Twitter is like the watercooler at the office
“Why should I be on Twitter?”
“What does Twitter do for me that Facebook doesn’t”
“Twitter isn’t for me or my business”
“Twitter is too confusing”
Over and over I hear business people say these things about Twitter. I believe that most of the questions and concerns about Twitter is they just don’t understand it, and the importance of having your business on Twitter.
Twitter is like the office watercooler. Whatever is happening in the moment is being talked about on Twitter, and not just by everyday business people like you and I. By following major network stations (ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX) you are constantly up to date on the worlds happenings. You can follow your local t.v. and newspapers to keep informed as well. There are thousands of reporters, national (Chris Cuomo, Jake Tapper, Greta Van Susteren), and local on Twitter everyday, talking about current topics both from a professional side, and quite often their personal opinion. By following HARO, you get immediate needs by journalists for story sources.
Now you’re asking yourself…”How does following reporters help me out?” What if you fit the need of a reporter doing a business story? You get interviewed, your name and business name get put in the article. Within a matter of weeks you are coming up in Google search! What business doesn’t want more search results in Google?!
Often times you may read something on twitter that affects your business: mail service issues via USPS, UPS, FedEx; software glitches; new and improved IPhone applications; deals on office goods; the list of possibilities is endless. By finding out these issues immediately you can possibly avoid complications, or it may help you strategize future plans.
By being on Twitter, you are also adding quality to your brand reputation. You are being proactive in gaining customer trust, and public acceptance. By NOT being Twitter you run the risk of having to come on later and being reactive, and cleaning up a mess. Do you remember what happened to Tylenol and Dominoes? They did not have a Twitter presence and when the public cried out, they had a huge mess on their hands scrambling to save their brand reputation and customer loyalty. On the other hand, Best Buy is doing it right in being proactive and building a very large Twitter presence with Twelpforce.
The watercooler is a very important part in the office. Just like the watercooler chat, you can block out all the gossip stuff, and general chit-chat if you want. But you better get engaged in the discussions to stay in the loop, and stay on top of your brand.
The *buzz* is ever flowing at the watercooler we call Twitter…don’t get stung by not being involved.