SOME USEFUL TIPS

Here are some Top Twitter Tips based on observations and experiences to showcase business examples on how to make a proper use of Twitter for marketing, service and sales. It might serve as inspiration for a new list, one that helps businesses of all shapes, sizes, and focus embrace not only Twitter, but all social networks of relevance.

Special Offers

Consumers are always eager on what to read, view, purchase, shop and sample based on the information that goes through their attention dash- boards. At the end of the day even the most suitable information sourced from the most reliable contacts will only receive a click of the mouse. Should the offer meet up their requirements, then the consumer will evaluate about their own interests and benefits click-through to redeem the special or coupon.

For example, there are so many restaurants sending coupon passwords via Twitter, which customers must say at checkout to redeem the offer.

Number 2. Ordering

Many businesses are also using Twitter to log orders when the distance between introduction and action is only a question of a link. Even coffee shops are using the direct message channel on Twitter to receive and prepare orders. According to a report. these coffe shops have made an increase of 20/30% on their sales and market share by using Twitter as a promotion and marketing channel.

Number 3. Word of Mouth Marketing

Moonfruit offered 11 Macbook Pros and 10 iPod Touches to celebrate its 10th anniversary. In order to qualify, contestants had to send a tweettweet using the hashtag #moonfruit. One month following the completion of the contest, Moonfruit site traffic was up 300 percent and sales also increased by 20 percent-and all because of a meager investment of $15,000. The company also realized SEO benefits, by landing on the first results page on Google for "free website builder."

Number 4. Conversation Marketing

Some businesses don't necessarily market on Twitter; instead, they "unmarket" via conversations and engagement. People have the tendency to embrace openness more easily. Sharing proactively the company culture and values create a humanizing effect that invites more traffic to the business and acts as a sales driver.

Number 5. Customer Service

Use Twitter to pave your way for service-focused organizations, to help subscribers on a daily basis. Our help desk customer care officers are here to receive direct questions but at the same time to proactively seek out complaints. Consumers like to be given an ear to their queries. Many businesses have been successful due to their desire to build up relationships, not barking advice or chat people up.

Number 6. Direct Sales

Twitter and other forms of Social Media have netted in an increase to revenue. The hotel industry is using the Twitter Search to identify prospects and to attract new clients by offering them a better package. It is a big necessity to cultivate community in Social Networks. Let people validate us more when they talk about us rather than we talk about ourselves.

Number 7. Business Development

Twitter, along with blogs, blog comments, and other social networks, is abundant with conversations that broadcast and echo dissatisfaction with brands and products. One company's crisis is another's opportunity.

Monitoring conversations (social reconnaissance) related to competitors provides the ability to "save the day" with better service or monetary incentives.

Number 8. Information Networks

Information Networks can serve up helpful alerts and notices to help followers avert problems, change plans, and also pursue new opportunities. Some Department of Transportation use Facebook and Twitter to alert people of traffic and road closures. Other leisure parks uses Facebook and Twitter to spread the word about events and news and also conducts polls to improve local programs and services. In business, customers could also benefit from updates and alerts that they might not have otherwise have encountered on their own.

Number 9. Dedicated and Branded Channels

On Twitter, information is being shared using distinct accounts by Motor industries for promoting their specific models and products. Using social Media gives the customers a choice as to how they want to consume information. Some food companies maintain independent channels to better serve the customers. The healthy foods retailer channels specific information and updates for wine and beer, cheese, and recipes.

Number 10. Mobile and Geo Location Marketing

Local businesses are using social tools to identify customers within the area to attract new business and also extend the online interaction into a full-blown community in the real world. If you are looking for a late night snack just send a tweet out to a mobile network and you might be nicely surprised to be served a dinner within half an hour. Expect to see this trend continue in mobile social networks dedicated to locale and accessible via mobile phones.

Number 11. Hosted Conversations That Generate Traffic and Referrers

Social Media Dashboards are the future of hosted and aggregated conversations. As we're observing, those sites that integrate Twitter chat functionality can not only thread conversations in one place for easy following, but also send out tweets in the Twitter stream for all followers to see, and hopefully feel compelled or curious to join, as well.

Number 12. Vendor Relationship Management

When e-mailing or calling into the service people are relegated to faceless customers, but social media takes the power once held exclusively by the brand and injects more balance.

A good example will be a company which was overcharged by a Telecom services by more than $10,000. After five months of a hopeless resolution of being refunded the company's owner took the story to the Twitterverse. Within 30 minutes, the Telcom Services customer care responded with help and two days later, the bill was adjusted.

Number 13. Employee Recruitment

Recruiters and hiring managers are turning to Twitter to seek referrals and applicants for open positions. Twitter and social networks can spark a social effect that galvanizes community support and action. Not only can companies save a significant amount of money on listing and referral fees using traditional outlets and resources, they essentially create a presence through the practice of "unmarketing" itself through the process of seeking qualified candidates.

Number 14. Events

Organizing and promoting events are natural applications for Twitter. Tweetups surpass online relationships and turn out into real-world connections.

The Coffee shops will be as an example again, they regularly organizes tweetups to draw hundreds of customers into the store for each event.

Number 15. Fund Raising

This is a big opportunity and one that will yield amazing stories on how people are using Twitter and social media to raise money for charitable causes and capital for projects and companies. It's the art of stimulating contributions through information and education, not solicitation.

When it comes to social media for Social Good, we don't have to look much further than anything touches or spotlights. Beth Kanter is one of the most influential people in using social media for raising awareness, support and money for causes. One of the projects that she remains dedicated to is helping orphans in Cambodia and, to date, it has raised over $200,000. She has also used Twitter, Widgets, and other social networks to help many other organizations and causes.

Number 16. Words of Wisdom

As mentioned above throughout these top tips, listening and responding is helpful and efficient to attract new customers and instilling loyalty. Serving as a resource for your community or industry positions, proactively responding to online users who are posing questions, and assisting those who are seeking advice and guidance can earn you trust, respect, and amity for you and the causes you promote.