Small Business Uses of Twitter
In this post, I will share the thoughts of two other small business marketing expets on ways to use Twitter. Both John Jantsch of Ducttape Marketing and Al Ferretti are helpful authors when it comes to small business operations. Ferretti will talk about the networking value of Twitter. Enjoy and prosper.
17 Ways to Use Twitter for Business and Some Not
More and more small business folks are giving in to what seems like an insurmountable mountain of hype and jumping on the twitter bandwagon.
But, some people still look at twitter on the surface and conclude that it’s one big waste of time. I can’t say I disagree completely, however, like all social media and marketing tactics, before you can determine if something makes sense you need to analyze your objectives. So, instead of asking why you would use it, ask how it might help you achieve some other already stated objectives.
1) Would you like a way to connect and network with others in your industry or others who share you views? It’s a good a tool for that.
2) Would you like a way to get instant access to what’s being said, this minute, about your organization, people, products, competitors or brand? It’s a good tool for that.
3) Would you like a steady stream of ideas, content, links, resources, and tips focused on your area of expertise or interest? It’s a good tool for that.
4) Would you like to monitor what’s being said about your customers to help them protect their brands? It’s a good tool for that.
5) Would you like to extend the reach of your thought leadership – blog posts and other content? It can be a good tool for that.
6) Would like a way to quickly find vendors, partners, tech help, even employees for your organization? I can be a good tool for that.
7) Would you like to promote your products and services directly to a target audience? Not such a good tool for that, but it can light a path back to your web site!
Now, if that weren’t enough, the open nature of the twitter platform is spawning uses far beyond what was ever imagined or what many people can grasp - and this use of the technology will only get bigger.
Here are few things you may have never considered
Publish your Flickr photos on twitter - Visit twittergram and set-up an account and then just upload to Flickr but tag your photo twitter and it goes into your twitter stream.
9) If you use online todo list Remember the Milk - you can set it up to flow into twitter - this might be a way to assign todos to remote teams
10) Using strawpoll you can create mini polls into your twitter stream - great for flash feedback
11) Use twitter to keep up on traffic jams with commuterfeed
12) Have twitter alert you when you have a meeting with timer
13) Get and fill current job openings with tweetajob
14) Track FedEx, UPS and DHL shipments with TrackThis
15) Get help quitting smoking
16) Keep a diet journal
17) Get a tweet when your plants need water - - okay this one would be way cooler if it simply tweeted you when the plant watered itself. http://tinyurl.com/b9nnsu
Illustration: Pasquale D’Silva
7 Tips for Networking on Twitter
June 17th, 2009 | Author: TwitterWatchDog -By Skeeter Hansen and Al Ferretti
We’ve been using Twitter for six months now and have met so many terrific, interesting and business savvy people.
On Twitter, you’re allowed 140 characters when sending a tweet. It may seem short, but you can get in quite a mouthful. No one ever said networking had to be a long drawn out novel, sometimes shorter is better. Don’t underestimate the power of short and quick replies because with the right words they can be very effective.
We have observed over the months that everyone uses Twitter for different reasons, but the majority of people who use it for networking don’t always know how to network effectively.
These 7 tips will show exactly how you can get the most out of your networking efforts on Twitter.
1. Start by using your real name on your profile, upload a real photo of yourself and fill out your bio. Your bio is about you and not your business. People want to know they are talking to a person. Your website link will take care of your business.
2. Follow people that interest you and who can help grow your business.
Follow quality people. People you can connect with is more important than the quantity of people you follow.
3. People want knowledge, information and resources. It’s always better to give first and then receive. I’m not saying you shouldn’t self-promote, but if the whole time you’re on Twitter and you’re just self-promoting, people aren’t going to care and will most likely un-follow you.
Note: Networking is about engaging, building relationships and providing value. A person who only has self-promotion on their mind is looked upon and labeled a spammer.
4. People like freebies and tips. Offer your best tips on working from home, on direct sales, web design, marketing and even Twitter tips. There are tips for everything so find something in your niche that you think would be valuable information. Throw in a few freebies as everyone loves something for free.
5. It’s important to engage in conversations with your new found “friends”. Don’t ignore their tweets. Use it to strike up conversations by asking a question or giving a compliment, as you will never know where these will lead.
6. If you read an interesting or newsworthy tweet, retweet it. This is a great way to say something if you can’t find anything to say. Retweeting a quote is a great way to help promote others, others will help to promote you.
7. Expect to spend some quality time and be consistent in your networking. Try to visit daily and the relationships will start to take shape. Enjoy and be yourself on Twitter and be respectful. Your reputation should always be guarded as you brand yourself.
A number of people don’t take networking seriously because they don’t know how to effectively network. There are many people who do know how and can show you the ropes or better yet take the time to learn and observe what others are doing.
**Free Twitter WatchDog Secrets, Tips, Tools, Applications and Special Bonuses**
http://tinyurl.com/nxn3lv
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
