The debates about Twitter descend in a deluge of debates. There’s the one about whether you have any personality if you use Twitter, or whether you’re just looking for blanket approval. We’re getting into the territory of personality analysis by Twitter. This is only because the conversations about whether Twitter is a great marketing tool, or a drain on time has been done to death. The pundits are predicting either that companies that use Twitter well will thrive – or alternatively, that Twittering businesses will shrivel on the vine because they’re trying to ‘catch clouds’ – depending on which side of the Twitterophile/Twitterphobe line they lie.
In truth, Twitter is just a tool. Its not magic, nor is it the answer to all that ails business. In fact, it’s a great communication tool, and as with any tool its ability to work for you is dependent on the skill with which you wield it.
The benefits of using digital communication tools are greatly expanded when they are used creatively. And the exciting thing about new communication channels with the reach and power of Twitter, is that there are creative new ways of using them being devised every day. On one level, new Twitter applications appear at a rate of a few each day – at current count there are 2000 independently developed applications to enhance the use of Twitter.
But applications aside, it’s the way people are using new social media tools that is the most exciting element of this communication channel. So far we’ve:
- been approached by companies wanting to collaborate with us,
- identified potential partners and built initial relationships with them,
- expanded our network of fans and promoters,
- increased our web traffic and blog subscriptions,
- been asked to collaborate on other blogs and in trade publications,
- improved our marketing programme,
- gained feedback from our market,
- developed new products and services to solve problems we’ve been made aware of,
- met up with local businesses to share even more ideas on ways to work with social media…
and this is after just a couple of months. We’re really looking forward to what’s still to come.
If you look at this list, it all comes down to making the effort to take the conversation further. Twitter is a means of gaining an introduction. Beyond that, the effort has to go into building on that initial contact. And the greater the effort on both sides, the more valuable the outcome. So if you’re using Twitter to develop your business, make sure that once you’ve developed an initial contact, get on email and have a longer conversation; even better, pick up the telephone and have a chat; or best of all, if you can, meet up in person.
[Tip: Apply the same rules to staff, customers, suppliers and partners. Just because you already have a relationship with each and every one of them, don't neglect the personal touches. Have more face-to-face time with them whenever possible]
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Photo credit: Erinisfunky
Article by Vandy Massey
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