Why I’m a big fan of Twitter (and how I use it for business)

Today I’m going to talk about eating out, not because I’m a big foodie–although I am, but because it teaches you a lot about good marketing. My example is taken from the realm of ‘tourist restaurants’ (or at least restaurants in a tourist destination).

You might DO the same thing as someone else—you might have the same skill or qualification—but everyone’s Thing (with a capital ‘T’) is different.

When you realise that your Act is different to everyone else’s, you have a Monopoly in your marketplace. You become the only person that does what you do the way you do it. Or, put it another way, if people want to come and see YOUR act they have to come and see YOU.

One of the things I love about social media is the insight it gives you into how other people do their Thing and live their life (not technically snooping if people are sharing, right?). Now of course some of this many be manufactured (or at least tidied up–I’m not going to be posting a photo of me when I’ve just woken up any time soon for example–I’ll spare you the fright!), BUT for those of us who share just how we are (most of the time!) it’s a great way to see the differences in us all.

When you’re running a business, you need to think like a business owner. Yes, here I am stating the obvious again. But it’s easy to start thinking too personally, or take things to heart, or get over-excited when your business is experiencing a peak or trough. Business is always business.

The Hype often tells us ‘this is easy’ and this is ‘simple’ and that is very probably true for the person saying it.

I, for example, find it very easy to write copy, set up web pages and run webinars, etc. For some people (and I talk to them every day), even one of those things seems impossible :)

So don’t always believe the Hype ;)

Most people have no idea how much they know. And—even worse—they don’t know the VALUE of what they know. It’s not unusual (as Tom Jones would agree) for me to work with someone who ‘claims’ that they don’t have anything different or special to share with the world.

So what are they worried about?