Thoughts on using Twitter for your business?

[brightonpebble]

Hi,

Is anyone using this for their business? Any thoughts? I just read a book about it, but it seems like a lot of work and not sure that many of our customers are on there. Just wondering if anyone was giving it a try...

I use it a lot.

I would say it's something you need to put a fair bit of effort into, and you need a strategy.

I tend to tweet or retweet items that are of interest to my target market (small businesses, preferably in my locality) and also tweet marketing information and tips. About one in twenty tweets - or less - I'll "plug" my business, or link to it.

I follow businesses that may be interested in my services. Lots of companies have an automatic follow feature, so they follow you back. I also make sure I follow my clients, and people I've met at networking events.

It's all about engaging with people too, so not just broadcasting, but listening and having conversations. I try to limit my time on it to half an hour a day.

It's quite hard work, and you need to put in some effort to make it work. But I have had enquiries through twitter, and I have found new suppliers, so it's been good for me.

I'm @ClaireKerr and @Marketingin1Day if you want to look me up.

I use twitter a lot, I'm a work at home mum running my business on my own, so on a sociable level it's nice to connect with other wahms.

I've also found some great info (about all sorts of things useful to my business, marketing, PR, sales etc) eg from following links to peoples blogs or websites of interest.

A few weeks ago I replied to a tweet by BBC2's Working Lunch programme, which led to my tweet (and company name!) being read out on air. Only something small, I know, but I was v. excited

I've also done some business thro twitter- I tweeted some information about one of my products, which led to a lady running an online baby shop sending a DM asking for trade terms, and then placing an order!

I'm on Twitter at twitter.com/ChiggsLtd

Just a word of dissent here - I must be one of the few who doesn't do

1. Twitter
2. MySpace
3. FaceBook
4. FriendsReunited Oh, and hardly ever visit YouTube, either.

Now admittedly, I'm not target market for some of them, but perhaps just a bit "jaded" about all the mentions given on the radio (BBC and commercial) about different presenters expecting people to join their FB group, or use Twitter.

I know of a small number of firms which run promotions (eg "be in a prize draw by following us on Twitter") but even that hasn't tempted me to get involved.

As I see it, these are potentially short-lived "fads" and one or several will be sold off or have a funding crisis if they have their profitability model(s) wrong.

It seems to be the media "promoting" by dint of "using" these facilities, rather than any one of them being intrinsically "good" and "useful" (at least to me). So they're getting free advertising, just like some presenter suggesting a person go and "google it" rather than "search online for it".

Yes, they may well work for people, but I've still to be convinced there's much of value in any of them.

We have just started twitter and I have realise how it has driven traffic onto our website.

I find it useful and engage in conversation a lot.

We specialise in childcare law providing information and advice on all subjects icluding care proceedings involving local authority, CAFCASS issues, child protection orders etc. Issues involving contact orders, residence orders, parental responsibility etc.

you can find us on twitter.com/sfchildlaw

having been really dubious i have updated my twitter page. aimed at families i am here
twitter.com/findasitter
i'm following you guys too - be delighted if you returned the favour! plan is to spend a few minutes a day, that's all
good luck

I use twitter quite a lot and it really benefits my business. However, my target market (mainly americans, crafty types) are big twitter users, so they're there too.

It definitely takes a reasonable amount of effort though - it's surprisingly hard to think up intelligent things to say in only a few words several times a day!

I find a combo of twitter and blogging works really well for me (again, crafty types like crafty blogs) as I can point people to my blog, which in turn points people to my shop...

does anybody know how to tweet and at the very same time update your facebook status? I have a page for my website and it'd be cool to be able to do the two at once!

You need tweetdeck or similar. It is really handy.

thats helpful thanks. i'm fnding lots on google - if i only want to update my special page (ie not my personal fb page but my 'business' page for my website) any idea how to do that?
thanks so much