Twitter is a social networking tool very similar to a “mini-blog.” The concept of Twitter is to say, using a maximum of 140 characters, what you are doing currently or what you would like to convey. Though Twitter has some critics who argue that there is little useful about this type of micro-knowledge of other people’s lives, at home business owners can use Twitter to their advantage.

The first key to using Twitter to maximize your profits is to build up a steady following. You can begin to build your following by connecting your email account to a Twitter account. Software available can browse your email contacts to see who is on Twitter. Follow those people first since you already have a relationship with them. Many of those people will “follow” you back, meaning they will receive your updates and you will receive theirs.

Send out “tweets,” or Twitter messages throughout the day to tell about things going on with your at home business. If you put up new content, post a short description with a link. If you’ll have a special running for the afternoon, put that on your Twitter account as well. Include a few personal items as well to make yourself more personable to the people following your tweets.

Once you have the hang of the program, begin to build your list. Include your Twitter name, which you identify by putting the @ symbol before it, on your website, business cards, email signature, and anywhere else you can share marketing information with others. As people sign up to follow you on Twitter, you will be building the number of people who get instant information about your business.

Because Twitter is so quick and easy – and free – people who follow you on Twitter can pass your information along to their followers without any hassle. A sale at your store or website can go out to exponentially more people if you use Twitter because your followers can click to send along your note. Twitter benefits at home business owners the most because it provides a way to market for free, which frees up a big portion of many small business budgets.

One helpful hint is that when you “tweet” something you do, you don’t want it to always be business related. Include some snippets of your home life, your kids, your favorite restaurant etc. No one wants constant business info. Many will consider this spam and ultimately unfollow you down the road

As technologies improve, at home business owners are finding all types of ways to use social networking tools. Try out various methods with Twitter to determine what works best for your customers. Perhaps they respond to certain types of messages on Twitter and not others. Knowing how to make the most of each social networking tool will increase your business prospects.