22 Reasons to Use Twitter for Business and Pleasure
By NikNik · May 29, 2008
Last week I was invited to take part in a top secret Twitter Mission. I received a request from JulieTweets to arrive at a red door in San Francisco by 12:30 sharp! Thanks to GPS (asking the parking attendant) I found it promptly! Anyway, once I arrived I was greeted by one cool cat and 3 hot babes with cupcakes. I was in for sure now! The hot babes (savvy production crew) proceeded to set me up for video interview. Come to find out, I wasn’t the only top secret twit invited to the red door. JulieTweets informed me that Twitter is compiling video interviews of all sorts of Twits to use in an upcoming marketing campaign. I quickly let her know that I’d be fine sharing the spotlight (not really) if she hooked me up with a Twitter shirt. Gosh, imagine what I’d do for a pair of jeans!
So for those of you that are not familiar with Twitter (come out from under your rock), it’s a cross between blogging and instant messaging. Also referred to as micro-blogging. Each tweet or post must be 140 characters or less. You can add more value to each tweet by including links to helpful blogs and Websites, your wacky pictures and videos, etc. And each tweet is centered around answering the question, “What are you doing?”
To be honest, I poo pooed Twitter for some time. I just didn’t need (or want) another social networking tool to contend with. I can admit when I’m wrong. In fact, because Twitter updates in real time I’m able to reach an on audience on the spot. Besides being just fun…Twitter is a valuable safety tool as well. If you haven’t heard about the student who Twittered his way out of an Egyptian jail, read this. You may not be visiting any foreign countries in the near future, but you can use Twitter at home to let loved ones know where you are and if any unfavorable persons are bothering you. (EX: Unfamiliar meeting locations, Open Houses, etc.)
Here are 22 reasons I use Twitter, followed by my best advice (for the time being). I know there are a couple of Twitter experts or eTwits (Andy Kaufman) out there who have great advice and tips for using Twitter. So please share and let us know your favorite Twitter apps as well!
FOR BUSINESS
- Gain exposure for my blogs… and gain potential readers
- Build my network with transparency and trust
- Market my work, products, services, etc.
- Answer questions/ ask questions
- Learn new things from other industry professionals
- Share tech tips & resources (baby blog post) & teach stuff
- Meet and talk with others (some business/some pleasure)
- Conference connecter (stay connected, share info, get social)
- Seek out industry colleagues for assistance w/ special projects
- Safety- Tweet unfamiliar meeting locations & while traveling
- Better understand social media
FOR (MY) PLEASURE
- See a new side of your friends
- View/Share fitness tips and favorite motivational songs
- View/Share fun pictures (of self and others, or random stuff)
- View/Share fun links (great sites and other fun blogs)
- View/Share local news and events
- Exchange great recipes
- Tweet the wacky: (ex: running the Bay to Breakers)
- Tweet while traveling: (ex: a 24 hour Vegas trip)
- Makes you think about your life (What am I doing?)
- It’s just plain fun.
- It’s free!
BEST ADVICE
- Be yourself.
- Don’t tweet your bathroom trips unless something remarkable is happening in there. Or the wallpaper totally rocks!
- Interact with twits you relate to, enjoy, can benefit you in some way (like with their amazing knowledge of the real estate industry), or those that are just fun to YOU.
- Follow the twits that follow you…unless they are spammers.
- Don’t over-tweet. It’s annoying. Seriously. I could name names, but you know who you are.
- Don’t share too much. (TMI) EX: When you’re having the mole on your ass removed.
- Provide resources or items of value.
- Be creative and have fun with it!
- Take advantage of apps for streamlining your tweets. (Check out Friendfeed, Twhirl, TwitterBerry)
- Add a Twitter widget or bling to your blog for easy access to your tweets and to gain new twits!
If you have enjoyed MyTechOpinion - Technology for Real Estate, please subscribe to our RSS feed!
Other posts you may enjoy:
Tags: social networking, twitter, safety tool, open houses, tweet, video interviews
At first, I really did not get twitter. After 30 or 40 tweets I started to have fun with it. Around update 200 or so I realized that twitter.com was more than a gadget.
Today I posted my 1000th update. Twitter must be in the air…
[...] Continue Reading [...]
[...] Original post by Technology for Real Estate - MyTechOpinion.com [...]
Christoph- I find a new reason to love Twitter almost every day now….the momentum is flowing…for sure! Just have to manage time wisely!
I love twitter and friend feed especially now since they added rooms. I learn so much on both. Thanks for the post.
NikNik - I came up with a couple more business uses for Twitter and wanted your opinion:
http://roihunters.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/business-twitter-ideas/
Chris- FriendFeed rocks! Anything that helps me organize my networks and Internet activity is more than worthwhile…it’s a necessity.
Tim- I like your business examples for Twitter….especially staying connected for large projects. Reporting progress in real time should have some fluid results!
Twitter IS a great business tool. It lets you get the word out on different projects, ideas, etc, without being too spammy.
Rich- You’ve got that right!
NikNik,
Love your blog. Long time subscriber. I’m the Director of Technology Education for a real estate company and I’ve been trying to figure all of these things out. My question is for the real estate industry. What is the main difference between Twitter, FriendFeed, Twhirl? I guess my issue this that I liked to find the best tool for agents to use to market their blog and brand themselves. It seems like there are a lot of tools out there that kind of do the same thing. Can you give me a little guidance?
Chris
Nik,
Nice job accounting for the many ways people can use Twitter. I can empathisize with the entry above that I truly didn’t get it at first… but then I don’t get alot of things at first!
Anyway, I think that the important part is to make it part of your daily ritual (I’m guilty not making it part of mine!) and just do it. That’s what makes it interesting and what makes people want to follow.
I found a great plugin for those of us “Rebels” that use Blackberrys instead of the iPhone for using Flickr with your phone. http://www.blackberry.com/flickrdownload
What I’ve started doing (since alot of the stuff I write about is visual):
1. Snap photo
2. Send to flickr
3. Copy URL
4. Tweet thoughts with URL
Makes it all work well, and I could see TONS of uses for this with Realtors…
Thanks again… great post
Matt Dollinger
@properties
Chris M- Here’s the breakdown for you. Trust me…your not the only one who was confused by all these.
Twitter: Cross between instant message & blogging (microblogging). You can login to Twitter on your computer or from your mobile phone. (I use TwitterBerry on my BlackBerry).
Friendfeed: Aggregates all your online activity to one fluid stream of consciousness. All your blog posts, tweets, and other social media are housed in one sport for you and your friends to view.
Twhirl-Download this desktop app and access both Twitter and Friendfeed from a handy little window and get auto updates and more. Just an easy way to keep conversation flowing.
Matt-Nice idea with the Flickr on BB. I love my BB for the moment, anyway. And I loved taking mobile pics and sending them to Facebook while on vacation. Definitely need to check out Flickr mobile too. Thanks for the tip! You rock!
NikNik
- Ok, I’m still at the “not quite getting it” stage as Matt pointed out above and it’s probably down to my lack of imagination. So let me ask a dumb question - in very simple terms, what advantage does Twitter give to an agent if they already have messaging, a Blackberry, etc.? What would it enable or encourage them to do differently and/or more effectively?
Here’s hoping for enlightenment!
Thanks.
Colin
Colin- Not stupid at all. Messaging is usually a conversation with one person. Blackberries (& other mobile devices) help us keep up to speed with our emails and direct business tasks/follow up. Twitter is another conversation tool, but is used more as way to broadcast yourself through a network by sharing your ideas, activities, events, ponderings, pictures, video, blog posts, etc.
As an agent, consider it a marketing & transparency tool to develop your online community.
Also, many agents spend 50 cents a postcard to get people to know their name….you can do the same (for free) via Twitter. Use Twitter to keep in touch with your assistant, office, clients, family, etc. I use TwitterBerry on my Blackberry to post “tweets” on the go.
An agent could also add the Twitter widget to their blog and keep everyone up to date with brokers’ tours, open homes, showings, new listings, and other daily happenings. Your blog readers and clients can follow your day or learn what you are doing to market their home innovatively. Be sure to add a “follow me” link to your blog sidebar to start building your network.
So what do you think now?
NikNik
Thanks for your explanations.
What I think now is that I need to figure out applications for my own company’s specialized market - we generally operate as buyers agents for mainly European/UK clients buying in Florida. It may give us some benefits, due to the geography and time zones zones (it costs more that 50 cents to mail the UK!). Instant messaging has done so, on occasions, and your description of Twitter as a “Cross between instant message & blogging” is intriguing.
Time for some creative thinking, I believe!
Many thanks.
Colin
Hi NikNik,
I love the phone feature, I can twitter anywhere by dialing 40404. Perfect for those occasions when I’m on the road and something catches my eye or if I’m stuck in traffic.
Gracias for the info!
Deb Miller - http://www.neighborhoodblogparty.com
[...] of MyTechOpinion, wrote 22 reasons to use Twitter for business and Pleasure: FOR [...]
You can also “listen” to what all 4 million Twitter users are talking about with Summize or Get Satisfaction:
http://summize.com
http://getsatisfaction.com/for_companies/overheard
Then create alerts for keywords in your area of interest ( “need agent” or the zip code you are in ) and you’ll get a text message on your phone.
Todd- Great tip! Summize is very cool….I always wondered how new tweets find others so easily. I heard that Twitter is trying to buy Summize….that would be a nice integration.
Nik Nik -
First of all it was great meeting you in SF at connect! I love Twitter and have actually sold a house from it. It takes some getting used to and yes, some people over-twit their welcome!
Tina…the pleasure was all mine! Thanks for coming right up and introducing yourself! Let me know how it goes with your munchkin’s school.
[...] 22 Reasons to Use Twitter for Business and Pleasure - MyTechOpinion [...]
[...] Twitter is definitely all about “now” - a live commentary of people’s lives shared with friends and followers. So what of the application for real estate? To be honest, I don’t think any - real estate is far more of a 1-to-1 than a 1-to-many relationship so I doubt that it has direct relevance. Potentially agents might choose to share what they are doing, but considering the competitive nature of the industry I doubt it. In the US naturally within a subset of the real estate fraternity twitter has become a “must-do” - reference this blog post by Nicole Nicolay - 22 reasons to use twitter for business and pleasure. [...]
[...] think I convinced him. However, I recently found a post from blogger Nicole Nicolay, who wrote 22 reasons to use Twitter for business and pleasure. She gave 11 reasons for business and 11 reasons for personal use, and she’s done a nice job [...]
Rhonda Porter tells a great story here on RCG.
http://www.raincityguide.com/2008/08/16/twitter-is-amazing/
It sounds like a few businesses are starting to get serious about managing their online reputation and they are paying attention to twitter.
Thanks Geordie…I love this post because I recently had a similar experience with Midphase…..go customer service 2.0!
[...] think I convinced him. However, I recently found a post from blogger Nicole Nicolay, who wrote 22 reasons to use Twitter for business and pleasure. She gave 11 reasons for business and 11 reasons for personal use, and she’s done a nice job of [...]