| Chances are good that by now most people have | | | | perspective, Twitter can provide a great resource for |
| heard about Twitter. Whether from professional | | | | any business. |
| athletes and celebrities in magazines or on your local | | | | For example, let's look at Twitter through the "business |
| evening newscast, it is difficult to escape the | | | | intelligence" lens. What better place to gather |
| phenomenon. Perhaps what has made Twitter so | | | | information about your customers than a collection of |
| popular is its simplicity; Twitter requires far less effort | | | | more than 1 million people who are speaking freely on |
| than other social networking options, such as MySpace | | | | topics of their choosing? Search applications allow you |
| or Facebook. Whatever the reason, Twitter is | | | | to scan through the millions upon millions of Tweets in |
| currently being used by more than 1 million people | | | | order to find pertinent information. Try searching a |
| every day to connect, socialize and stay informed. | | | | product or service in your business area and look at all |
| For those who aren't familiar, Twitter is an online social | | | | of the free marketing information the search returns. |
| network that allows users to connect with friends, | | | | In the same vein, imagine the information you can |
| family and people with similar interests around the | | | | gather on the competition. As a social network, Twitter |
| world. New users simply select a username or "handle" | | | | allows you to keep a close eye on your competitors |
| and provide a few pieces of information about | | | | and even see how customers are reacting to their |
| themselves. From here, users simply provide short | | | | products or services. A little research can provide you |
| status updates in 140 characters or less (that's usually | | | | with not only a company's branded Twitter account, |
| about 20-30 words). What is the purpose of these | | | | but the accounts of individual employees -- all the way |
| updates (or "tweets")? It can be anything, really. From | | | | down to a summer intern. |
| updates about a cool book or movie to making a note | | | | Maybe you haven't been using Twitter because you |
| about a traffic accident or linking to a cool piece of | | | | are afraid that your marketing or promotional efforts |
| news or information, people use their 140 characters to | | | | will be transparent and no one will want to follow your |
| keep their followers informed or just to speak their | | | | updates. Maybe you just can't think of anything to say. |
| minds. | | | | Well, consider the fact that all of the possibilities that |
| The next step is the actual connecting. With Twitter, | | | | have been mentioned thus far do not require any |
| users can choose to "follow" other users if they know | | | | interaction at all. They are simply examples of the free |
| each other or if they are simply interested in what that | | | | information that Twitter provides. This information can |
| user has to say. When a user logs into his or her | | | | be acquired by simply watching and monitoring. |
| Twitter account, the updates for all of the users that | | | | Of course, it is very possible to interact on Twitter |
| they follow are displayed, in real time. Conversely, | | | | without driving a promotion or touting a link for people |
| anyone who follows you will see all of your "tweets" | | | | to visit. For example, let's assume you are looking for a |
| streamed in real time along with the other members of | | | | way to improve your company's customer service. |
| their network. | | | | And let's also assume you have just released a new |
| And that's Twitter in a nutshell. It all seems simple | | | | product. Search your company's name and the name |
| (which it is) and you might be wondering how 140 | | | | of the product on Twitter. You will find all instances |
| characters could possibly be useful for business. The | | | | where customers are talking about your new product: |
| answer to that question is almost as simple as Twitter | | | | the good and the bad. Using this information, you can |
| itself. | | | | have your company's representatives send a direct |
| Everyone knows that networking and connections | | | | message to the individual customers who are not |
| build business. However, those who view Twitter as | | | | having positive experiences. This can be short and |
| just another social Web site, which creates business | | | | sweet: "I am a representative from XYZ Co. and |
| opportunities through networking, are missing the point. | | | | heard you are having problems with our latest widget. |
| Yes, Twitter can provide a great, fast way to make | | | | How can I help?" |
| connections and network (and yes, this is good | | | | Not only will your customers be happy for the |
| business). Yet, the biggest benefits that Twitter can | | | | assistance, they will really appreciate the direct |
| provide from a business perspective are far more | | | | contact. Think about it. How excited would you be, for |
| interesting and useful than simple networking | | | | example, if your phone stopped working and your |
| opportunities. | | | | carrier contacted you with instructions on how to fix it? |
| To truly understand Twitter's potential for creating | | | | Or if you noticed a discrepancy on a bill and instead of |
| business opportunities, it is important to look at Twitter | | | | having to call the company to complain, they called you |
| as a platform -- a platform for business, a platform for | | | | to help? The best part is that these examples are just |
| ideas, a platform for learning, etc. Just as Twitter is not | | | | the tip of the iceberg in terms of the possibilities that |
| merely a networking tool, it is also not a magical | | | | Twitter provides for generating real, attainable business |
| marketing machine that can grow businesses without | | | | outcomes. |
| any effort or creativity. But when put in the proper | | | | |
