Have you considered using Twitter for business purposes? If not you are probably missing the boat. Let’s look at a few of the highlights of Twitter that can have a meaningful impact on your business. Before I explain how you might use Twitter for your business, I will give a brief explanation of what Twitter is in a general sense for those who might not even have an account.
When Twitter originally started it was considered a “microblog” and in many ways that hasn’t changed. Microblog is as it sound, short form blogging. Most of social media is exactly that, though we no longer really call it microblogging anymore. It is a short form way to communicate a thought out to an audience, 140 character to be exact. As with other social media platforms, it is meant to inform, recommend, and promote whatever your heart desires. So why is this of any help to business?
Not too long ago I wrote a blog on digital vs traditional advertising which had some great statistics in it on the subject, however I won’t do that here. Though I will say what is universally true about advertising. You want to be in communication with potential buyers. Very simple concept. In many cases you don’t know who these people might be, though they could actually live 2 miles from your storefront. The other part is, once I find them how do I communicate the value in choosing me rather than xyz business. I don’t think many would dispute either of those points. And I bet most would say, I’d rather a referral. Well when you use social media properly this exact system emerges.
Number one: Twitter can help you find people locally. While not exactly revolutionary, I mean you could just knock on doors, doing it on twitter is a much faster way to find them.
Number two, you can find people who have interest in your product or products like yours. Using the search in twitter, either by itself or with the # tag will reveal both followers and non-followers with that interest.
Number three, you get to tell the story of you and your business. Answer questions and turn a storefront into a person they can trust to provide them what they are looking to buy.
Having started a couple of businesses myself, I know that generally you have more time than money. Twitter is free to use, which I thinks makes the value proposition a homerun. For the small business owner still using traditional advertising and considering new digital media channels for their ad dollars, I hope to have presented some food for thought. In further follow up blogs, I will take various more specific ways to actually use Twitter. This will conclude with an in depth analysis of their paid ad planner.