How do companies use Twitter to boost their business? Twitter’s microblogging service is a very effective tool that allows companies to communicate directly with customers and vice versa.

Twitter creates relationships that would otherwise be impossible on traditional communication channels.

Here are some companies that have used Twitter to benefit their respective businesses:

1. Tasti D-lite is a dessert franchise in the New York metropolitan area. They initially used Twitter to hear what Twitter users say about the company and its competitors. Their successful delivery service started with a single tweet from an office worker craving a Tasti treat. The closest branch complied with the request upon reading the tweet.

two. CoffeeGroundzThe GM built a small following on Twitter through constant direct messages. Followers know that you are always online. When one of them tweeted a “to go” order, the manager was able to fulfill it immediately. This gave way to CoffeeGroundz’s online order placement system. To date, it has expanded to an online reservation service to reserve tables, booths, and the entire venue.

3. Dell Store, a division of computer giant Dell, sells refurbished computers. They post exclusive offers for Twitter followers that lead to an unprecedented increase in sales. And that not only spread the brand name, it engaged customers in a two-way conversation.

How to make Twitter the best bet for your business

To grow your business on Twitter, here are some simple ideas you can use:

1. Ace your Twitter presentation

Create a business account on Twitter and display clear information about your business, products and services. Post your company logo or company slogan if available. Tell all your customers, through email or your social networks, to follow you on Twitter.

2. Socialize seriously and sincerely

Spend time following Twitter users and increasing your followers. Respond to direct tweets. Re-tweet relevant messages from other users. Feel free to follow companies in the same niche and even your competitors. Use Twinfluence or Klout to decide who are the “influencers” users to follow. Tweetcloud even allows you to follow users who actually tweet on the same topics related to your business.

3. Listen, listen and listen

Use the Twitter search tool to find comments related to your business or your competitors. Save the search result to your “Saved Searches”, which you can click from here to get real-time results when you need them. You can generate business opportunities, get updates on industry news, or track the activities of your competitors in this way. Use tools like TweetDeck, Trendistic, or Monitter to get real-time updates on keyword trends on Twitter.

4. Tweet well or don’t Tweet at all

Bearing in mind that your messages affect the image of your business, be careful what you tweet. Go for the casual or friendly tweet. Post useful links or articles related to your business. Re-tweets are fine, if they are quality material. Tweet about your business carefully, without giving the impression of being overly self-promoting. You can tweet news, free offers, sales discounts, and coupons. Make sure you comply with them. To make tweets more effective, you can use Ping.fm or TwitterFeed. Ping.fm allows you to easily send updates to Twitter and other social networking sites. TwitterFeed creates automatic tweets every time your blog is updated.

5. Be open to customer feedback

Submit questions or ideas on Twitter that aim to solicit comments and opinions from your followers. A new addition to your restaurant menu can be discussed with users. Be prepared for complaints and grievances, or even rude tweets from irate users. Respond clearly and courteously. No matter how unpleasant they are, these disclosures are healthy for your business because they can tell you what you are doing wrong or what you need to improve.

6. Evaluate your Twitter experience

Keep track of your activities on Twitter. Record details such as the number of users who used your promotional coupons, the number of questions you answered, or problems solved. For links to your website, track clicks and conversions originating from Twitter. Bit.ly not only shortens your links, it also tracks these links and gives you real-time traffic data for your tweets.

Twitter can be used in many other ways to boost business. It can complement your email marketing campaign, expand your customer base, or improve your customer service.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *