Alice in Twitterland – How Shrinking Your Marketing Message Can Expand Your Business

In March of 2008, while doing a search for information on a product I needed, I saw a small box on the side panel of the site that said “tweet me”  Being the curious person I am, and feeling somewhat like Alice when she picked up that small bottle that said “drink me”, I clicked on the button. Fortunately I did not shrink, but I was introduced to a new world.  This was the world of Twitter.

I didn’t get Twitter at first.  I thought that here was possibly just another place that could be a time waster.  I was a “face to face” networker who felt a little odd sending out messages that detailed the minutiae of my life.  In fact the total amount of tweets I sent out were 2 ~ one that day, and one again in May.  Hardly prolific.

That Twitter profile sat there untouched for about 8 months, until I started my Virtual Assistant business.  It was then that I revisited Twitter because of the chatter that I was hearing about it through my fellow VA’s.  Whether starting a new business, or growing an existing business, “where am I going to find clients?” is a question that is often asked.  The answer that I was hearing from my peers, was “Twitter”

At first Twitter was used as another platform for friends to stay connected in real time.  However, it has now evolved into an important component of brand marketing, gaining popularity and importance in both the consumer and corporate worlds.

According to Neilsen Online, Twitter increased 1,382 percent year-over-year, from 475,000 unique visitors in February 2008 to 7 million in February 2009, making it the fastest growing site in the Member Communities category for the month.  Demographically these Tweeters are not primarily teens or college students.  In fact, in February 2009, the largest age group on Twitter was 35-49; with nearly 3 million unique visitors, comprising almost 42 percent of the site’s audience.

Almost every one in five small businesses are now tweeting regularly.  Twitter is a useful tool for these small operators who don’t have the deep financial pockets of larger companies to fund large advertising budgets. Twitter is free, simple and easy to use and is the newest, most useful tool for small businesses looking to increase sales and profits.

Cost savings

Small businesses that use Twitter save on marketing and recruitment costs. A substantial amount has been saved by firms who use Twitter instead of traditional marketing methods, an impressive cost reduction from the small business perspective. Small businesses often have little, if any, advertising budget. Having a Twitter account provides an immediate intimacy of tweets that may suit the small business philosophy and approach better than impersonal, sweeping advertising campaigns.

Spread the word

Direct marketing, especially the word of mouth kind that Twitter is all about, is a powerful tool for small businesses looking to expand their customer base. Business owners can also tweet about discounts or new, just-in products, reeling in new customers and enticing regular ones.  A crème brulee cart operating in San Francisco grew by word of mouth via Twitter and within a few months the proprietor had quit his day job to keep up with demand. (“Mom-and-Pop Operators Turn to Social Media,” Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, 23 July 2009)

Community building

Twitter is useful for small businesses wanting to keep in touch with suppliers. The microblogging tool allows small businesses to connect to other small companies, promoting a sense of community that goes beyond traditional geographical borders. Twitter has the ability to increase the range of small businesses contacts, whether with suppliers, potential customers or support services like accounting and consulting firms.

Brand and reputation management

Small businesses rarely conduct market surveys as these are too expensive and time consuming for the average small to medium enterprise. But what about grass root surveys? Twitter allows the small business to monitor what people are saying about their business and their products. You can ask for active feedback and criticism, respond to questions and deal with any disgruntled tweets through Twitter. Listening to what’s happening on the ground can also help small businesses decide on a strategic direction.

What’s my competition doing?

Twitter lets small businesses monitor their competition. What new initiatives are on the horizon and what can you do to keep ahead? If your competitors are not on Twitter, you can search for tweets that mention them so you can see what others are saying about them. Competitive intelligence is a good reason for small businesses to use Twitter and stay a step ahead of the crowd.

Stand out from your competitors

Being able to build a presence can make or break a small business. How to differentiate your shop or enterprise from everyone else’s? Twitter allows you to show your creativity, humour and humanity in marketing your business. Tweets are personable and twitter accounts can be as funny or outstanding as you want them to be – the better for your customers to remember you by.

Twitter is not just for the big guys. Small businesses are signing up for Twitter accounts in droves. There are many and myriads benefits of using Twitter to the small business, including cutting marketing costs and keeping tabs on competitors.

How has Twitter impacted my business?  50% of my clients have come through relationship building and business branding on Twitter.

Is it time to ask yourself – “How can Twitter impact my business?”

Tweet me at http://twitter.com/patticakegirl and let me know.