7 Steps in using Twitter for business
A lot of thinking needs to happen before you decide how you are going to use Twitter for business. You cannot afford to make mistakes in this environment. You also want to maximize your time by working smart instead of hard, since using social media without a plan can suck up a lot of your time.
1. Set your goals for Twitter.
You don’t want to use Twitter just because the name is on the media. What do you really want out of Twitter?
Social media is a two way street, so what do you want to give your followers?
What topics would you like to talk about?
Will you use Twitter to talk to a small group of people, a private group or do you want to network and broadcast to a lot of people?
2. Just a Tweet away
It is nice if your followers perceive you as an individual that always have them on your mind. You might want to share a thought or tell them about something amazing that you just saw. Be ready to Tweet from your phone or any other mobile device.
3. Share the love
One key point to succeed in Twitter for business is to provide value, good information. Share resources, links, pictures.
4. The right time
Recommended Prime Tweet Hours: Twitter has replaced the morning email time for some. Between 7:30 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. EST Mon. – Fri. most twitter users are at work, reading tweets, tweeting, checking rss feeds and sharing information. However, this can vary when it comes to your followers and followings.
5. The right search
Using filters for your searches can save you a lot of time when you are looking for information. Use http://search.twitter.com
6. Get comfortable with applications
Applications exist to make your life easier. Twitter has many applications that you can use. My favorite is Tweetdeck. Tweetbeep is also useful. There are applications to help you automate Tweets, find targeted followers, media and influencers.
7. Save some time
Try to block 2 to 4 hours a week to spend time networking. Be careful when delegating this task. Delegating to someone that is not a decision maker can be a huge mistake. Social media is about the conversation, you do not want to give such important task to someone that is not fully committed to your company and able to keep an intelligent conversation.
I cover a lot more on how to use Twitter for business in our modular training: Twitter for business: Harnessing the power to profit in 140 characters