Twitter for Business

Posted by Anne Giles Clelland at 6:00 AM on September 24, 2008:

Jeremy Hart of the NRVLiving Real Estate Group, Coldwell Banker Townside, REALTORS®, and author of the blog NRVLiving - Real Estate. Simplified, comments on the use of Twitter for business, "in 140 characters, each line," he writes, "just like a good Twitter-ite would."

Anne, I read your recent post regarding using Twitter for business with interest and a side of humor – why IS Twitter so popular?

In fact, I’ve spoken to several groups just within the last few weeks, trying to describe why tools like Twitter are so good for business.

I’ve been using the service for almost exactly a year at this point, and I’m one of those Twitter-fanatics, just tweeting the day away.

Like most people, my first tweet went something like “Okay, I’m on Twitter, what’s this all about?” You could have heard crickets chirping.

I didn’t see the point. Why would anyone care that I was at a home inspection with a client, or lunching at Gillie’s here in Blacksburg?

“Don’t people have better things to do with their time than worry about what I was doing?”, I wondered.

I was an early adopter, as the piece describes, but not an enthusiastic supporter. That changed with just one tweet, however.

A local follower contacted me to say that he and his wife were moving, and that he wanted me to come discuss selling their home for them.

Then someone else contacted me to say he was moving into the area, and wanted to begin looking for homes upon his arrival.

As this pattern began to repeat itself, I realized that there truly was business – serious business – to be done in 140 characters or less.

I was interviewing for my next job, my next listing, my next sale, with each new Tweet.

It’s interesting how Anita Campbell describes it: “It’s a mosaic, a backdrop that helps you understand how they tick.”

It’s true – by learning more about the way the people I followed viewed things, I became engaged in their business, and vice versa.

Engaged customers are loyal customers, and I’ll take a loyal customer every day of the week.

Now, I am certainly an enthusiastic supporter of Twitter. I’ve got it on my iPhone, on my laptop, and I check in often during the day.

Twitter is not a detriment to my blog, but instead augments the conversational aspect that social media provides.

The keys to success are consistency and showcasing YOU, not your product. The consumer wants to engage to get to know you first.

If you engage them, they’ll seek out your product – and they’ll have already made up their mind, because they’ll consider you trustworthy.

I’d encourage you to seek out how Twitter can open you up to new customers. There’s nothing like doing business with loyal customers.

Twitter me, @NRVLiving, and let me know how you’re using the service to reach new customers. Happy Twittering!

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There will be a Tweetup session – to inform local businesses about Twitter and network local Twitters -5:00-7:30 on either Oct 7 or 9 location TBD. Ira Kaufman and Jobzcafe.com are putting this on... Contact him at ira@jobzcafe.com

Posted by: stu mease | September 24, 2008 at 08:39 AM

HI Jeremy,
The Roanoke/NRV tweetup has been scheduled for October 9, 4:30 - 7:30 at the 460W Restaurant and Lounge, 3424 Orange Ave, in Roanoke. This is a new place that has food, drinks, and free wi-fi. It is behind the Wachovia on 460 in Market Square East .

We hope all the Tweeple in the New River Valley, Roanoke and Lynchburg will be able to join us.

If you have any questions you can call 540-563-2249 or email info@jobzcafe.com.

Thanks!
Patsy

Posted by: Patsy Stewart | September 24, 2008 at 12:39 PM

Hi Anne,
Thanks for including the Tweet-up info on your blog!
Patsy

Posted by: Patsy Stewart | September 24, 2008 at 12:52 PM

I subscribe to Peter Shankman's Help a Reporter Out list.

I have his permission to quote this excerpt from his "'Tweet' edition."

***
So every time I announce that I send out urgent HARO queries via twitter - www.twitter.com/skydiver - I get a ton of people asking "so what's Twitter?"

One paragraph overview: Twitter is micro-blogging. Short bursts of information that, depending on who you "follow" in the twitter world, can either be extremely useful, or extremely boring. Since some of the best Twitterers are talking about social media, PR business, and things that can benefit you, your own success or boredom with Twitter can be determined by who you follow. With that, Mm top recommendations for following the brightest people in social media, marketing, PR, thinking differently, business, and lifestyle, follow:

@brianmorrissey, @chrisbrogan, @philgomes, @colinmckay, @newmediajim, @mashable, @GarnettLee, @jspepper, @skydiver (me) @sarahmorgan, @mashable, @overthinker, @jowyang, @zappos, @prblog, @pistachio, @DougH, astrout, @screenrant, @biz (founder of twitter) and @AnnePMitchell. This is by NO MEANS a complete list.
Much more brilliance is on Twitter, waiting for you to find it, but this should get you started.

***

Here's Peter Shankman's contact info.:

http://www.helpareporter.com
http://www.shankman.com
http://www.twitter.com/skydiver for urgent queries

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | September 24, 2008 at 06:31 PM

Thanks, Patsy, for the information about the Tweetup. I'd like to try and be there, if I can - putting it on my calendar now.

Posted by: Jeremy Hart | September 25, 2008 at 04:08 PM

Yes, thank you very much, Patsy. I put it on my calendar, too.

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | September 25, 2008 at 05:32 PM

A link to Robert Geller's post from his blog, Flack's Revenge: "Sold on Twitter"

http://www.flacksrevenge.com/2008/08/what-sold-me-on.html

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | September 27, 2008 at 06:26 AM

Here's a fascinating view of how Twitter works, set in our locale, from Gary Cope.

http://thegarycope.com/post/55505660/how-not-to-use-twitter

Posted by: Anne Clelland | October 21, 2008 at 07:25 AM

Blog link from a Twitter post by Stuart Mease on Chris Kieff who got a job using Twitter:

http://personalbrandingblog.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/success-story-one-tweet-changes-one-personal-brands-life/

Posted by: Anne Clelland | November 09, 2008 at 08:44 PM

Very thoughtful, informative post on the meaning of Twitter on Flack's Revenge:

http://www.flacksrevenge.com/2008/11/strength-of-weak-ties-why-twitter-is-addictive.html

Posted by: Anne Clelland | November 14, 2008 at 05:00 PM

From @vabio via Twitter

vabio Mumbai attacks and Twitter. CNN on social media response to terrorism: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WOR... about 19 hours ago from web

Here's the complete URL:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/27/mumbai.twitter/index.html

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | November 28, 2008 at 11:06 AM

A quote from the CNN article
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/27/mumbai.twitter/index.html

With more than 6 million members worldwide, an estimated 80 messages, or "tweets," were being sent to Twitter.com via SMS every five seconds, providing eyewitness accounts and updates.

Many Twitter users also sent pleas for blood donors to make their way to specific hospitals in Mumbai where doctors were faced with low stocks and rising casualties.

Others sent information about helplines and contact numbers for those who had friends and relatives caught up in the attacks. Tweeters were also mobilized to help with transcribing a list of the dead and injured from hospitals, which were quickly posted online.

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | November 28, 2008 at 11:08 AM

How To: Build a Community on Twitter
http://mashable.com/2008/11/10/twitter-community/

Link provided by Flack's Revenge in response to a comment on this post:

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | November 28, 2008 at 08:44 PM

From Seth Godin's blog:
"If you've got 140 characters to make your point, the odds are you are going to be misunderstood (a lot). There may be nothing wrong with that, but you should be prepared for it to happen. And most of the time, people won't take the time to ask. They'll just assume you're an ignorant jerk and move on."

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/11/misunderstood.html

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | December 01, 2008 at 08:16 AM

Why Twitter Turned Down Facebook
New York Times 12/3/08

http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/why-twitter-turned-down-facebook/?emc=eta1

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | December 04, 2008 at 11:31 AM

From the Wall Street Journal

11/29/08
Marketing in the World of the Web
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122792310060465901.html

12/3/08
Birds of a Feather Twitter Together
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122826572677574415.html

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | December 05, 2008 at 09:41 AM

Can Twitter Help Your Cause?

from The Chronicle of Philanthropy
http://philanthropy.com/news/prospecting/index.php?id=6441

Posted by: Anne Giles Clelland | December 05, 2008 at 10:52 AM