I know, I know. For some of you out there, the mere mention of the “T” word makes you cringe. Immediate images of Kim Kardashian, Ahston Kutcher, and number of irritating celebrities, tweeting about their favorite breakfast cereals pop into your head.
But as annoying as Twitter can be when put in the wrong hands (damn evil Karshashians!), don’t be so fast to dismiss the medium as an annoying and useless enterprise. Love it or hate it, these days Twitter is an essential ingredient to any successful business. In this article you will learn five ways that Twitter can help take your business to new levels.
1. The ability to provide better customer service.
Twitter allows all of your potential customers to see what your business is doing in real time. When you make an announcement and customers react, you are receiving instant feedback on how to run your business. Suppose I were to announce a 10 percent off sale to a specific product I own and witness potential customers complaining that other companies are giving better deals. This is a huge advantage, allowing me to gage what customers are feeling, and giving me the ability to adjust my strategies accordingly. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if I were to offer a sale and customers are all gushing over what a great deal it is, I know that I have found an effective sales strategy and can cater to what my customers want more effectively in the future.
2. Twitter will drive traffic to your site.
Twitter is a great medium for making special announcements, creating contests, and offering sales. By giving potential customers a reason to visit your site, you are driving traffic that otherwise would not be visiting your website. In addition, if your contests, sales, or promotions are creative enough, others may re-tweet them and the news will have the ability to go viral.
For example, I run an online dating business. A great contest idea might be to offer a free custom made profile to the person who posts the most unique and creative online dating email idea. Not only am I enticing people to send in their best material and creating a buzz, but also, those who are following me on Twitter will find plenty of valuable ideas in the process.
Other ideas might include giving customers a free gift, coupons for signing up to your newsletter, etc. Any incentive for a customer to visit your site is a good one.
3. You can learn what your competitors are doing.
I have learned a great deal about what my competitors are doing by looking at the sales they offer, new theories in online dating, etc. As Steve Jobs did so successfully, always try to stay one step ahead of the competition.
4. Increasing your connection with the locals.
If you are using Twitter and have a localized business, you can use this as an opportunity to tweet local information or organize local events. It also enables you to take part in local community projects and issues that are occurring in your area. Showing that you are willing to take part in neighborhood causes not only creates good will towards those whom you are serving, but will create a strong awareness for your brand and what you do. In order to find great opportunities, sign up for weekly newsletters. Join websites such as TimeOut.Com. Create fundraisers and charities. Look up other business that relate to your field and connect with them. There are countless ways to strongly take part in your community.
5. The ability to connect on a personal level with customers.
Joshua Pompey is author of The REAL Online Game E-books and Profile Writing Service that have a combined success rate of over 99%. Click here for some great information on what to write in an online dating profile.
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