I've heard a number of people ask this very question... How can Twitter help MY business?
Simple. Twitter is a unique communication tool that can help you to reach potential clients, customers and fans. Twitter can help you extend your brand and grow your business.
Here are a few ways you can use Twitter to help grow your Colorado business.
First, let me preface this information with... Twitter is most successful when used as a tool to engage in conversation. No one wants to receive messages from an unknown person trying to hard sell something. Instead, talk with people and listen to what they need so you can share tips, ideas, recommendations and then your services and products.
Use Search.Twitter.com to find conversations and comments relating to your area of expertise. Offer remedies and suggestions relating to the comments you've found. Invite readers to visit your website for the answers they are seeking. Example: Let's say you are in the business of designing wedding invitations. Go to search.twitter.com and search for "wedding invitations". Today, someone has made the comment "looking at wedding invitations and magazines for ideas.". You could, at this point, send a reply to that person making a comment that you have more ideas to share on your website (include the link). This will open the door to a potential conversation by being helpful to someone looking for answers.
Use Twitter to make announcements about your business. You can post Twitter only sale pricing or contests. Just a week or so ago I heard a Colorado radio station, on air, point to their Twitter account to "find details about this contest".
Share resources and information. Post links with a brief title or description to recent articles or blog posts you've written as well as information you've found helpful. Share the knowledge and invite others to read what you have to share.
Extend your branding and awareness for your company. Post a link on your site and or blog to "follow me on twitter" as a way to invite others engage in the conversations you are starting.
Twitter is immensely helpful, if it's used correctly. It's a micro communication tool which means it's perfect for starting a conversation... It's up to you to do your part to carry that conversation to the next level with the other tools and communication lines you have to offer.
Additional Resources:
Colorado's own Joel Comm has great advice and coaching for using Twitter for business. Check out http://www.twitterpower.com for more info.
Another Coloradoan, Rob McNealy has, in the past, offered a Twitter Class. You can check out his offerings at http://www.contrivedmedia.com
If you'd like to start a conversation with me, My twitter account is http://www.twitter.com/jgoode, I'd love to hear from you... share your ideas!
Comments
I've been really impressed with the social media efforts of some smaller companies and local mom-and-pop shops out there. I expect the big brands to have an active presence, but any time I see local businesses taking an active approach to social media I'm an immediate fan!
I recently tweeted about taking a vacation to California and waned some advice for where to go and not go, where to eat, what to see... I made a bunch of new friends and got great feedback... so just another example of how to use Twitter.
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