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In part 1 we exposed the myth that people just want to buy things from you. Let's continue exploring the Twitter myths prevalent in the USA Today article by Steve Strauss that may be keeping some of you from trying Twitter for your small or medium sized business.

Myth #2: Twitter offers too much information. This is a common argument against the use of Twitter: "Who wants to hear about what you are having for lunch or if you are having a bad hair day." True. But nobody that I follow (for long) offers this type of information, and neither should you. Much has been made of a recent study that found 40% of Tweets are meaningless babble. I expect this will change over time as people learn how to better use Twitter, and as people find that nobody is listening to their meaningless babble.

Myth #3: It takes too much time. OK, I sort of agree with this one, so maybe calling it a myth is not quite right. However, as with anything in business, you have to invest in order to get a return. The important thing with Twitter is to not enter aimlessly, and then be frustrated that you aren't seeing a return on your time investment. This means a strategic review and assessment should be done BEFORE you start using Twitter, to determine what your business's overall goals are and how Twitter can possibly meet those goals. Also, there are methods to automate some of the tasks involved in using Twitter (automated feeds from your blog or other interesting news sources, for example). Finally, some Twitter outsourcing services are popping up where you can pay somebody to manage your Twitter activity for you.

Myth #4: 140 characters is not enough to be meaningful. This one is SO WRONG. The beauty of Twitter is that it forces you to be succinct. Also, the most valuable Tweets are actually summaries and pointers to additional information on a blog or other website. If you have more to say than can be captured in 140 characters, then write a blog entry and use Twitter to capture interest and exposure for your blog entry.

Bottom line? Twitter is a tool, and like all tools, it can be used successfully, and unsuccessfully. Also, it is an emerging business tool, so we can expect some false starts (like the 40% babble) that will likely soon get corrected. Start with an assessment of your objectives, and then start using Twitter. Don't let myths like those I've exposed above get in your way.

USA Today had an article earlier this year that showcased some Twitter myths that are confusing a lot of people. While Steve Strauss is undoubtedly an expert, and right for applying a healthy skepticism to "Twitter snake oil", he is dead wrong on a number of things.

Twitter small business myth #1: "'People just want to buy things from you."

OK sure, when I go to the local drug store for antacid, I want to buy it and leave. But I can buy that antacid anywhere -- I have no loyalty to one place or another. If you want to build loyalty, you need to provide people more than a transaction. Maybe it is a smile, or extra help getting stuff to your car, or your small business's involvement in the local community. These are the things that create loyalty. How can Twitter build loyal customers? There are many possibilities, and many are still emerging.  For example, let's say you run a local bakery (which Steve would probably say is not a candidate for Twitter usage). Why not build a following of people who are interested in baking tips? Things you've learned through the school of hard knocks. Share ideas for recipes, special ingredients, or tricks. Maybe even give out some of your recipes (gasp!) People who love baked goods will look forward to your Tweets. And you can be sure they will be thinking of you when they crave a luscious cinnamon roll!

Another example is a local coffee shop (another business Steve says is not a candidate for Twitter). WRONG! People who go to coffee shops, wait for it, LOVE coffee. I can identify with this one. I like to learn about different types of coffee, tips on brewing, trivia on coffee, etc. I would love to follow a coffee shop that gives out tweets like these. You don't need to be a marketing whiz to figure out that if somebody is exposed to your business brand often, they are more likely to visit and purchase something from it.

Next: more small business twitter myths including Too much information, Too much time, and 140 chars is not enough.