When it comes to Twitter, a question I hear from people who live underneath a rock (and a hard place) is: “Why should I spend time posting what I had for lunch?” First things first, if you believe that Twitter is a place where this occurs, let me bust your bubble.
There are a plethora of functions that Twitter provides for your business.
Does Twitter Make Sense for Your Business? Here are some reasons for your business to be on Twitter:
Build brand awareness
Make customers aware that you exist! Today’s consumers are accustomed to finding more information about a business or brand through Twitter. As you build an audience through Twitter you are essentially building brand awareness.
Finding Leads
It’s simple. Just look at what other people are looking for. If people are looking to find a real estate agent or a lawyer, you can reply to their post with a potential solicitation (But remember, don’t spam. Social media is about building relationships. Offer help before service). You also can monitor certain keywords to get potential leads as well.
Support Customers
When it comes to customer service, Twitter is probably the best social network for this function. There were many high-profile customer service publicity blunders that transpired on Twitter: Check out SouthWest and Comcast for great case studies (and for what NOT to do, check out Applebee’s). Overall, listening to what customers are saying allows your business to act quickly to resolve potential issues before they begin.
Develop Professional Relationships
Many professionals are already on Twitter. There are journalists, publishers, industry influencers, conference organizers and other people who are looking to develop relationships in your industry. If you are tweeting interesting material, you increase your chances of finding a key professional with whom to build an off-line relationship.
Announce New Products
Announcements are a great way to create instant awareness about a new product or service. Check out what Taco Bell does.
Expand your site’s reach
If you launch a new page you can immediately increase your hits by including a link to that page within your Twitter posts.
Create Ad-Hoc Focus Groups
Ask questions to your following.
“Anybody ever tried this product?”
“What is the best way to solve this problem?”
“What do you think about our commercial?”
It is important to see how your followers (and their followers) resonate with your brand, business or marketing messages. Be sure to check out my list of free resources to conduct focus groups via social media.
Gain Competitive Intelligence
Shhh. You don’t have to say a word. Just shut-up and listen. See what your competitors are tweeting about. See what their customers are saying. Just search for the necessary keywords and you’re ready to go!
Learn News First
Avid Twitter users know it’s a great place to get the latest news in real time. This certainly applies to your business. Major world events break first on Twitter before major networks like CNN, NBC, or TMZ (sorry, I had to include it).
Recruit Staff and Freelancers
As you begin to get your sea legs or become more experienced using Twitter, you will find talented people you may want to hire.
Position Yourself as an Influencer
If you are posting excellent content such as links to articles, white papers, or videos you created or found, you then become an influencer in that industry and, in turn, get recruited or hired.
I would love to hear how your business is using Twitter! Post your Twitter URL below for everyone to critique…
