Why Your Business Should Throw a Twitter Party

A Twitter party is a live interactive "event" during which business owners or brand representatives hold a conversation on the Twitter platform. The party planner designates a hashtag for their party so that anyone who wishes to participate can do so using the free Twitter search tool. It is almost the same as holding a chat about your business, product or service.

You can hold a Twitter party for any reason, but they usually surround actual events such as product launch parties or business openings. This way, people who are attending the actual event can tweet on their smart phones about what is going on as it happens. As long as they use the party hashtag, anyone will be able to see tweets announcing things like, "It's official, they just cut the ribbon!"

Pictures of the event or of the new product you are introducing can also be tweeted with the hashtag and users from around the state, country or even the world will be able to feel included in your event. You are basically conducting a live and interactive broadcast. Let's face it, someone is probably tweeting about it already, why not capitalize on that?

Why should you host a Twitter Party? First of all, why not? If you are already using funds to sponsor or host a live event. It doesn't hurt your budget too badly to designate a hashtag and print up a banner that says:

Join us on Twitter... @yourbusiness... #yourbusiness

At the very least you may gain a few new followers... And you can use the same banner over and over at any event you choose to throw in the future. Additionally, you will be building a following for your brand or product, generating what amounts to a lead list and creating some buzz about your product that goes beyond the event itself.

Twitter is sometimes seen as a frivolous platform and many business owners fail to see how it can add value to their service. They want to be acting and a Twitter Party doesn't seem very action oriented. But a Twitter Party is actually very active. Here are some of the benefits you are getting if you dedicate a small part of your budget to a Twitter Party.

1. Conversate about your service or product. A Twitter Party will give you the opportunity to stir up a buzz about your brand and get other people talking about your brand. Twitter is a cheap, easy and fun way to stir up chatter about your business without spending crazy advertising dollars or publicity stunts.
2. Increase Brand Awareness. Even if you don’t have much Twitter influence yet, you will probably be communicating with a few that do. Twitter parties usually (and should) include giveaways to enhance participation and give you the opportunity to acknowledge your "brandvangelists". Giving away free samples on Twitter is a new twist on the old giveaway trick. Your social media presence can improve if you reach just one influential tweeter.
3. Project a super fun image! If your brand needs a boost or you just want to control your brands message a little better, a Twitter Party will give you the opportunity to speak on behalf of the brand. It is also helpful when re-branding.
4. Solicite feedback about your business or product. You may learn something from your customers if they feel they can speak openly. Since you are reaching out, they don't have to put forth a lot of effort in order to provide you with honest feedback that may help you improve your product or service and thus, enhance your brands quality. You may get a suggestion that would increase your sales. It is similar to consulting with a focus group.
5. Reach out to a new audience. If you are trying to get the attention of a younger or more hip demographic and reach the generation that gets news from blogs instead of television or newspapers, Twitter is most definitely the place to do it!
6. Interact with your customers. During a twitter party you are making yourself available to answer questions about your business in a non-threatening and informal manner.This informal conversation on a comfortable platform fosters a sense of security. You are seen responding to customers, answering questions and accepting suggestions. It shows that you support your brand and care about your clients. During a Twitter party you are backing your product or service personally.
7. Introduce a new product. If you aren't sure how or where to launch a new product, a Twitter Party may be a good match. You can even give away samples to influential tweeters for review.
8. Track interested consumers. Your own hashtag gives you a way to see what people are saying about you and your business. Additionally, a Twitter party can be used to generate mailing lists and reach your customers where they live so you can engage them in the future. You can also follow up with clients who spoke to you on Twitter about problems with your product, or ask a giveaway winner how he or she enjoyed the product they received.
9. Gain new followers and traffic to your website or blog to expand your audience and potential clients.
10. Have fun! People enjoy Twitter, they enjoy interacting with others and they enjoy free stuff. If you do Twitter Party right, you will have fun, too!

You can throw an awesome Twitter Party! Most likely, you have employees that already tweet and have a following. You can capitalize on this! If you don't already have a Twitter account, start one and try the platform out. A Twitter Party is the newest, cheapest way to debut anything or get people talking about you online.

If you don't feel confident that you could throw a Twitter Party on your own, there are many Twitter Party Planners that you can hire to coordinate one for you, provide reports and take care of the logistics for your party.

Read the article on my Blog about Twitter Party Fever!