In the past, tools referred basically to objects you could hold in your hand (or with your hands), created for the purpose of getting a job done quicker, or more easily. These days, tools still serve the same purpose, but are totally different - the tools we have these days that work best for us, are things that we can't even touch physically.

Social media is one of them. But just what is social media? According to some, social media is the term coined to loosely cover the widgets and gadgets of the technological age - the blogs and websites, the social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter, and the social applications like foursquare. It differs from media which some people deem to be journalistic or public relations-oriented in nature (like this article). Still, whether you count yourself a technosaurus (dinosaur living in today's tech-crazy world), or a tech surfer smoothly cresting fads and trends, chances are that you have a Facebook account, enjoy Tweeting, and occasionally putting your thoughts up on a personal blog space.

Christina Teo, a trainer and brand consultant, defines social media as network-based. She explains that "social media enables individuals and businesses to establish a network of people who may be friends", or at least have common interests and causes. Unlike conventional media like TV or print, where there is a markedly reduced level of involvement with your audience, social media "has a far more sustaining reach", and can grow exponentially in minutes - think Facebook logarithm. You don't need a degree in math to work that one out!

With the degree of exposure social media offers, Christina says that if managed well, tools such as Facebook and Twitter can increase customer loyalty while increasing customer base. People might also feel that if an establishment is savvy enough to keep up with the latest social trends, it is highly communicative, and that can help further compound an already strong reputation for being an expert in ?the field.

These days, business owners and savvy proprietors are taking the wheel of social media tools and steering them in the right direction to their advantage. Many thriving businesses are based online, and even brick-and-mortar establishments are widening their network in the vast ocean of ?the Internet.

An Incentive To Stay Connected

One of these establishments, Krish The Restaurant at Rochester Park, promotes itself on Facebook. The director of Krish, Nikhil Krish, describes social media as "media that is disseminated via social interaction". Nikhil considers himself familiar with social media, even before the popularity of tools like Facebook and Twitter. This familiarity has helped him gain good virtual footing in the establishment of a strong virtual presence, and while they have employed media tools from the get-go, Nikhil concedes that as a "relatively new phenomenon, traditional forms of measuring value like returns on investment have to be thrown out of the window." And while all of this makes the relevance of such tools to the business harder to comprehend, Nikhil says that "it also makes the medium very exciting!"

On Facebook, the establishment encourages people to interact with them via the fan page, and bolsters this with frequent competitions that reward the winners with free meals, or even name their own unique cocktail! With foursquare, an iPhone application, the "mayor" receives a free beer or bar snack, and a free dessert for 10 or more check-ins to the restaurant.

Sean Khoo, one of the owners of Kichn, a café at Albert Court, admits to not having a Facebook account but thought it interesting to "integrate tools like Twitter and foursquare with the café that we were starting." He felt that such novel methods of connecting with customers in creative ways were instrumental in keeping the traffic lights at Kichn green from the get-go. Even before the café opened, the owners of Kichn were keeping friends updated on the café's progress online, and that "the pictures we put up along the way helped to whet their appetites, and spread the word about our café even more!"

Sean's interest in social media has paid off, with many customers telling them that they first heard of Kichn from a food blog or other active social media users. Using these tools really pay off for customers too, with foursquare users getting 10% off a la carte items.

Social media, Sean sums up, is a wonderful platform for connecting with customers, and the perfect complement for good old-fashioned "genuine attitudes coupled with good products and services."

Globe-trotting Media

The phenomenon of social media has taken the world by storm, and even resorts along serene beaches are capitalizing on this. Social Media Consultant Morris Sim, who works with Indigo Pearl, a 5-star resort in Phuket, tells us that social media are so effective because it truly engages the customer. Morris sums it up when he says that "social media is the digitization of the whole human experience; a medium that takes our stories to a new level of sharing. Social media is mostly about life."

With Indigo Pearl, social media was a great way for the resort to extend its brand experiences for customers, and running targeted advertisement campaigns via channels such as Facebook to promote specials have given business great returns over investment.

Of course, Morris harks back to what is important: that the brand has to be "interesting, engaging, relevant, and authentic." If it is, social media tools will be valuable assets in establishing an even deeper niche for the business in the market. If not, then whichever channels of communication you employ might end up becoming empty vessels - and just that.

Social Media 101

Tools like Facebook and foursquare sound wonderful. Not only are they practically free, but they can help turn an unknown brand into the hottest thing on the scene - virtually overnight. Still, being reckless in virtual anonymity can be dangerous, and brand consultant Christina Teo tells us why.

Clutter, clutter, clutter: How often do you get junk mail in your inbox? Do you read any of it? Of course you don't - and therein lies the danger of social networking tools. "People on social media are mostly extremely active and are constantly bombarded by many interests and recommendations from their friends," Christina notes. This means that for you to position your business or blog as remarkable, you have to "cut through the clutter to maximise the benefit of positioning via social media."

The double-edged sword effect: The riskiest trades can either pay off or leave you bankrupt, as many traders will tell you, and a tool as potentially effective as social media can work against you. The answer lies in branding. Christina cautions that "brands have to realise that there is an exposure on social media and if not handled well it can do harm to the brand."

Brand yourself right: The crux of harnessing the power of social media so that it works best for your brand is about the right communication. "Brands need to pay attention to what they communicate and how they communicate," Christina advises. For example, if a brand puts up promotions everyday on their page, they are differentiating themselves - and telling the crowd that they are cheaper and therefore less value-added. Or if a brand puts irrelevant information on its page that has nothing to do with the audience, their target clientele will soon get bored and click off the web.