There's no doubt that Twitter is here to stay- the word itself become part of our everyday vocabulary; the service finding filling a niche and finding a home to roost in the phones and computers of it's users. The estimated 6 million visitors from last year is expected to double to 12.8 million through this year, attracting an incredible 10% of all internet users by 2010. 

With an audience so vast that it might as well be infinite; it's no small surprise to see businesses, developers, and engineers jumping up to place their work into turning this phenomenon into revenue.

Even Twitter itself struggles to find an effective method of monetization with their own system.

With doubts still on many minds the conflict is clear enough for a company to weigh:

Should my company join twitter? Who should we be speaking to once we start twittering? What should I tweet about? Is this right for me?

Here are the answers:

-Yes, you should join Twitter. Managing an account, (passively) adding and following customers, and tweeting takes 15 minutes out of your day, providing valuable fresh and new content to your Search Engine Optimization while allowing you to facilitate customer relationships. 

-The environment you'll be in once you start will be a clean slate- you've yet to say anything, nobody knows you're there, and no one is listening. It's quiet, and open- you're free to fill that silence and shape your online presence. To start, focus on your niche (the more specific you can get about what market you inhabit in the larger industry the better) and what your product/service/business relationships are in that space.

-When someone follows you, a good polite way to cement a relationship is to send back a direct message thank you note- this would be the right time and place to speak about your company and the services you provide, and make that personal connection with someone who has shown interest in you. 

-Don't stress about the small numbers of your tweets, following, and followers. These things will build over time. 

-Talk about deals you'd like to offer, whether you're opening yourself up for more partnerships, offering a discount on your services or unveiling a new product, but balance it with anything you find on the web- always look at your own tweets from the perspective of someone who may be receiving your message on their phone; a good quote, a funny joke, or a link to an article regarding your industry is an effective way to keep your name on their twitter homepage. 

-The beauty of Twitter is that with all of the attention and joining of people the amount of innovation and new techniques are massive- tools to help you visualize and keep track of what's going on like TweetDeck for your phone and HootSuite for your browser bring extra functionality, analytics and multiple account management- features that Twitter itself does not have.. A personal favorite for us is TweetSpinner which was made specifically for businesses. 

-Use twitter like a front door; list your site, your name, your phone number, and any other relevant information in a custom background image. Coordinate your color palette to stay in line with your themes. 

-Treat your twitter account like the second most important link you have.  Have a "follow me" button on your site, list your @username in your signature for emails, when you comment on someones blog, or even on your business card.  

Your twitter account is a personal, public record, so if you're shy about mixing business with pleasure it's encouraged to keep a personal account in tandem with your corporate account. 

While the internet itself could be considered a city, with it's own neighborhoods (forums, dating sites), avenues (Distribution hubs like Digg and Reddit), and even a seedy side (anything examined by Dateline NBC) a twitter account is your pass to represent yourself- allowing you to navigate these landscapes with a touch of your own personality to mingle with others; see their conversations, and get involved with your own.  

Oh, and if you get lost, just shout @apogeeinvent and we'll help you on your way.