From Lisa Barone at Small Biz Trends

“If you’re still not sure social media is worth the investment, try this one for size: According to a May survey by virtual events provider Unisfair, social media is now the number one emerging channel for lead gen among technology marketers. And while that could seem somewhat skewed based on their occupation, the point is this – social media delivers qualified leads. While the conversations, brand awareness and friends make you feel good, that’s not the power of social media. The power of social media is that it connects you to qualified leads and puts more money into your bank account.

According to the Unisfair survey, 66 percent of respondents said lead generation their greatest concern for 2010. The findings seem to match R2integrated’s April survey that found 61 percent of respondents were after lead generation, as well as HubSpot’s report that Twitter usage could double monthly leads for SMBs.

In case you need a recap: Social media = leads.

Why is social media such an effective lead generation tool? It’s easy.”

Read the article here … http://bit.ly/9uCDMB