© JoshSemans



Twitter has immeasurable uses for business. There's lots of discussion about the "worth" of twitter right now. Twitter may not act like a Purchase button, but it can still help you with customer service, branding, and connection. Here are my top ten reasons that every business owner should be on Twitter:

1. Industry News Twitter is quickly becomes one of the fastest places to find popular news. You can find a discussion on anything from politics to new technology to pop culture. Stay ahead of your competition by tracking the news. Put in a few keywords for your industry in Twitter's Search function and check it regularly.
2. Branding Get your brand out there an in front of people! Make sure your profile image, background and content all tie into what makes your brand unique. Be consistent about the image you portray.
3. Polling Not everyone has the time or money to put together a focus group. So use twitter instead. Thinking about a new marketing campaign? Get some feedback from your followers. If you are connected to your target market, you should get reliable information.
4. Conversation Twitter allows you to listen in on other people's conversations. Jump in if you have something to say! Respond to your follower's comments and questions. Build a relationship with the people you connect to.
5. Keep Track of Competition You're probably not the only person on Twitter within your industry. Look for other people in your field and follow them. Keep track of what they do, what works for them and what doesn't. Even your competition may end up referring business to you, if you take time to cultivate those relationships.
6. Listen to Your Target Market Follow your perfect client. Read their tweets. This will help you understand what's important to them. Listen to what they say and then find a need you can fill.
7. Learn Use Twitter as a helpdesk. Got an technical problem on your computer? Need a plumber ASAP? Ask on Twitter. The connections and resources people provide will amaze you.
8. Local Events Find the "movers and shakers" in your area. These people will list events they attend on Twitter like its their personal calendar. Find events that relate to your market and go out and meet people. Twitter doesn't just provide online connections, it can facilitate face-to-face ones too!
9. Creating Champions Got a client who's on Twitter? Ask them to tweet about you. A few people mentioning you can bring in new referrals. Don't be afraid to ask for that "retweet".
10. Keeping Tabs on Your Reputation In the digital age, you must stay on top of your brand. If you don't define your company, someone else will. Its call brand management. Search twitter for your company name or products. See if people talk about you, and what they say. Is it good? Thank them! Is it bad? What can you do to fix it? Don't let someone else define you.

How do you use Twitter in your business?