40 Percent of Canadian Businesses Using Social Media, Social Networks to Win New Business

DALLAS, June 8, 2011 -

The last year has seen a rise in Canadian companies using social
networks, blogs, microblogs and forums to win new business, reveals a new
survey from Regus (www.regus.com/), the global provider of flexible
workplace solutions. According to the survey, 34 percent of firms are
successfully using social networking to win new customers, up six percentage
points from last year's survey.

The research also reveals globally more firms are using social media to
engage with existing customers than a year ago, with the following
highlights:

- 43 percent of businesses in Canada use websites such as
Twitter (twitter.com/) to engage, connect with and inform existing
customers

- In Canada, 50 percent of firms encourage their employees to join
social networks such as Linkedin (www.linkedin.com/) and Xing
(www.xing.com/)

- 43 percent of Canadian companies dedicate up to 20 percent of
their marketing budget to business social networking activity

- Globally, the survey reported a seven percent increase in the
proportion of businesses successfully recruiting new customers through
social networks such as Facebook (www.facebook.com/)

Social networking has fully evolved from a nice-to-have to a necessity as
the majority of businesses in Canada (67%), and internationally (74%) agree
that social media activity is playing a bigger role in their marketing
strategy. Canadian (69%) and global firms (61%) are also emphasizing the need
for a balance of marketing media, confirming their belief that without a
combination of traditional and digital techniques, marketing campaigns will
not work .[1]

The global Regus survey findings are based on the responses of over
17,000 managers and business owners across 80 countries.

Wes Lenci, Regus regional vice president for Canada comments: "As
businesses emerge from the downturn they are increasingly reconsidering
pre-recession working practices and opting for more flexible, competitive
strategies. From supply chain management, to leaner working practices, to
cloud computing, to increased use of video communications and mobile working
- no area of business is being overlooked. Particularly in Canada where
Itracks (www.itracks.com/) reports that most companies believe that
social media has a positive impact on word-of-mouth, awareness, promotions
and referrals, more and more companies are leveraging this channel to
increase the loyalty of existing customers, and as a successful acquisition
tool."[2]

About Regus

Regus is the world's largest provider of workplace solutions, with
products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional
meeting rooms, business lounges and the world's largest network of video
communication studios. Regus enables people to work their way, whether it's
from home, on the road or from an office. Customers such as Google,
GlaxoSmithKline, and Nokia join hundreds of thousands of growing small and
medium businesses that benefit from outsourcing their office and workplace
needs to Regus, allowing them to focus on their core activities.

Over 800,000 customers a day benefit from Regus facilities spread across
a global footprint of 1,100 locations in 500 cities and 88 countries, which
allow individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they
want to. Regus was founded in Brussels, Belgium in 1989, is headquartered in
Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information
please visit: www.regus.com

To download a copy of the full report please visit
www.regus.presscentre.com

    Press contacts
    Julia Gaynor
    Affect
    +1-212-398-9680
    regus@affect.com

    [1] Marketing Week, Pulling in the same direction, Digital Strategy
        Supplement, May 2011

    [2] CMA project- Case study results, Itracks, May 26th 2011

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