Using Twitter to Build Your Business

The most exciting and innovative creation on the Internet, right now, is Twitter. It is amazing how a social networking site can be so lucrative for business with such a simple idea. You have only 140 characters to deal with. Can you imagine if all of your advertising and marketing was reduced to 140 characters? nn“Why am I restricted to 140 characters?”nThe number of characters is restricted because Twitter is a micro-blogging site. It is a quick thought or idea that is conveyed in what is called a “Tweet”. You can send people to your blog or website in a couple of quick keystrokes. The other reason that it is limited to 140 characters is that many people have Tweets sent to their mobile devices. nnLook at this statement:n“I want to tell you about a new product call Twitter. It has many different functions that can help propel your business into the next bracke”nnI couldn’t even finish my sentence! I did not even have room to tell people about my website and new products.nHow can a seemingly limited service create enough traffic not only to put your business well above your competitors but to also drive hundreds of thousands of people to your site?nnThe answer is simple....... there are millions of users and each of these users is a potential customer.nnSo how do you reach these customers?nYou can search out the market leaders in your own particular field on Twitter. Each of these leaders has a list of followers. You can contact each of these followers and begin to follow them. Each of them has a list of followers and the cycle goes on and on.nnYou can contact people directly on Twitter and your messages are not limited to 140 characters. It is not just directly contacting potential customers that is the greatest aspect of Twitter.nnTwitter opens the door to the major 'movers and shakers' in your field, the huge names that you would be unable to connect with elsewhere. You can follow them, reply to their Tweets, begin to build a relationship and a rapport in a way that would be completely impossible through the conventional channels of phone and email.nnWhat if I told you that you could do over 90 percent of your marketing through Twitter? Oh, did I forget to mention that Twitter is free? Yes, Free. There are absolutely no costs to using Twitter. What have your other marketing efforts cost you? nTwitter is a way for people to get to know who you are. As you know, in this world of the Internet and people shopping in gigantic sites like Amazon and eBay it is vital to set your company apart. nnThe one thing that does set companies apart is personal interaction. A person can buy a book, a CD, a game or any other product anywhere they choose, anytime and from any location. What they respond to is a personal connection. nnThe days of large department stores and malls may be coming to an end. It is costing the large stores too much money to have a brick and mortar business. They can no longer compete with the Internet marketplace. People can stay at home and relax and shop. With gas prices through the roof, people can click a button and buy what they want for a decent price without having to walk out of their front door. They can even shop around without having to drive anywhere.nnWhat is missing from this new virtual way of shopping and purchasing is the personal touch. When you go to a department store, you are greeted by a living, breathing person. This person is able to help you chose and try on clothes. The same is true of a hair dresser or a even a waiter. They all provide a service that is lost in Internet sales and that is personal interaction with another human being. You get to know a person by interacting with them. They tell you bits and pieces about their lives and because you make a connection you are more likely to go back to them whenever you want to buy something else. nnTwitter provides that window into people’s lives. They will feel that they know you as they read your tweets and are directed to your site or blog. It is customer service and a personal touch that will set your business apart from your competitors.