What’s the point of Twitter? Ask Dell.
Apparently, Dell has earned $3 million dollars in revenue directly through Twitter since 2007.
Here’s how they did it:
– Used Twitter to send out coupons, some exclusive to Twitter followers
– Announces company and product news
– Responds to complaints
– Asks for feedback
More importantly, Dell took into account what they heard on the Twittersphere. “Dell heard on Twitter that customers thought the apostrophe and return keys were too close together on the Dell Mini 9 laptop and fixed the problem on the Dell Mini 10. Now, the Dell Mini product development team is asking around on Twitter for new ideas for the next generation of the computer.”
Twitter is essential for listening to your audience. We also use Twitter for our clients to build relationships with their audiences, and position them as experts in their field. Twitter gives our client’s an online personality, and open a dialogue with their customers. In many cases it can be a great vehicle for promotions or special web-only offers.
We applaud Dell’s progressive thinking, and we’re willing to bet that the net benefit of Dell’s Twitter usage is higher than just $3 million. We suggest you “follow” their lead, and start to interact on Twitter. You don’t want to read a story in 6 months about one of your competitors making millions because they are the only ones in your industry interacting on social networks.