New York (CNN) -- You've tried to, but so far, your foray into social media marketing is not adding to sales, just to headaches. How will Twitter sell sweets at your ice cream parlor? How will Facebook fill your restaurant or sell your handmade frocks? I've heard the complaint from small business owners and professionals a million times: "How can I monetize social media?" Mitch Goldstone has owned a photo-developing shop in Irvine, California, since 1990. He used to develop 24-exposure film cartridges. Today he takes those shoe boxes of photos under your bed and scans them so you can use them online. Scanmyphoto.com has 10,600 followers on Twitter and Goldstone has sent 32,000 tweets.
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Small businesses can't afford to ignore marketing potential of Facebook and Twitter
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Don't just self-promote and do ask your customers how you can improve
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Be nimble and turn problems into opportunities
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Think of a tweet as a "tap on the shoulder" and cultivate consistent online persona
I'm going to repeat that: You will be out of business if you don't tweet, use @placeholder, and social media today," Goldstone says.