How do companies use Twitter to drive their business? Twitter’s microblogging service is a very effective tool that allows businesses to communicate directly with customers and vice versa.

Twitter creates relationships that would otherwise be impossible in traditional communication channels.

Here are some companies that have used Twitter to benefit their respective businesses:

1. Tasti D-lite is a dessert franchise in the New York metropolitan area. They initially used Twitter to listen to what Twitter users were saying about the company and its competitors. Their successful delivery service started with a single tweet from an office worker who was craving a Tasti treat. The nearest branch complies with the order upon reading the tweet.

two. CoffeeGroundzThe general manager built a small following on Twitter through constant direct messaging. Followers know that you are always online. When one of them tweeted a “to go” order, the manager was able to fulfill it immediately. This gave way to CoffeeGroundz’s online ordering system. To date, it has expanded into an online reservation service to reserve tables, booths and the entire venue.

3. Dell Store, a division of computer giant Dell, sells refurbished computers. They post exclusive offers for Twitter followers that lead to an unprecedented increase in sales. And that not only spread the brand name, but engaged customers in a two-way conversation.

How to make Twitter the best bet for your business

To grow your business on Twitter, here are some simple ideas you can use:

1. Dominate your presentation on Twitter

Create a business account on Twitter and display clear information about your business, products and services. Place your company logo or company slogan if available. Tell all your customers, through email or your social networks, to follow you on Twitter.

2. Socialize with seriousness and sincerity

Spend time following Twitter users and growing your followers. Reply to direct tweets. Retweet relevant messages from other users. Feel free to follow companies in the same niche and even their competitors. Use Twinfluence or Klout to help you decide who are the “influential” users to follow. Tweetcloud even allows you to follow users who are actually tweeting about the same topics related to your business.

3. Listen, listen and listen

Use Twitter’s search tool to find comments related to your business or your competitors. Save the search result to your “Saved Searches” which you can click from here to get real-time results whenever you need. You can generate business leads, get updates on industry news, or keep track of your competitors’ activities this way. Use tools like TweetDeck, Trendistic, or Monitter to get real-time updates on keyword trends on Twitter.

4. Tweet well or don’t tweet at all

Considering that your messages affect the image of your business, be careful what you tweet. Opt for the casual or friendly tweet. Post useful links or articles related to your business. Retweets are fine, if they are quality material. Tweet about your business carefully, without seeming too self-promotional. You can tweet news, free offers, sales discounts and coupons. Make sure you comply with them. To make tweeting more efficient, you can use Ping.fm or TwitterFeed. Ping.fm allows you to easily send updates to Twitter and other social networking sites. TwitterFeed creates automatic tweets every time your blog is updated.

5. Be open to customer feedback

Tweet questions or ideas that are intended to solicit feedback and opinions from your followers. A new addition to your restaurant menu can be discussed with users. Be prepared for complaints and complaints, or even rude tweets from irate users. Respond clearly and courteously. No matter how unpleasant, these disclosures are healthy for your business because they can tell you what you’re doing wrong or what you need to improve.

6. Evaluate your experience on Twitter

Keep track of your activities on Twitter. Record details such as the number of users who used your promotional coupons, the number of questions you answered, or issues resolved. For links to your website, track clicks and conversions originating from Twitter. Bit.ly not only shortens your links, but also tracks these links and gives you real-time traffic data from your tweets.

Twitter can be used in many other ways to drive business. It can complement your email marketing campaign, expand your customer base, or improve your customer support.