Why should your business Twitter? – As a new technology and social media tool, there has been great attention focused on Twitter.  The question “why should I use this?” and “how should I use this” are questions that I hear every day when I am speaking with clients.   As a platform to help drive traffic to your website or blog, Twitter can be useful, but as with other social media platforms, there are certain protocals that will earn you respect.

In a nutshell, Twitter is used to broadcast and to monitor.  In “broadcast” mode, you can use Twitter to announce new products, share existing services, highlight case studies, ask for information or resources, and generally market your business.  In “monitoring” mode, you will be able to respond to positive or negative mentions of your brand or company, keep updated about news in your market, analyze your competition, maintain links with  your suppliers, and understand customer service concerns.        

Twitter is also about dialogue not one-way broadcasting.  It’s important to respond to inquiries for information and show the Twitterverse that you are a human, not a ‘bot.  To do this, you should respond to others and create dialogue as appropriate.   To this end, a “social media policy” should be established for your organization which determines the type of information that can be shared as well as appropriate and inappropriate dialogue that the company finds acceptable.  More on a social media policy in another blog to follow.  

One of the most important functions of Twitter is as an information and news source.  Even the most respected television stations, radio stations and newspapers understand that they need to use Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms.  There is something about having the ability to communicate directly with the radio personality or the television news announcer that is undeniable.  CNN has been very smart about setting up Twitter accounts for their announcers, even reading Twitter comments in real time on the air.  

News is more of a two-way street than ever before.  True journalists are ‘keeping an ear to the ground’ by watching what’s being stated via Twitter statements.  If it’s important to the news, then certainly it’s important for you.

In future blogs, we’ll examine how to use Twitter to gain credibility and also how to develop a Social Media Policy.

Several of my friends have asked me, what’s this Twitter thing all about?  I have to admit, when I first heard of a 140 character “micro blog”, the idea seemed silly. Who has time for something like that?   I dutifully watched the video on the Twitter site that sort of explains what Twitter is, but by no means was I prepared for the realization of how powerful a tool Twitter is.

Last week, I tweeted  the following: that for the first time ever, a “social media” is changing the course of history.  I understand this sounds melodramatic, but the reality of what is transpiring in Iran is an amazing example of the power of the micro blog.  While the Iranian government was scrambling to shut down all communication from inside, the Twitterverse responded by requesting that Twitterers all over the world identify their account as being in Tehran, Iran.  The reason this made sense was to disguise who was Tweeting from inside Iran.  By cluttering the ability to identify who was sharing info from outside, Twitter was able to help the information that was able to be shared outside of the country from those within.

Apparently this worked well enough that the Department of Defense requested that Twitter postpone maintenance from the middle of the night our time (middle of the day in Tehran) to the middle of the day our time (the middle of the night in Tehran).  The ability to gather intelligence from the Tweets coming out was that important.

But what does that mean to you?  You may not want to read about Harry blowing his nose, or George having tuna for lunch.  I agree with you.  However, with the way media is changing due to the rapidity of information gathering, it’s impossible to ignore the power of this tool.

Recently I had the pleasure of moderating a panel for eWomen Network on Social Media and how Traditional Media is reacting to the changing environment.  It’s no secret that newspaper circulation is down, radio listenership is down, and television news audiences are down.  Many people are turning to the Internet for their news.  All three of the panelists, representing TV, Radio and Newspaper were consistent in their recognition of the need to incorporate social media as a way to reach their audience and to gather information.

As a business person, how would you use social media to effectively supplement your marketing programs and reach the audience?  I’ll address this question in the next post.  Stay tuned!

For those of you that happen to be female and live in the Greater Philadelphia Area, Howard will be speaking at the event for the Women of Wit and Wisdom on June 26th, 2008 at 5:30pm at the Pyramid Club in Philadelphia.

Using LinkedIn to Promote Your Business

Is it 12 or 73 invitations that you have received from LinkedIn so far? You have either ignored them or perhaps created an account. So now what do you and you 4 connections do next?

Learn to use LinkedIn to improve your reputation online:

• Create powerful connections for business networking
• Give and receive recommendations
• Promote yourself by answering questions
• Create opportunities for new business

What: Guest Speaker, Dinner & Networking
Date: Thursday, June 26, 2008
Time: 5:30-8pm
Location: Pyramid Club, 1735 Market Street, 52nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2921
Cost: $35 advance registration/Pyramid Club Members; $40 at the door. Cash bar.