DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

Most of the stuff out there on what to do when using twitter is for individual users. So, I decided to compile a list of guidelines for businesses that are increasingly using the microblogging site. Doadd your own rules in the comments.

1. The best way to use twitter is never to go to twitter.com for tweeting. Use one of the many clients instead.

2. While you have 140 characters to play with, you should leave as much free space as possible so that others can retweet your message easily.

3. Choose a username that makes it easy to identify your brand.

4. Your followers are your wealth on Twitter. They are the ones that hear what you tweet. Their followers will hear it, if they retweet your message. Talk to them. Respond to ther queries and comments.

5. Social media has no concept of office hours and is at work round the clock. So, your social media evangelists should be able to connect from home on while on the road.

6. Do not Tweetflood (too many updates posted together). Do not be erratic. Remember that slow and steady wins the race.

7. Use tools to enhance your twittering - URL shorteners like bit.ly, picture embedding like Twitpic, Twitterfeed to tweet automatically when you update your website, CoTweet to schedule tweets and so on.

8. Following all those who follow you is NOT a good way to increase number of followers for a serious business. People will follow you for the value you are offering. Signing on to autofollow sites is an absolute no-no. Most such followers do not even know that they are following you.

9. Listen to what others are saying about you, your competition, your industry, your environment. Use tools like Yahoo Sideline for this.

10. Tweet messages that are useful, that provide them information or otherwise make life easier. Offer to help only if you really can and that too immediately.

11. Take all complaints (and personal information) as private direct messages After an immediate acknowledgment. Follow the person immediately and request details in a DM. Take the case off twitter itself into your regular channels as soon as possible.

12. DO NOT argue or fight. This is one thing I never tire of repeating. Never ever argue or fight with a (potential) customer. You are the big bully. The other guy is the David against you the Goliath. He will always win in the minds of the others, even if you are absolutely right and he is a crazy idiot.