what's the best way to get started with Twitter?

I know, I'm late in the game... I just signed up with Twitter, what would you recommend I should do to promote my business? What's the best way to get started?

I see a lot of people doing great with Twitter, i don't know where to start...

Thanks!

 

the same I want to know that's why I m here in this thread but no body replies yet so I'll wait for the next reply.

 

You should have a read of the twitter sub-forum here, your question gets asked a lot there:

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/forumdisplay.php?f=140

 

thanks Steve, I'm new here and still trying to find my way around. I appreciate your help!

 

starting adding people as fast as you can, some will add back, the ones who don't you can unfollow.

 

I know this is probably addressed in the sub-forum but, for those that want the answer right here, Twitter is an AMAZING communication tool (in the right hands)!

Before I get into why I think Twitter may possibly be the best thing since sliced bread (well, maybe not but it's still DARN GOOD), I want to warn you of the perils of Twitter. What makes Twitter great is that it's portable, accessible, and quick. Twitter communications are concise which makes them perfect for today's busy consumer and impatient/on-the-go folks alike. The problem is that it can be a bit too noisy for some and, well, today's consumer has tuned out traditional advertising and marketing alike to get away from the interruptions, spam, and junk.

The good news is that everyone can choose how much information they want and whom they want to listen to. Instead of having to deal with a friend that loves to post every little thing they do throughout their day (including bio breaks and comments on the current weather), possibly missing out on something more relevant/interesting, you can simply ignore this person or set up a good Twitter client that will keep your main timeline clutter-free or organize content into categories and/or channels, as appropriate.

I've had many colleagues and friends be more than hesitant to join Twitter, simply because they don't care what color nail polish the receptionist in the office is wearing that day or are worried about viruses. These are all moot points, really. Twitter is such a powerful tool that, if you're involved in any formal organization, I can't see how you can live without it.

Now, to get started, you really want to make sure that you have notifications set up to get sent via SMS and/or e-mail. You also want a good Twitter client. There are many out there and I'm still exploring them. Thus far, I really enjoy TwitterDeck and UberTwitter (which will be changing it's name soon) the most.

The current trend I've seen from some businesses, especially small businesses, is to use hash tags (#TOPIC) to show up in key channels and grab the attention of Twitter mavens. This will pull new customers for you but it requires a frequent/consistent effort. Just be wary not to spam - keep content unique and compelling! This will help you expand your business in a very organic way. Don't aim to sell to people; instead, share stories that are exciting and people will want to share of their own accords. I always recommend to clients, colleagues, and partners alike that you focus on influencers and movers with affiliations that align well with your target markets/audiences.

Customer service can greatly benefit from Twitter use on all levels. Businesses today are lacking warmth. They have no soul or little human element. Sure, you want turn-key solutions that will automate processes and make things more manageable, but you don't want to forget about human contact and getting out there. I think every small business should think of their strategic operations as a big party: you want to mingle to get noticed; otherwise, you're just a wall flower and people/opportunity may pass you by!

The scale of Twitter is perfect for urgent communications that do not require great detail but tweets should certainly be coupled with more tried-and-true methods such as snail mail and e-mail. Speaking of scale, Twitter is very much scalable since your tweets can reach thousands, if not millions, of people in a matter of minutes. This is particularly useful if your business entails any potential recalls, bugs, patches, updates, etc.

For example, online gaming communities are using Twitter to let their users know when there is planned and unexpected downtime alike. In such times, it's easy for you to lose some of your costumer base to the "next (best) thing" so this helps with damage control and, more importantly, managing expectations. Imagine if Microsoft used Twitter to reach out to the millions of customers that are frustrated with their faulty XBox 360 systems? They could retain a lot more customers by providing easy fixes or next steps for their customers. Customer retention is a vital part of customer service that many miss the mark on, IMHO.

Of course, sharing news on special promotions and events is HUGE on Twitter. I've seen many online retailers use Twitter to promote last-minute and limited-time/quantity sales. I don't know what their numbers are but I have seen the influence in my immediate natural market so it is certainly effective. Heck, I've bought things from Woot.com (no, I don't work for/with them) in that manner!

In short, Twitter is whatever you want it to be. I'd need to know more about your line of work before I could really give you specific applications but, again, the main use of Twitter is reaching out to the masses with things that can pique interest or preemptively address certain issues. You can do direct messages with Twitter too but that's not quite as prominent as the use of mentions and hash tags (for context-specific/viral purposes). Speaking of mentions, a great way to gain supporters and bolster WOMM (Word of Mouth Marketing) is to edify your follow entrepreneurs and share personal favorites - those with integrity and an appreciation for "affiliate marketing" will return the favor!

Hope that helps!

 

WOW, Yogizilla, thank you for taking the time to write all this information, I really appreciate it! you really opened my eyes, I never thought about all the possibilities that twitter offers.

 

No problem!

There are some really compelling testimonials and stories out there. I forget what state it was that was hit by the recent blizzard really hard. The mayor apparently used Twitter to help with emergency response. In doing so, he was able to rally locals to help with the clean-up and rescues. Pretty smart thinking, if you ask me! Not to mention it goes to show that Twitter is not limited to pop culture, selling, and pointless data.