There has and always will be a debate as to whether twitter is an effective business development tool for anyone using it. Recently one of the individuals I follow on twitter had a great twitter thread on the subject. And, using a twitter tool I am going to talk about in the next few days, you can see the thread below. What I am going to do is add my own take and perspective on what @lancegodard had to say on the subject. And just for the record, I could not have said it better myself.
Five keys to why twitter can be and is an effective business tool
Engaging in the conversation is actually one of the key elements you have to remember to get the most out of twitter. Yes, you can get something from twitter by only listening to conversations with the tools available. But you will not build any connections and/or relationships without engaging. Just in case you have not seen my key phrase for twitter, I will give it to you again: Twitter = Interacting & learning from those you follow and who follow you. Engaging your followers is key.
Twitter can be fun. But, exchanging information is one of the powerful benefits of twitter. Twitter has given many of us access to such a huge source of information we did not have years, months even weeks ago. We have such a great source of information with twitter, there is no way we can’t get better at what we do. One thing I have found very useful about twitter is how you can use it for “research and development”. Ask a question, get an answer. (We will talk about this more in a few days).
Of all of Lance’s tweets, this might be one of the key ones in the thread. Twitter is a tool and like all tools, it is best if used for what it is best at. Too many are spending too much time complaining about what twitter can’t or won’t do, then spending the time praising it for what it can do. Twitter is like “instant messaging” on steroids. It is not, let me repeat that, it is not the same as some of the other advertising tools or methods you may be using in your business or professional firm. Twitter is a communication tool where you can ask a question or carry on a conversation with, literally 1000’s of other people with like interests as your own. Yes you can market with twitter. And yes you can use it for business development. However, key to twitter is the conversation and relationships you build with twitter.
The nature of business relationships has changed for good because twitter has made the world even smaller than before. And twitter is not going away. Or at least its method of communication is not going away. For those of us who use twitter as a business development tool, it has become indispensable. At least it has for me. Used right, twitter is very effective. The trouble arrises when those using it, don’t use it effectively; not the other way around.
All you need is a computer, a phone, a Blackberry or an iPhone to use twitter. And how difficult could just 140 characters be. In fact twitter is so easy to use, that might be its problem. Some tend to over think it and try to make it what it is not. Just use it.
Final thoughts
Twitter is and will continue to be a key tool for business development. Whether some believe it or not. And it is here to stay in some form or another. Leave your comments on your own feelings as to the importance of twitter as a business development tool.
