing sector.
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Regus is the world’s largest provider of flexible workplaces, with products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional meeting rooms, business lounges and the world’s largest network of video communication studios. Regus enables people to work their way, whether it’s from home, on the road or from an office. Customers such as Google, GlaxoSmithKline, and Nokia join hundreds of thousands of growing small and medium businesses that benefit from outsourcing their office and workplace needs to Regus, allowing them to focus on their core activities.
Over 1,000,000 customers a day benefit from Regus facilities spread across a global footprint of 1,200 locations in 550 cities and 95 countries, which allow individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they want to. Regus was founded in Brussels, Belgium in 1989, is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information please visit: www.regus.co.uk