Linkedin, Linkedin, Linkedin! Stop asking me to join already! Big Deal - I can see all your joiners & you can see mine... But will it pay my grocery bill & rent for my business? Maybe for a few of us, but for the majority of local small business owners it will not. Not because of its concept, but because like most marketing tools it leaves out the human element. The odds are that their joiners are not really that close to the main contact person and therefore can't influence a customerenough to buy your goods or services. You still have to contact a new lead and hope that your pitch is good enough to get in the door. Yes, dropping a name your potential contact knows helps, but customers are more skeptical than ever today. Good old face to face meeting & connecting is still the sure fire deal maker for the local small business owner.