First, I'll try to answer the most common question I still get from business people, "What is Twitter, really?". For business people, it's a way to put out "sound bites" or tiny ads on the Internet, much like you see in the mainstream media on TV, but without the cost to your prime audience.
Actually, they are "text bytes," like cell phone text messages in length, and they are broadcast to all your followers, or directed at select recipients. People can respond in the same fashion with personal requests or general comments. The important responses are real "business leads."
A lot of technical entrepreneurs are doing some very innovate things with Twitter in order to build their brand and find leads for their business. Here are some practical tips to get you started:
Offer something of value: Make the relationship win-win. This means give before you expect to get—free advice, special promotions, a pointer to useful information, or sometimes just a friendly...