Chances are, your customers are part of one, if not all three, social networks. And if they're there, your business should be, too.

According to a recent Arbitron and Edison Research media and marketing survey, nearly two-thirds of Americans between 25 and 34 years old have personal profile pages on social networking sites, and 30 percent of those people access those sites at least once a day.

It's clear: social media is here to stay. The question for you is: How can you use social networking to grow your business? I recommend this set of strategies:

1. Get smart. If you aren't using social networking sites yourself, get familiar with them. Read industry blogs. Sign up for accounts on the big three sites -- Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter -- and start playing around. You'll quickly get a handle on how businesses are reaching out to their various audiences -- some in a big way, and some more quietly.

2. Get targeted. Seek out industry groups and see what they're up to online. Follow them on Twitter, friend them on Facebook and join their LinkedIn groups. You'll find that many businesses use social networking sites for industry trend gathering or problem solving. Designers get responses to their latest concepts. On the flip side, purchasers ask for advice on reliable suppliers. Both social network observers and participants can benefit from this type of information exchange.

3. Get in. Be where your clients are. This is easy when there's a business-to-consumer model to follow -- just look at pros Starbucks and Zappos for inspiration. But business-to-business companies are also having success online. They establish an online presence by participating in industry groups, answering questions and igniting discussion. They offer relevant, targeted information that keeps their customers informed and engaged.

For example, a business may conduct market research by posing a question to clients or prospects on a networking site. The business can then assemble this trend information and feed the results back to its interested audience.