If you’re a Braves fan, you have probably been in mourning these last few weeks over the retirement of Chipper Jones. A fantastic player with an expansive career, he has taught teammates and fans alike lessons of sportsmanship and perseverance throughout his 19 years. Another lesson he has taught recently is one with an unexpected subject – Twitter.
Back in August, Jones took to Twitter to complain about his hotel bed, faulty air conditioner and broken TV. Before he had a chance to vent more, a knock was already at his door. The hotel had seen his tweets and was fast to act upon the information – turning Chipper’s negative feedback into positive publicity.
So what does this teach us about the utilization of Twitter for business?
1. Twitter isn’t just for promoting your business. You should be monitoring it for mentions of your company as well. Pamorama recently came out with a list of the top 20 Twitter monitoring tools.
2. You can’t control the conversation, but you can control the outcome. People are going to talk about you whether you want them to or not – and it’s not always going to be positive. Rather than burying your head in the sand and acting like it never happened, turn it into an opportunity. Find a way to address their concerns and show the world that you truly do care.
3. News travels quickly, so it’s important to act fast. Set aside a regular time to check for mentions to ensure you don’t miss out on any conversations or opportunities.
