Subscribe in a reader
My primary goal for this blog is to have it address the questions and concerns of our Sound Web Solutions clients. So, I take most of the ideas for my blog posts from questions I’m asked by clients. 
Let me share with you an interesting question – devil’s advocate approach – I heard from a client recently. Aware, as most of us are today, that Twitter is the hot new thing, this client felt compelled to do something — but didn’t know what. Should one person in the company become their “twitter expert”? Should all employees be told to start tweeting? Should we host a training session of some kind? Then came the devil’s advocate — what if we don’t do it at all? Is that really going to harm us as a company, brand us as a Luddite, leave us hopelessly behind our competition?
What I told this client and will say again is: there are no hard-and-fast rules here. Twitter is simply yet another way to “get out there” in the Social Media realm – both to hear what others are saying and also to be heard. I guess the downside of NOT doing it would just be the loss of an opportunity for participation. Not a dire loss, and not necessarily something that’s going to hurt you. I personally think the best way to get engaged in Social Media is to author a blog and to read, listen and participate on other people’s blogs in your industry. Twitter is a way to send your blog posts out more broadly, to pick up followers who may then become readers of your blog, and to be alerted to what others in your world are saying, writing, and thinking. A decision to NOT participate in Twitter is a little like a decision not to attend a social gathering at a trade show (or not to attend a party in college) – you can still get the content from speakers at the show (or lectures from your classes), but you won’t be plugged in to the commentary & social chatter that goes on around them. There’s certainly value in the chatter, and you gain perspectives and tips you wouldn’t get from the formal speeches.
As is true for much of social media, it’s hard to know what you’re missing unless you try it. There must be some reason why everyone’s doing it. Rather than decide against it because you can’t commit to daily tweeting, designate someone to devote 30 minutes a day for 1 month (even 2 weeks) and then share their impressions about what they’ve learned. That way you can at least develop a point of view on it. The important thing is to try it before you write it off.
What If I Don’t Twitter?…
Our SMB client often ask us whether and how they can get started on Twitter. Here’s what we tell them….
Trackback by BizSugar.com — March 15, 2010 @ 10:59 pm
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen? It’s not an easy question to answer. Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Small Business News March 16 | Small Business Trends — March 16, 2010 @ 10:52 pm
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Small Business Summits, Webinars, and Conferences « Small Business Center — March 18, 2010 @ 11:03 am
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Secret #1 for Growth: Train Someone to Sell and Communicate Better Than You « Small Business Center — March 18, 2010 @ 4:03 pm
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by More Evidence SMBs Need A Web Presence « Small Business Center — March 18, 2010 @ 5:04 pm
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Entrepreneurial Job Creation Statistics are an Economic Rorschach Test « Small Business Center — March 19, 2010 @ 2:06 am
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by When To Respond To Negative Reviews (and not) « Small Business Center — March 19, 2010 @ 3:07 am
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Getting To Know The Google Apps Marketplace « Small Business Center — March 19, 2010 @ 6:03 am
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Small Business News: Healthcare Prognosis? « Small Business Center — March 20, 2010 @ 5:02 am
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Small Business News: Crazy for Social Media « Small Business Center — March 20, 2010 @ 9:07 am
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Does the Rise of Temp Jobs Mean the Recession is Really Over? « Small Business Center — March 20, 2010 @ 10:04 am
[...] Is there life without Twitter? So what’s the worst that can happen if your business doesn’t use the most innovative tools available in your marketing plan? Sound Web Solutions Blog [...]
Pingback by Current Small Biz Contests and Awards « Small Business Center — March 20, 2010 @ 11:02 pm
Good brief and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Thank you as your information.
Comment by WP Themes — April 1, 2010 @ 7:10 pm