Heard about Twitter but not sure what all the fuss is about? Think you would like to explore it but have never got round to it? If so, then this short guide is for you. It will show you how to get started, some simple techniques and ways it can help you and your business.
Excerpt:
What it’s not!
It’s not like another email inbox that will fill up and cause a problem if you don’t keep on top of it.
Think of it like a river of messages, you throw in your messages and you can fish for messages you like but if you are not there then the river keeps flowing and it will still be there when you come back to it.
What are tweets?
Tweets are short, only 140 characters long, so they are easy to skim.
The Twitter website says you tweet to answer the question “What are you doing?”
It’s more accurate to say you tweet to answer the question “What are you thinking?”
Perhaps you think it would be boring to read what people have for lunch or about their commute in traffic. Fortunately, most tweets are not about those things. Instead, you learn the major events and the small details about the business and personal lives of the people you follow.
How does that help my business?
Twitter can connect businesses to customers in real-time.
Businesses use Twitter to share information with people interested in their products and services, gather real-time market intelligence and feedback and build relationships with customers, partners and influential people. You’ll soon be spotting leads and new opportunities that you’d never have known about.
Real-life examples of businesses using Twitter:
Several computer vendors and retailers offer exclusive discounts to their Twitter followers and bring in substantial revenue from this additional source.
A coffee shop in Houston uses Twitter for customers to place to-go orders so that their order is ready and waiting for them at the drive-thru window when they arrive.
Various hotel chains send special offers to their Twitter followers to fill vacant rooms.
Several airlines provide informational updates, customer service, competitions, promotions and general dialogue with customers.
A bakery in London uses Twitter to notify followers when baked goods are fresh out of the oven.