Enterprise UK Blog

It’s been called ‘the socially acceptable way to stalk people’ but Twitter is so much more than that. So much, in fact, that it could become a powerful tool for your home business. Here’s how I’ve used it in my business and 5 reasons why I’ve come to love this little application.

Roger Bauer is right. He’s the man who presented on 7 commonly held misconceptions about Twitter that you can view right here.

I’ve heard a good number of these objections raised when I start talking Twitter …

“Surely it’s a waste of time”
“It won’t do anything to help my business”
“Why do I want to know Billy listened to jazz music today as that’s all people twitter about, isn’t it.”

Wrong
Wrong
Wrong

Twitter has become an invaluable tool in my business and here’s why:

• It’s easy to maintain – Twitter doesn’t consume or waste time. How can it when you’re only allowed to say what you’re doing in less than 140 characters! You can post updates from anywhere; from the web or mobile phone. It’s quick and it’s easy.
• Show off your specialism – it may be quick and easy to upkeep but it’s powerful. Twitter allows you to be the expert in your field, the specialist in your sector. In my case, I post useful links and resources on the topic of home business; links and resources that don’t require a full written feature on the site. Twitter is a perfect depository for quick messages and useful tit-bits relating to your world.
• Make announcements – in promoting the Home Business Awards, Survey and competitions, I’ve used Twitter as a new promotion channel. Without doubt, when I’ve Twittered about the Awards, entries have come in. When I Twittered about the Survey, more than 266 surveys were completed within 4 hours. Twitter spreads the word.
• Learn from others – Twitter is about promoting your own whereabouts and goings-on but if you follow others, you learn from them too. I’ve heard about a new small business website from BIPC and sourced new content for Enterprise Nation from a US home business blogger. And I’ve learnt that Alex Bellinger likes tea and hot cross buns. And this is where we come on to the more social angle.
• Creating bonds – as home business owners know, when you work alone in the home office, there’ll be times when you look for a feeling of camaraderie and team spirit. Twitter gives this. When I log on to post I see what people are doing in their day and somehow you feel a sense of togetherness; sympathy for the homeworker who’s having IT niggles, pleased for the one who’s just won a new deal.

If this is considered the socially acceptable form of stalking then let it be but let’s also see Twitter for all the other things it can do. – Emma Jones

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 at 10:14 am and is filed under Emma Jones, Entrepreneurship, Guest bloggers, Innovation, Web/Tech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.