John Landsberg of Bottom Line Communications writes a monthly marketing column for Small Business Monthly. He also is an adjunct professor of marketing, consumer behavior, sales and public relations at three colleges.
TO TWEET OR NOT TO TWEET, THAT IS THE QUESTION By John Landsberg, Bottom Line Communications (August. 2009) As a marketing communications person, I often take a skeptical look at new technology and what it can mean to a business. As one CEO I worked for once noted, “You can tell the pioneers because they are the ones with the arrows in their backs…”Being first can have its drawbacks. Businesspeople do not have the luxury of jumping on every single new technology and spending time and money to determine if it will help their bottom line.Let’s face it, most are jumping on the latest and greatest management theory (see Total Quality Management, Empowerment, Good to Great, One Minute Management, Excellence, Six Sigma, etc.) That was my approach to Twitter. It was the “hot” new technology where you can post 140 characters of anything. It seemed kind of dumb to me.While I had an account some of the folks I “tweeted” with gave me too much information. We may be “Twitter” friends, but you really don’t need to tell me when you go to bed.Or any information about your cat.Let’s make a deal: I won’t send you dog stuff if you don’t send me cat stuff. Initially I found myself saying, “And I really give a crap about what you are having for lunch, why?”This was a fad that would fade quickly. Very honestly I initially did really not see a practical business use for Twitter.But as the phenomenon continued to grow I started to change my mind about it. Today there are about 32 million people are on Twitter, and that number could hit 50 million by the end of this year.That is a lot of people! What makes Twitter unique is that it provides real-time information.It also is a service where only those people who follow you on Twitter are those that are interested in the information you are providing and your business. In fact, Twitter can also be very useful as a tool to determine what your competition is up to these days.In today’s business environment competitive data can be vitally important.Keep in mind, your best customers are your existing customers.If someone likes and cares enough about your business to agree to follow it on Twitter, then they are people who feel a special connection.In essence it allows you to preach to your own choir. Twitter can be an excellent tool to build your brand and develop a true relationship with your customers.In a matter of seconds you can announce a special offer for followers, run a contest, ask for instant feedback, introduce a new product or service,etc.Its uses are limitless. I put a Twitter badge on my site (BottomLineCom) and today have a few hundred “followers.”By Twitter standards that is not exactly a tremendous following, but for me those are folks who are interested enough in my business to care to determine what is going on with it. Among my followers are several media people and media outlets.That means that potentially something I post goes directly to some major influencers.Sometimes the size of the audience is not as important as the quality of it. Need to respond quickly to a potential crisis?There is no faster way to do than on Twitter.The media now looks on Twitter as a valid source of information. If your business does not have a Twitter account go set one up today.If you are not sure of what to “Tweet” then check out your competitors and see what they are reporting. Twitter used to be kind of a fun, 140-character, Internet gadget that seemed ideal for kids with an attention span of a gnat. However, today, it should be utilized as an important business tool that you should use with other tools in order to communicate more effectively with customers. Tweeting is good for business.
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