Twitter: An Overlooked Business Tool
Companies that only view Twitter as a means of tweeting are missing their greatest values: identifying, listening, and connecting with potential customers…in real-time. Combining Twitter with complimentary platforms from other companies makes it an underutilized marketing asset for the unaware. At the same time, there is a misconception that Twitter is only usable for retailers and larger companies with social media managers, but that’s just not true. When fully informed about Twitter’s ecosystem, it is realized that any company can build its business 140 characters at a time.
If you subscribe to the belief of “fishing where the fish are most plentiful” then you will find Twitter’s pond of 200 billion active users, many of which are potential customers, very alluring. The unfamiliar and unknown prohibit many people from taking their first steps, but information and knowledge should dissolve fear and feed motivation and forward momentum.
1. Get Started
- Learn the ends and outs of a “tweet” and what Twitter can do for your business.
- Think about what your company’s brand personality is, and then reinforce it with your tweets. (i.e. is the company laid back, obsessed with service, etc.) Find your voice by bringing the brand personality to your tweets.
- When creating your Twitter profile page, translate the company brand’s personality through design, imagery, and emphasize what relates most to your organization.
2. Engage Your Customers
- Take the time to research what’s being said about your industry on Twitter. Follow influential leaders who tweet about your industry.
- Make plans to work around upcoming promotions and start a content outline.
- For best results, include sharable links to extend your exposure.
- Retweet positive mentions and respond to followers who may also be current or potential customers.
3. Amplify Your Impact
- Let the world know your business is on Twitter. Promote your username offline and online through promotional materials and social plugins.
- Get involved with other organizations who share the same interest, not just potential customers. This way you could broaden your perspective and become even more effective in your own industry.
- Think of ways to increase retweeting for more followers such as using sales promotions or review a top news story for sharing.