Do I really need to be using Twitter in my business?

For those of you out there who are still not sure about Twitter I thought I’d tell you why I think it’s so good and how you can effectively use it in your business. Some of the reasons I think it’s great are:

Micro blogging – telling people what you’re up to in just a few words.

Asking for advice – there’s always someone happy and keen to share their knowledge!

Networking – making contact with potential new clients and customers.

Finding out what’s going on in your industry

Helping to promote other fantastic businesses or colleagues

Twitter is a great tool for keeping up to date with all your contacts, as well as a great place to find out information about what’s happening in your industry.

Why is networking in business so important? Because everyone likes to work with someone that they feel they know and trust. Twitter helps you engage with clients in a more friendly arena.

 Photo from freedigitalphotos.net

How do you make the connections?

When you start using Twitter it can be a little scary. Follow people you admire and see what they say and how they use Twitter: it’s all about building relationships and talking to people. Have a conversation. Engage with people. The more you join in the more you’ll get out of it.

When I speak to friends who aren’t on Twitter and I ask why not they usually say ‘I haven’t got anything interesting to say’ or ‘I’m don’t care what people have had for their breakfast’. Twitter is so much more than that. It’s like a networking party: you wouldn’t go around telling everyone what you’d had for you breakfast unless you ran a business telling people about breakfast! You can share interesting information you find like good blogs and articles, or retweet something you’ve found particularly funny or useful.

I have managed to gain some great clients through Twitter and also make some fantastic friends too. So give it a go!

This is me on Twitter @RachaelNaylor

If you have any of your own Twitter tips you’d like to share please comment below, I’d love to hear what works for you.