Twitter for Dummies and Professionals

Twitter for Dummies explains in plain English, how to easily and creatively use this incredible micro-blogging platform to increase your sales and boost your income. It covers the very basics of Twitter, Twitter etiquette and later in the book, teaches you marketing strategies and how to use the essential tools and applications, which at first appear to be just more stressful than they actually are.

Twitter is like a whole new world of potential customers, waiting to hear about your product or service. But if you don't know how to find and connect with them, this truly amazing social media site will drag you down and waste most of your valuable time.

Never before have you had such possibilities for growing your business online and off. Unless you have been living under a rock somewhere in the desert, you've inevitably heard about 'tweeting' and have a basic understanding about what Twitter is all about.

But, if you have been hiding under that cold, dark rock - then Twitter for Dummies is a book which you definitely want to add to your library.

What is Twitter and How Does it Work?

It is a micro-blogging platform (website) that allows you to post 140 character messages (including links) which can be seen by anyone following you. At the click of a button, prospects and customers can follow you and see what you are tweeting.

Imagine the possibilities of someone in Australia, someone in London and someone in Los Angeles getting your message at the same time! What could this do for your business, or for your social circle if that's what you would use it for.

Micro-blogging, aka 'tweeting' can also be done via a smart phone, like an iPhone.

Why is Twitter so popular?

Because you can easily and instantly transmit an important message or review of a new product, for example, to thousands of people who have expressed an interest in you and your business somehow. And remember, they could be in thousands of different locations right across globe.

How Do You Use Twitter

Before you head off and add a bunch of new friends and start tweeting away, you must have a marketing strategy in place first. This is where Twitter for Dummies comes in real handy, to teach you the do's and do not's, what works and what doesn't.

You should only share information which is going to be of value or need to people. When you do this, more and more people will start watching out for your tweets in the future.

Each of your followers will probably have different interests, which could depend on a lot of variables. And they will not want to read a bunch of tweets about the products or services, which your company supplies.

This is such a huge mistake that I see people making every day. Twitter is not a place to spam ten thousand people with a link pointing to a hot tub or a dog kennel, or a new limo service! But this is what people are continually doing , and they wonder why they get unfollowed on a regular basis.

To be unfollowed means that someone clicks the 'unfollow' button on your profile. When they do this, they will no longer read any of your important messages. And that is what you don't want. Twitter is in essence, no different from face to face marketing.

Build the relationship first, the sale (and repeat sale) comes further down the line.

So it is fundamental that you do not use Twitter as a place to spam people.

Of course you want to get your message across. And you naturally want to promote your company and products or services, but you have to strike a balance between self promotion and giving useful information to the people who are all potential customers.

Twitter is a Social Community

Consider the law of reciprocation for a moment. When you do something for somebody for no apparent reason, they are compelled to repay you at some time for your kindness.

Say you have 1,000 followers. But a few of your followers have 5,000 or more followers. How do you reach them, aside clicking 10,000+ 'follow' buttons? You can do this by re-tweeting a message from someone that you follow.

The more you re-tweet someones messages, the more likely that they will re-tweet yours. And hey presto, your 1,000 viewers just reached another TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE!

This is one of the reasons why I like the Twitter for Dummies book. Most people would never know these little tricks, but this and many more Twitter tips are laid out for you in plain English in the 312 pages of this Dummies guide to Twitter.