“What are you doing?” asks social-messaging/micro-blogging service Twitter. And you have 140 characters (max!) in which to answer and send a real-time update (called a tweet) to your followers and the Twitter community at large.
“What? Why would anyone care?” you might be tempted to ask in return. “How can such a tiny bit of information possibly help me market my business? I don’t get it!”
The KISS Principle at Work
Twitter is astonishingly simple to use, and perhaps that’s the fundamental reason why the service has caught on so well with consumers and business men and women alike (current statistics show that 4 to 5 million people are using Twitter). Of course, the fact that you can send and receive updates via your favorite browser, email, IM client and your cell phone doesn’t hurt either.
From wherever you are, 24/7, you can quickly reach out to your audience to direct attention to good news about your business in a casual—or official—way. It also means that you can monitor the conversations that are taking place about your company, products and services; respond to specific queries; solve customer problems and altogether put a very human face on your business.
How Much Is 140 Characters?
Surprisingly, 140 characters lets you report more than you might think! To put that character-count in perspective, here’s what 140 characters looks like in the context of some familiar messages:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. (Pledge of Allegiance)
Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. (Gettysburg Address)
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. (President Obama’s inaugural address)
And if that’s not enough, to help you out with Web site addresses (which can be very long) for links you might include in your post, you can use a service such as TinyURL to free up more characters for your message.
What Can You Do in 140 Characters?
You might be surprised at the power 140 characters can give you. Since Twitter’s launch in July 2006, businesses have devised all types of uses for the service, working within the 140-character limit. For example, you might
- Provide pointers to interesting articles you’ve read: “Found a great article on trends in Internet marketing, Washington DC, at www.somewebsite.com”
- Answer a question: “Yes, we can help you redesign your Web site so you don’t lose your Google PageRank”
- Ask a question of your audience: “What do you think are the advantages of working with local Maryland graphic designers?”
- Announce an event: “ACS will speak at the Virginia Web Designers user group next Thursday—hope you can join us!”
- Connect with people offering special skills that can help your business: “We’re looking for an experienced PHP programmer for a special project”
- Test something: “I need your help! Check out www.somewebsite.com and let me know how it looks in your browser”
- Respond to a dissatisfied customer: “Thanks for letting me know about this problem. I’ll direct-message you with more details about what to do next”
Convinced Enough to Give Twitter a Try?
If you’re intrigued enough to give Twitter a try, you’re in good company. Numerous businesses report excellent results from the time they’ve invested in developing a Twitter-driven community. Here’s how some well-known businesses use Twitter:
- H& R Block (@HRBlock)—provides lots of good tax information to all who follow them
- Zappos (@Zappos)—provides insights into one of the most customer-centric companies on the Web
- Comcast (@comcastcares)—a leader in providing customer service and support—they don’t post, but they listen deeply and respond immediately to customer concerns
- Baskin Robbins (@BaskinRobbins)—a favorite and open to customer suggestions
- Dell (@richardatdell)—puts a human face on one of the largest technology companies in the US
- JetBlue (@jetblue)—known to add flights when Twitter customers express the need
What do you have to lose? It costs you nothing (right now) to start a Twitter account, listen in, provide insights about your industry and start to build a community around you and your business.
Besides inviting your current customers to follow you, you can use Twitter’s search function to find like-minded people who will understand and value what your company has to offer. And who knows, maybe the relationships you build today through Twitter conversations will convert to valued customers who trust and evangelize your brand.
So, what are you doing—right this minute? In 5 minutes or less, you can let the world know. What are you waiting for?
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