by: Michelle Ferris, Balcos Insurance Director of Marketing

Have you thought about Twitter, but don't know what to do with it? Twitter is a social networking site that lets you publish short quips about whatever you'd like. Businesses – listen up! You can use this tool to increase sales, if you use it right…

Here are some helpful suggestions:

1. Be relevant and present a compelling story.
2. Tweet about new menu items, sales, inventory additions, specials, happy-hour deals & hot product discount hours.
3. Post coupons for use on slow days to help drive traffic. These coupons are exclusive to those who "follow" you on Twitter.
4. For mobile businesses (like taco trucks or service personnel), Twitter your location so people will know where to find you on any given day.
5. Post links on Twitter to let clients know of new blog submissions or website updates for your business.
6. Arrange a "tweetup," a face-to-face meeting of tweeters, at your business. Give them incentive like a "tweetup" discount.
7. Post special events, such as music or open-mic nights, karaoke or whatever else you might have going on to bring people in.
8. If you get questions, consider posting the Q&A on Twitter so people see it.

Have fun! There are many new social networking tools available nowadays, so be sure to use them. Your clients are.

You can follow Balcos Insurance at: http://twitter.com/BalcosInsurance For the Definitive Guide to Twitter, check out: http://tinyurl.com/owthhp