How Do You Leverage Twitter for Your Business?

Author: Matt

10 Feb

Every since jumping on the Twitter train (my first tweet) the one ongoing question I’ve continued to hear is, “how do I leverage Twitter for my business?” In fact I recently wrote, “Mixing Twitter & Business – Congrats Dell!” Also, here is an awesome post from Chris Brogan (@ChrisBrogan) entitled, “50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Business.”

Like with any other business initiative, I would always recommend that you define your goals – in this case how you will be using Twitter or social media in general. In the spirit of being transparent, here’s why I’m here:

Engage in the social media experience to increase my knowledge and understanding of each platform;
Establish and foster relationships with individuals who might be able to add value to myself and my business;
Assist others and their business or clients in any way I can.

As a result of this ongoing question, I’ve spent some time asking many of my friends and followers which businesses they admire on Twitter. I’m following each and I plan on pulling this conversation into this blog and other social media platforms as I see great examples of businesses using Twitter (and other SM). Here is my shortlist:

@Zappos
@ComcastCares
@1800Flowers
@TheHomeDepot
@Threadless
@JetBlue
@Nordstrom
@CarlsJr

Also, Chris Pitre (@ChrisPitre) provided me with this awesome site that is an index for all different businesses and resources on Twitter – http://www.socialbrandindex.com/ (NOTE: just because a business is on this list it doesn’t mean they are doing a good job utilizing Twitter – i.e., following 6 with 20,000 following them).

Which businesses might you add to this shortlist? How do YOU leverage Twitter for your business or clients? I’m looking forward to your input as I’m treating this as a little side project/experiment:) Thanks!

Filed under: Social Media

6 Responses for "How Do You Leverage Twitter for Your Business?"

Arik Hanson February 10th, 2009 at 8:15 pm 1
A few of my faves:

@pgatour (I’m a huge golf rube–love the real-time updates)
@umnews (This is @ryanmathre’s news source at the U)
@redcross (although it varies by crisis)
@pdxtrailblazers (fave sports Twitter account)
@HenryFordNews (health care org that gets it)
@radian6 (not sure if they “count”)
@hrblock (used to work for HRB)
@southwestair
@sleepnumbersara (Select Comfort–my friend Sarah Ryder working things out at SC)
Matt February 10th, 2009 at 8:21 pm 2
Great additions, Arik – Thank you!

I may want to connect with you off-line to discuss what qualities you like/dislike about businesses using Twitter. OR perhaps you could do a post on your blog about it and we could both benefit from your detailed feedback:). Do you personally advise companies on how to use Twitter and SM in general?

Thanks again,

Matt
Leah Otto February 11th, 2009 at 7:43 am 3
This topic came up at a Twin Cities Interactive Community event on Feb. 9.

Creative strategist Alan Wolk says that consumers view social media space as a place that has all the unspoken social boundaries of a casual gathering at a local malt shop.

It would be intrusive for a salesperson (other than a waiter) to approach your table and try to sell cars, insurance, what have you. Wolk advises that brands need to keep that in mind. Consumers are put off by brands that try to be their “friends.” Instead, Wolk suggests that brands identify a problem, and be the solution to that problem. (Following the Comcast model.)

Another insight: Wolk says that Twitter and Facebook are not the places to try to capture user info. It’s okay to drive them to a home site, where a user might fill out a registration form. But don’t try to do it in the quick-moving social spaces.

Another example of a company effectively using social media: Whole Foods

For more info on Alan Wolk: http://tangerinetoad.blogspot.com/2009/02/minneapolis-on-monday.html

For more info on the TC Interactive Community: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=6078590807&ref=ts
Matt February 11th, 2009 at 7:09 pm 4
Thanks for your contribution, Leah.

Alan Wolk’s recommendations and analogies are very good. My own angle to Wolk’s “local malt shop” analogy would be that Twitter is like walking into a massive cocktail party with millions of conversations and personalities just waiting for you to join in and contribute.

Leah, I look forward to future conversations with you!

Matt
Allan Schoenberg February 17th, 2009 at 9:41 am 5
This is an interesting post and obviously one that is getting a lot of attention. At the exchange (@CMEGroup), we started our Twitter account in Q408 and really look at providing three benefits for us:

Brand enthusiasm – turning customers into “fans”; we want people who use our products or who know of our products to talk to us — give us feedback, ideas and and a rallying point in the market.

Customer service – improving customer knowledge of what we’re doing. There’s obviously a lot being discussed around DC, but we can’t forget our core products (grains, energy, interest rates, FX, equity indexes, metals, livestock) and our role in the global economy. Pointing out trends and what we’re doing to help customers manage risk provides an immediate benefit.

Advocacy – building and maintaining support behind us in today’s volatile marketplace will be important as regulators look to better manage financial markets. Getting an understanding of our what drives our customers’ thoughts and opinions via Twitter helps add to the conversation and showcase what we’re doing.

I hope that gives you some further insight. Let me know if you have any questions.
Allan
@allanschoenberg
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