Social media is here to stay, and let’s be honest: If your company doesn’t have a Twitter presence, it’s missing out on a giant opportunity to connect with customers and prospects.

Not to mention, if you’re not tweeting, you run the risk of appearing out of touch.

Unfortunately, though, many companies are missing the mark on Twitter by failing to take advantage of all the the microblogging platform has to offer. Twitter plays a big role in many successful business plans. And, newsflash — even if your company is not active on Twitter, your brand likely exists. Meaning, whether you’re actively participating or not, your customers likely are — and some may even be talking about you, both good and bad.

So it’s up to you to get in on the conversations.

And with Twitter being free (besides any promoted tweets you may wish to pursue), there’s really no reason not to tweet.

Twitter boasts 310 million unique monthly visitors and is the second most popular social media platform. Suffice it to say, Twitter isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Listening is as Important as Tweeting

Twitter offers businesses a unique opportunity to not only hear customers’ thoughts, but to also have a glimpse at what’s being said about their competition and industry leaders.

This “inside” information is a great way to maintain a competitive edge.

Since Twitter is known well as a breaking-news platform, by keeping an eye on key accounts, you can have advance notice on any big announcements that are important to your company.

Not to mention that bench-marking your following and your impressions against your competitors’ is advantageous in setting goals for your own marketing campaigns.

What’s more, tweeters — now more than ever — expect to have their customer service issues addressed in real time by a company’s Twitter account.

Which means it’s crucial to have a dedicated staff member manning the social platform and ready to respond to customer service inquiries and complaints.

Follow the Crowd

While creativity is always a plus, if you’re just getting started on a Twitter strategy, there’s no need to recreate the wheel.

LifeLock, an identity theft protection company, is a great example of a company getting Twitter right.

While using relevant industry hashtags that people interested in their product would search, like #PrivacyAware and #OnlineSafety, the company makes it a priority to share the latest identity theft news, along with identity protection tips, positioning themselves as a subject-matter expert in their field.

Among the fashion brands capitalizing on social media are Gap, Victoria’s Secret and Burberry.

By staying trendy and timely, these brands know the value of a good tweet, appropriate response time and catchy photos of their products.

Use the Tools

According to addthis.com, businesses should be taking advantage of the many Twitter analytics tools out there that are designed to enhance your brand.

Tools like Buffer, TweetDeck and Hootsuite allow you to schedule your tweets in advance and follow trends easily.

Furthermore, Twitter’s in-depth analytics dashboard allows you to see your top-performing tweets, as well as your mentions and followers, along with helpful tips to create more engagement.

Speak So Your Customers Listen

For lingerie-specific brands, whose customer base is predominantly women, it’s key to be immersed in women’s lifestyle topics, including fashion, beauty and wellness.

By sharing information on topics your customers care about, aside from company and product information (which can appear self-serving if that’s all you’re putting out there), you’re showing you care about and cater to your customers’ needs and interests.

And that you understand them.

And isn’t that what every customer really wants? Happy tweeting!

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