Many large companies began using Twitter to reach their customers. Today, many small business have adopted the practice, allowing them level the playng field. It is easy to use, free, and it is brand, spanking new, so finding creative ways to employ it in a marketing strategy is a wide-open field that may actually yield some tidy profits. Some very small businesses do not even have a web page, so for them having a Twitter account is quite a lot cheaper than building and maintaining a web page. Marketing through Twitter is organic in nature. Since it is simply a 140 character post, or tweet, even the most overworked small business owner can find the time to work in a few tweets a day. Tweeting is a great way to build a following, or network, and it is a great way to stay in touch with your customers. For small businesses it is as important to retain customers as it is to get new ones, so having an open dialog with your customers is key to keeping them happy. One of the draws to Twitter is that it adds a personal edge to marketing. Many people say that Twitter "makes" the business. From coffee carts to custom bakeries, Twitter has connected prospects with businesses in a synergistic union many times. Each success story is another illustration of how direct marketing can really grow a business. Twitter is the 21st century's 'word of mouth' advertising. It is an amazingly versatile and powerful tool that can help businesses of all sizes expand their customer bases, and it offers a terribly effective way of announcing new products, discounts and promotions keeping your existing customers happy while developing new ones. Keep Track of Customers While Tweeting for Business Since Twitter is a micro blogging tool, it is a great mechanism for vendors and suppliers to use to stay in touch. It also lets small businesses connect to each other to build a supportive community that is not limited by geography. For example, a hobby store in Texas may connect with a hobby store in Wisconsin and be able to share ideas that improves their customer service, or they may even split orders from vendors to help keep costs down. Small businesses can easily reach other businesses, prospects, vendors, and customers through Twitter. Most small businesses do not have the time or the resources to administer and tabulate market surveys. They simply take too much time and money; however, a grass roots survey on Twitter helps small businesses to hear what chatter is going on about them. You can solicit feedback, and you can respond to the comments both good and bad. Keeping your ear to the ground to anticipate what your customers want next has never been easier if you are using Twitter. Another place that Twitter comes in very handy is to monitor your competition as well. Twitter lets small businesses track their competitors and it lets you see what competitors are doing that is right and what they are doing that is wrong. You can look for tweets that even mention them to get a sense of what people are saying about them. So Twitter is not only a valuable communication tool, but it is also a great way to keep your eye on the competition. By using Twitter to build a presence in cyber space, you can create an unstoppable small business force. Twitter gives your business a unique voice. Tweets should have some form of personality to them, humanizing your business. Twitter is effective in a 'right here, right now' mentality, and because of this it is a great way to get promotional information out to your customers and prospects. Twitter can add a new twist to your marketing campaign at no cost to you. So the next time that you are wishing that you had a larger client base, simply try tweeting for business. It is fast; it is easy, and mostly it is effective.
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