One of the m
ost common concerns I hear from small business owners and entrepreneurs that sell any kind of product or service is that they’re often far too busy trying to focus on production, trade shows, development, merchandising, budgeting and other time-consuming aspects of running a business to even think about using something like Twitter. Why in the world would they want to take time out of their already busy day to listen to “Joe” tell them about how much he’s enjoying his peanut butter sandwich? Although many understand the obvious benefit of using social media to interact directly with consumers and promote their business, many miss the time saving advantage that Twitter can provide as a customer service tool.
Some of the most well known companies out there are doing just that. Take Best Buy for example, their Twitter reps (aka Twelpforce) deal with questions, complaints and suggestions from customers all over the country. How can this work for smaller businesses? It could easily reduce their amount of email traffic and could be handled by almost anyone in the company or a representative with enough resources to answer customer questions. Additionally, it’s a great way to demonstrate a business’s transparency and commitment to quality service by listening and responding to the comments and concerns of their customers.
Still not convinced? Start your own personal Twitter account and learn how to use it. I remember the first time I was blown away by the great customer service demonstrated by a company via Twitter. I had just started using their software and posted a quick “tweet” about my enjoyment so far with their product. Within the hour someone from the company had found my tweet and responded back with their offer to answer any questions I had. Going forward, I knew that someone was there listening and ended up engaging their rep in conversation a number of times about questions or comments I had. Each time they responded quickly and in a manner much more preferred over a standard 800 number automated recording. Needless to say, I also recommended their services to many of my friends and colleagues who now also use their software as well.
I haven’t come across a business yet that couldn’t use Twitter to their advantage. The key is to learn how to use the tool and then set realistic goals as to how it can help you save time, save money or create more meaningful ways of interacting with people. Need some ideas?
3 Starter Twitter Tips for Business:
- Secure your business’s name by registering it as a Twitter username. Many people attempt to find their favorite brands online by doing a simple Twitter search. Using your business name or a relevant username for you and your customers is important. You want to maximize the potential for people to be able to find your Twitter account through search engines. Also, Twitter messages can only be 140 characters, so the longer your username is, the shorter your messages can be. Keep it simple. Recognizable, but simple. You can choose to start other Twitter accounts specifically for customer service or company news later, but having your business name secured should come first. If somebody is already using it, get creative. Use the acronym or another version of your company’s name.
- Find out what people are saying on Twitter about your business, industry or competitors. Twitter comes with a great built-in search engine. As a ghost blogger, I can’t tell you how many times people are shocked that we’ve been able to find them talking about our clients in their Twitter conversations. How do we do that? Twitter search. You can search for business names, brands, industry topics and will find results for almost anything. It’s a great way to get involved in conversations by offering your personal expertise, help or insight without sounding like a television commercial.
- Follow the leader. Know of other brands, companies or personalities on Twitter that are making it work? Do you have companies you stand by because of their excellent products or customer service? Follow them. You’d be surprised how much you can learn through observation. It may spark new ideas on how you can use Twitter for your business and can also give you good quality material to share with your followers. Plus, you never know what might come from just sending a friendly hello. I’ve seen clients form extremely successful affiliate relationships with other companies just by exchanging a few simple tweets back and forth.
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Category : Social Media
