On Tuesday nights at 8-9pm EDT we host a chat session on Twitter where small business owners can ask questions, share stories and make new contacts. To follow the next chat go to Tweetgrid.com and follow along, you must have a Twitter user account if you want to add to the conversation. For more details on the chat check out Where To Turn For Small Business Answers.

Here’s the recap from Tuesday March 10, 2009.
#SMBIZ Chat

Tue Mar 10, 2009 8pm EDT • Hosted by @SternalPR and @SternalMrktg

Topic: Using Twitter for Small Business

Specialist: Carissa_MomIF, Co-Founder of #GNO and Mom It Forward

MackCollier: If you’re using TweetDeck.com, you can easily follow #smbiz by creating a new column for its tweets use #smbiz.

Ques #1: What is the first thing a small business should do to get started on Twitter?

Carissa_MomIF Take a look at your profile. Is your picture genuine? Is your bio too much of “I WANT TO MAKE MONEY FOLLOW ME..”?#smbiz

technomomdesign: @Carissa_MomIF You’re so right. being personal is what endears followers to you! #smbiz

annebuchanan: Advice: Get some “organic” followers as quickly as possible — friends, colleagues, etc. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: @technomomdesign make yourself valuable. That’s a good one.. but how?? #smbiz

technomomdesign: @Carissa_MomIF i try to be careful not to RT too many contests/stupid stuff. Check out the link you’re retweeting before you RT! #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: Make your photo a real one, I promise as a mom, I’m much more likely to talk to a real person than a logo or a cartoon. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: In your bio: write your business URL and then a short bit about yourself, even a hobby. THEN about business. #smbiz

WayneLiew: Before you start following anyone, be sure to have some useful tweets/updates on your profile first. #smbiz

SternalMrktg: Follow people or companies that provide great information. It’s always good to retweet good stuff. #smbiz

lisasamples: ok, i changed my avatar (photo) as per @Carissa_MomIF #smbiz but i don’t have to like it…

Ques #2: How can small businesses take advantage of Twitter for local audiences? Is Twitter only for global audience? Is the “twitterverse” too big for small business?

CMM_PR: Use the 140 character tweet to identify an issue or piece of news relevant to your community of interest / your followers. #smbiz

jonnew: Twitterlocal.net. There are other tools that allow you to find Tweeple in local markets. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: @SternalPR Use twellow.com search for your area. Not just for global, but a little more tricky for local. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: use summize.com search for your local area. Put tweets out there? Looking for Tweeps in the Dallas Fort Worth Area. ex. #smbiz

WayneLiew: Definitely not. It’s like asking whether an Internet presence is only for businesses targeting international audience.#smbiz

CMM_PR: Top twitter tools to check out in 2009: http://tinyurl.com/7d6a4o #smbiz

Harvatin: Announce new promotions on twitter with keyword that they can plug into your site and print coupon #smbiz

jonnew: Also if you ID yourself from a local market other follow. I do that frequently here in the RVA(Richmond, VA).#smbiz

SternalMrktg: Offer coupons/discounts to twitter followers & tell them to mention it when they come. Or direct to webpage with coupon to print #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: Pay attention to tweetups in your area. I know in SLC there is a big social media club, through the national group. look up yours?? #smbiz

jonnew: Local bloggers are also inserting local Twitter feed in their blogs so you can see local Twitterers. #smbiz

SternalMrktg: Try http://twitterholic.com to search where you rank locally and see who else is in your area. #smbiz

We skipped #3.

Ques #4: How do you find the right people to follow to benefit a small business?

Carissa_MomIF: That’s hard to gauge. Really your goal is word of mouth. #smbiz
CMM_PR: Identify influencers or business leaders in your market sector, review their follower list and leverage. #smbiz

WayneLiew: For now, I mainly use  search.twitter.com. I will follow authoritative influencers in my niche as well. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: If I sell to mostly women who crave a custom made designer totebag? Do I only follow women? Heck no! #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: I want to talk with the Husband’s out there who are looking for a surprise birthday present for their wife… ! #smbiz

Harvatin: Q4 Use twitter search to look up people that are discussing your buzz words. Like people are great to follow. #smbiz

deegospel: I use tweetgrid or monitter to search geographically near me for fans talking about my clients, then i reach out to them #smbiz

JDEbberly: It’s important to consider following those who join you that are of your industry. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: @JDEbberly Right but be sure to branch out! You want to talk to a lot of people to get the word of mouth going… #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: I choose to unfollow when they haven’t uploaded a photo, or have only a handful of updates. #smbiz

MyPreciousKid: Use all of the bio space for twitter to tell people who you are and what you offer. Let them follow you. #smbiz

mvavrinak: @SternalPR #smbiz seems like great forum… sorry I can’t stay long. Wanted to add that Twitter is collective focus group for ideas. #smbiz

JDEbberly: RETWEET! Ask those people you follow and value if they have anyone they can recommend for you to follow. Great way 2 make connections #smbiz

Ques #5: How do u tie Twitter into existing mrktg and how can it bring customers back into the store?
AbbieF: @SternalPR Not sure I’ve figured that out yet. Want 2 follow those in same biz or who can offer valuable advice. Qlty v. quantity. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: go with the 10% rule. but be authentic. #smbiz

mvavrinak: #smbiz tweet the new offer on your web site, tweet the new menu items, tweet special available to followers (retail) *more*

Ques #6: How can Twitter help bring customers back into my store?
mvavrinak: #smbiz Keep your blog current. Make info valuable to customers/target market. Twitter to share links to yours & others’ content.

Carissa_MomIF: Follow up Follow up Follow up. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: I’m totally happy to talk to customers in the store, and oh darn if my shopblog should happen to come up… better for me huh?? #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: Be yourself. If you have a funny streak, let loose. If you love something totally unrelated to your biz, PERFECT #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: show the world and especially your clients and potential clients that you are human. #smbiz

jonnew: Getting them back into store makes hyperlocal approach even more important since local is your target customer. #smbiz

MyPreciousKid: Offer a freebie, then send a coupon and catalog with it #smbiz

MyPreciousKid: I offer a free child carseat ID card to 10 winners a day. That tells me they have kids ( my niche) and I send a catalog + coupon #smbiz

mvavrinak: #smbiz Twitter is give and take. I ask questions, I answer them, I try to help ppl see what we’re all about. Ppl do biz with those they know

Carissa_MomIF: I think it’s best summed up in Twitter Karma. @fussypants does this best. #smbiz

mamikaze: Auto-DMs with links to your site or mentioning your product are a huge turnoff. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: FOLLOW up.. talk to them, give them a reason to remember you for YOU first, your business second! #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: I’m in the process of helping some larger companies understand the nature of the personal level of social media. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: they get it, but they don’t too… as a small buz owner you have the advantage there. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: If you are the only one behind the scenes, it’s already all about you! Market yourself! #smbiz

mvavrinak: @mamikaze so true! be authentic to succeed. this is about relationships. #smbiz

JDEbberly: RT! The great thing about small businesses is that they are more human - you build relationships - run your twitter account that way. #smbiz

Carissa_MomIF: @AbbieF Right get your customers invovled in an ongoing conversation! #smbiz

apowerpoint: @mvavrinak Agree - call it ‘crowdsourcing’ or ‘diversity’ but it is better than ‘birds of a feather’ #smbiz

Harvatin: The great thing about small businesses is that they are more human - you build relationships - run your twitter account that way. #SMBIZ

Carissa_MomIF: @Harvatin Exactly, run your facebook that way too… #smbiz

Harvatin: At the small business I worked @, we connected our customers with what they were looking for, even if it wasn’t @ our store. #SMBIZ

AbbieF: @SternalPR Link all ur comm efforts - TW 2 FB, 2 blog, 2 web. Max ur online presence, offer opps 2 ppl that can only b found online. #smbiz

SternalPR: @AbbieF I linked my FB with Twitter and my FB family got very upset over the volume of “tweets”. Had to stop. #smbiz

AbbieF: @CathyBrowne FB fan page is fun way to get started in soc media. #smbiz

New Ques from @technomomdesign: What do you guys think of having multiple twitter accounts?

aranarose: I have 2 Twitter accounts. This one, and @Connecting2Give #smbiz

SternalMrktg: I have a personal and a company one. For @UnderstndnMrktg we only tweet blog posts and articles on #smbiz

AskHR: @aranarose i have 2 also, this one and @lisasamples #smbiz

jonnew: No problem especially if they have two distinctly different purposes. #smbiz

AbbieF: enuf trouble keeping one going. I tweet as me and for my biz, linking back to my blog or website as nec #smbiz

AskHR: People who follow this acct. do not want to hear about my 5 year old or my giveaway in most cases #smbiz

SternalMrktg: @AskHR I feel the same with my different twitter accts. Can talk about anything in life with this one, not the biz one. #smbiz

deegospel: @SternalPR I have a separate account for my blog, because that audience doesn’t necessarily won’t all of me. LOL. #smbiz

AbbieF: @SternalPR By link I mean mention on TW that uv posted to your FB fan site. Ask you FB fans to follow u. Not the “status” updates. #smbiz

CathyBrowne: I use FB less and less and Twitter more and more, so I don’t link the updates #smbiz

CathyBrowne: @AbbieF Ah, I see…I have no fans on FB…maybe I should make a page and see what happens:-) #smbiz

Side Ques: What apps or sites do you use to set up multiple twitter accts. for your small business?

jonnew: You can use Tweet Deck with separate ID’s. Twirl allows you to do that as well, I’m pretty sure. #smbiz

technomomdesign: @jonnew yes, twhir lets you have multiple accounts #smbiz

@rickjmiv: @Carissa_MomIF #smbiz finding the right people = search on relevant topics, check out twitterfall, tweetdeck, and twello …

SternalMrktg: @rickjmiv Never tried Twitterfall. Will have to check it out. #smbiz

Question 7: Are there any Twitter spam laws small business need to follow?

AskHR: @SternalPR I wouldn’t tweet anything professionally that I wouldn’t put in writing or say in person #smbiz

Harvatin: @SternalPR I’d say a consensus has been built around not auto DMing after a follow. What do you think? #SMBIZ

MackCollier: @Harvatin Yes PLEASE don’t auto-DM after a follow! Make all your communication personal, not automated #SMBIZ

Smartalyx: @Harvatin Auto-DM is severely falling out of favor. Most users prefer a DM that is personal-ex. comment on recent tweet/profile. #SMBIZ

SternalPR: @Harvatin I’ve got to think auto-DMs are very counterproductive to the engagement experience - though many smbiz may not know. #smbiz

deegospel: q7: also don’t get into a twitbate (debate) with press or pr. #smbiz

CathyBrowne: @Harvatin I just wrote a blog post about auto-DMs and how they de-humanize…most people dislike them http://cathybrowne.com #smbiz

Ques #8: Do you have a specific strategy in place for using Twitter for ur small business?

Smartalyx: @SternalPR Q8- Openness, transparency and communication. Like Auto-DM, “pressure selling” is not well received #smbiz

deegospel: q8: I do have a strategy in place, but it changes the more uses i find for Twitter, the more people use it. I’m in PR, so… #smbiz

Harvatin: @deegospel I think no matter what you do, you should always remember your home base and make sure it is obvious in your tweets #SMBIZ

rickjmiv: #smbiz finding the right people = search on relevant topics, check out twitterfall, tweetdeck, and twellowhood.

rickwhittington: @SternalPR My game plan? Be helpful, be interesting, and if that turns into something, then so be it. #smbiz

Harvatin: I think it is appropriate to mention that customer service can be done on twitter, follow comcastcares to see how its done #SMBIZ

SternalPR: Just saw that #smbiz was a trending topic on Twitter in just its third week!!! Thanks everyone!!

RealTimeTrends: #smbiz - is now the #6 trend on twitter. Follow here: http://idek.net/4Si - twIRC Channel: http://idek.net/4Sj

wthashtag: #smbiz is now trending http://wthash.com/smbiz

SternalPR: Fyi, Next Week’s #smbiz is dedicated to FILING TAXES. Come with any questions you have for your small business taxes. Will have experts with answers!