Jack and the Tweetstalk

No, I’m not attempting to rewrite any beloved fairytales – consider this the somewhat-true-story of an average guy who wants to make the best use of his Twitter options.

You’re only using twitter to chat up your pals? Well, then you don’t know Jack.

Never fear – simply pull up a chair – you’re about to get schooled in all things clandestine on Twitter – the undisputed champion of social media.

Jack Owns a Business
Like most business owners, Jack is plagued by the worries of competitors, and how much market share his company currently enjoys. He recently learned that his biggest rival is using Twitter for promotional activities, and this news has got him worried.

What did Jack do? He set himself up on Tweetstalk.com.

Tweetstalk allows the Jacks of the world to keep tabs on fellow Twitter users without them knowing. Jack can follow whomever he wants, and they will never have a clue.

What Else Can Jack do With Tweetstalk?

• Keep track of his tween daughters without compromising “cool Dad” status
• Follow his favorite 70s music groups without ribbing from his friends
• Look up long-lost friends and see what they’re doing before making contact
• Monitor the competition to see if they are attempting to poach his clients
• Discover who the competition is chatting with, for developing potential leads

Never has cyber-stalking been more enjoyable, or harmless, for that matter. And if you’re anything like Jack, you’ll agree that’s some pretty cool beans.

Start Tweeting Your FAQs, PDQ

The global phenomenon of Twitter has spread into every imaginable market, with more tools and uses becoming available all the time. Despite this, new users often pose the same question:

What in the heck am I supposed to tweet about?

Veteran Twitter users would find it difficult at best to answer this question with any amount of brevity (despite the 140 character restriction) – but, for business users, there is at least one universally applicable subject matter that you can start with, namely, your frequently asked questions, or FAQs.

Why Tweet Your FAQs?
Suppose you have a product that generates lots of user questions – whether it is assembly questions, installation, technical support, maintenance, accessory orders or the like, there are bound to be some questions that you receive on a regular basis. You’re already answering them on your website, (you ARE doing this, right?), so why not consider a quick tweet with the link to help direct Twitter users who may be in need of this information?

Some Other Examples:
* Link to the directory of local sales/maintenance representatives
* Link to short training videos you are hosting on your site, or at YouTube
* Link to your newsletter subscription page
* Link to welcome videos
* Link to free technical manual downloads, ebooks, coupons or other offers
* Link to event calendar with upcoming events and appearances

We all know that there “is no such thing as a stupid question,” but we’ve all felt reluctant to ask one at some point or another. Help make relevant information readily available, even to the shyest of customers by offering this information as tweets.

In addition, you can build customer loyalty and goodwill by encouraging them to send you their questions, and you can answer them in a public twitter “shout out.” Everyone loves to be made to feel special – consider offering a special discount or freebie to the best question each month in order to increase submissions.

Many Twitter users that may not have previously been aware of your company will be able to find you by way of the “search” tool on the Twitter website – think of your tweets as a 24/7 sales tool that serves double-duty as product information.

How To Create A Custom Twitter Background Video

Here is a great video that was posted on youtube explaining how to create a custom twitter background for your website, blog, or business. We also cover some of the basics in the twitter marketing guide. Enjoy the video!

Tips to Consider for Twitter Automation

While there are plenty of folks who enjoy using Twitter purely for the social interaction that it provides, still others use their tweets as another facet of their overall twitter marketing plan. For the savvy user, Twitter can be leveraged with many other activities you may already be doing. The benefit of doing this, of course, is that it allows you to automate this portion of your marketing activities – freeing you up to pursue other things.

For the avid article marketer, EzineArticles.com has recently added the capability of tweeting your articles. It takes just a few moments to set up, but could potentially provide users with long-term dividends. First, there is the obvious visibility among your own followers, who are likely to visit the article, or your website directly. Second, a well-titled article could potentially show up in keyword searches of other Twitter users that may also be interested in the same niche – they may seek to reprint your article on their site, contact you for joint ventures, or become an affiliate for your product.

Bloggers can harness the power of Twitter in a number of ways. First, there are several handy plugins for Wordpress that can tweet your blog posts for you. Second, you can utilize a site such as TwitterFeed.com to serve up your blog’s RSS feed to your Twitter profile. Each have their own advantages – you’ll need to compare them to see which one will better suit your needs.

Other social networking sites such as Facebook and Squidoo also have handy Twitter tie-ins. Squidoo users have the option to announce the updates of their lenses to their Twitter followers – a handy tool if you are using the site for promotion of your own niche products or affiliate programs. I’d categorize this option as “a little goes a long way,” as frequent updates may become aggravating to your followers. Facebook allows users to integrate their tweets into their profiles as well. For those who tweet frequently, bear in mind that those who have friended you on Facebook will literally be inundated with these updates if they have opted to receive them. That said, use this automation with caution – at the very least, be sure to provide ample notice to your followers that they will be receiving frequent updates.

The time savings of such automation tools can be very appealing, but they should always be weighed against the potential for aggravating the very people we are trying so hard to attract. First and foremost, social media is about establishing genuine connections. Use discretion and consider all of your options fully before you place your social media dialogues on auto-pilot.

Automating Marketing Research with Twitter

If you run a business, it’s always a good idea to keep a pulse on changes in the market. You never want to be the last one to know that the uber-cool widget you’ve been developing is now obsolete. Markets, like just about everything else these days, change at the speed of thought – and you want to insure that you’re kept in the loop.

Whether it’s technology changes, market impressions, or keeping a watchful eye on your closest competitor, the saying “it pays to be prepared” takes on a whole new meaning.

Many business owners employ Google Alerts to send them notifications when their brand, market or other keyword phrase show up in the search results. The service is free, takes just moments to set up, and provides updates on any frequency you specify.

With the explosive popularity of Twitter, it was only a matter of time before a similar service came on the scene. TweetBeep.com allows Twitter users to track keywords of their name, company, brand…or literally anything in between.

Examples of TweetBeeps you can set up for yourself include:

• Your company name, website, or brand
• Your niche market
• Most popular keyword phrases
• Popular “hash tag” topics in your niche
• Specific users you follow

This is by no means a comprehensive list – the website states you can set up alerts on “any keyword you like, really.”

Consider taking advantage of this handy tool and leveraging it for your business today.

What are some of the ways you could use this tool to implement into your twitter marketing? Please comment below.