Using Twitter to build your SME
by Sean Tucker on 28/10/09 at 7:30 am
1 comment
Many are dismissive of this ‘Social Media’ thing assuming that it’s fad-ish and transient. But look again. These are the spaces where people are talking online everyday, and so it’s somewhere you need to be.
Lets take a look at Twitter for example. Imagine you are a small coffee shop, here are 5 ways to use Twitter to grow your business.
1. Instant Messaging: Once you have built yourself a following on Twitter it means you can instantly let your customers know of any specials or meet ups. Perhaps your coffee shop has a low spot in the day between 2pm and 4pm. You could jump on Twitter and advertise that you are offering, “a free slice of cake with every cup of coffee today between 2pm and 4pm only!” Don’t underestimate the ‘fun factor’ of receiving this kind of “Twitter special”. It leaves people feeling like they have special information which is fun to share. You may find you have quite a crowd.
2. Taking Criticism: You are also able to track mention of you business on Twitter. This means you can see what people are saying about your business in conversation with others. Don your thick skin and be ready to hear where you may be missing it. If you can scan the criticisms with a view to making targeted improvements, you are well on your way to fine tuning your business.
3. Getting Opinions: Perhaps you want some feedback on a new initiative you have introduced. “Do people like the new coffee brand you are serving, and is it worth the extra cost.” Forget organising a focus group, just put the question out there and wait for the replies. This is a great way to get a gauge on something really quickly.
4. Drawing Attention: Be sure to post links to items of interest related to your business. This isn’t the time to be sharing your funny youtube videos, the goal here is to show people that you are an expert in your field, with your finger on the cutting edge… no wait, that’s not right. You get what I mean. If you sell coffee, get yourself known as the guy who is always saying interesting things about coffee.
5. Getting Ideas: Make sure you are following others in your sector as well so you can be taking advantage of the links and information they are posting. You will pick up a hang of lot as other people pan the gold to the top for you, keeping you informed.
So start small.
Just take a few minutes a day.
Encourage your customers to follow you on Twitter, and get Tweeting!
Be warned, Twitter is addictive!
View more articles by Sean Tucker.
Tags: social media, Twitter
Tips for using Twitter for Business | Ideate
Jan 14th, 2010
[...] Ask questions. Twitter is great for getting opinions. [...]