4. Twitter is a great customer service tool.
Customers often have questions that can be answered in 140 characters or less. Used appropriately, Twitter allows you to handle a variety of customer requests in real time. While far from being a small business, Progressive is a great example of a business using Twitter for personalized customer service.
Use your common sense as to whether conversations are appropriate for public discussion. When applicable, dont hesitate to clearly indicate to your customer that you would like to discuss in private via direct message (DM). Because of its 140-character limit, Twitter may hamper your ability to provide a comprehensive explanation. To avoid any misunderstandings, dont be shy about taking the conversation to email or telephone, when appropriate. If possible, provide your client a case number or code so that your rep can quickly catch up on the background of the case and is ready to act.
Also, be aware of the regulations of your industry. For example, as of the time this article was written, it is illegal to offer investment tips or financial advice through Twitter.
Takeaway
While Twitter advertising may not be suitable for every small business, the platform itself is a powerful marketing tool. Savvy small business owners will use Twitter for its potential search engine optimization, time-management and cost-saving benefits. Additionally, this tool could be a useful channel for customer service. However, make sure you take the time to strategize the Twitter implementation and prepare a solid reasoning for it to your team. Remember Twitter is not a magic bullet that will solve all of your marketing problems. Instead it is a useful tool that you can add to your marketing repertoire and bring out when appropriate scenarios require it.