THERE was a time when marketing consisted of four words starting with P: product, price, place and promotion.

Now, add in a little blue bird and a few hundred or so friends.

Social media is now being recognised as a marketing tool for businesses, proving that online sites such as Facebook and Twitter, with its blue bird logo, are not just passing fads for people with too much time on their hands.

The Penrith City and District Business Advisory Centre has recognised the shift, holding free workshops for small businesses next month on how to use social media tools for promotion.

Presenter Lance Scoular was the TradeStart manager at the NSW Business Chamber in Penrith; these days he is ``The Savvy Navigator'' working with businesses using social media.

He said it was not a marketing tool on its own, but could be added to a marketing mix.

Mr Scoular had ignored invitations to join Facebook and LinkedIn but now, he has more than 38,000 people following him on Twitter, is connected to more than 1000 people on LinkedIn and has had more than 20,000 people watching a YouTube video he created about another YouTube video.

And, of course, he uses Facebook.

But Mr Scoular said the number of people wasn't important but getting the message to relevant people was.

And while social media is free it costs in time, he said, and business owners needed to set clear goals.

Penrith City Council's city marketing department has joined the revolution, promoting Penrith and events through YouTube, a Blogspot, a Twitter account and an ``Experience Penrith Valley'' Facebook page.

Nepean Regional Security owner Gina Field uses Facebook for personal use and to show her business.

And the team at White River Design is now discussing social media strategies with clients who want to know more, treating it like any other marketing strategy.

The first workshop is booked out but limited places are available for a second on November 6, noon-2pm, Suite 1, Level 1, 111 Henry Street Penrith. Call 47215011 to book.