What Twitter is to me

There is no wrong way to use Twitter.

For that matter, there is no wrong way to use a telephone.  You could make long calls, short calls, make a crank call, call to tell someone you love them, call and only talk about yourself.  Whatever.

So when I hear that people don’t “get” Twitter, I’m tempted to ask them if they “get” a telephone.

For me, Twitter is a professional tool.  I am not on Twitter to keep my friends updated on what I am up to Facebook-status style.  I am attempting to build professional connections with people that can help me and whom, in turn, I will help.

In short, what Twitter is to me can best be described by Zig Ziglar:

“You can have everything in life that you want if you just give enough other people what they want.”**

Twitter enables a barter economy like no other online tool.  My trade is marketing.  But I am not on Twitter to sell my marketing services, I already get paid for doing that.

I am on Twitter for two reasons:

1. I’m pretty good at what I do.  I am using Twitter because I want you to know that so you’ll reach out to me when you need marketing help.  What do I hope to receive in return?  Maybe you’re good at something I’m not.  Maybe you can design a better logo. ;)  Note that I’m not expecting the favor to be returned.
2. nikkoSHOPS.com is a furniture retailer.  Everyone needs furniture.  My hope is that if you know me from Twitter, you know more or less what type of person I am and that I am part of a trustworthy business.  So when you need a couch, let me know.  I may not have what you want but I may know who will.  (Why would I tell you to go shop somewhere else?  See bullet #1.)

How are you using Twitter?  What do you hope to gain?

**Thanks to Darren Rowse over at Problogger for reminding me of the quote.

Photo credit: lepiaf.geo

Tagged as: darren rowse, Marketing, nikkoshops, problogger, Twitter, zig ziglar