Online networking has replaced the traditional methods of marketing such as newsletters, postcards, and “happy calls.” At least, that is what online marketers want business owners to believe. The age of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn - to name a few - has threatened to wipe out centuries of commonly used marketing methods.

Does it make a lot of sense for a commercial HVAC contractor, who specializes in rooftop unit service and replacement, to market his wares on social media networks like Facebook and Twitter? If you had suggested this to Jon Lazarus a few years ago, he might have wanted to find a straitjacket for you. But not now.

Social media presents two primary choices: get involved or be left behind. Contractors have heatedly debated that statement, along with many other social media topics, for some time. More often than not, however, the argument circles back to social media relevance. With social media being so new, industry relevance is more a matter of opinion that could be argued from both sides.

I’ve been virtually meeting more and more contractors who are pushing to the forefront of social media, so it’s time to hand out a few more paper plate awards.

Can a solid presence on social media benefit you as an HVACR contractor? You bet it can.

Today there are vast possibilities for online marketing and connections through social networking.

I am the first to admit I am not a techie, and I am certainly not an early adopter of new technology. But since my slow start, I have become a complete convert to the world of social media.

Owners of small businesses are not as concerned as they had been about their cash flow, many are planning on making a capital investment in the next six months, and those that are doing well in the current economic climate are using social media as a magnet to draw new consumers.

Now I realize that people are reading this article in late January and those resolutions that you proclaimed so loudly three weeks ago are barely a faint memory. But this is also a good time to come up with some New Year’s resolutions for your business.

If one of your employees calls her boss an insulting or obscene name on her Facebook page, you might think you could fire her without fear of reprisal. But you could be wrong. One company found itself in exactly that situation.