The marketing industry is one which depends so greatly on having its finger on the pulse, it came as no surprise when people recognised the benefit of using Twitter as a marketing tool. If you think about it for a moment, the presence on the Internet of a site that allows you to speak to a wide range of people for free and place a link in the text has obvious and extensive marketing benefits. Not least of these is the fact that it cuts your marketing spend right back if used properly. 

When it comes to marketing effectively, one of the phrases used most frequently is "we need to speak to the customer". Although this is in many ways just a metaphor - you really need to catch the customers' attention as broadly as possible - Twitter does allow you to speak directly to each customer if you have the time to do so. By means of @replies, you can answer a customer's question. By using the search facility it is possible to see who is talking about the niche in which you are marketing - and whether they might be a qualified lead you can sell to. 

Of course, Twitter is not a foolproof marketing tool. This is the Web 2.0 generation, and if you thought Generation X was cynical then you're in for a surprise. People who feel they are being sold to are likely to react with resistance. Talking like a faceless marketing robot will have disastrous results, and cost you more sales than it will provide. This is why you need to be "web-savvy".