Twitter is quickly becoming renowned as a social media marketing phenomenon.

President Barak Obama used it as part of his presidential campaign. Sir Richard Branson advertises jobs for Virgin on it. We at OE Design have advertised for future franchisees on it. Media outlets are also using it as a source of public sentiment on issues.

During the 2008 Mumbai attacks, it is reported that eyewitnesses sent an estimated eighty tweets every five seconds as the tragedy unfolded. In January 2009, a passenger on one of the ferries, rushing to help those being evacuated from US Airways Flight 1549 stranded on the Hudson River, tweeted a picture of the event via TwitPic. Then in February 2009, the Country Fire Authority used Twitter to send out regular alerts and updates regarding the 2009 Victorian bushfires. In addition Twitter was also used by the Prime Minister to send out information on the fires, how to donate money and blood and where to seek emergency help.

But what has that all to do with the small business owner?

Here are seven things that I have at this point found is a useful way to start exploring the possibilities when it comes to tweeting.

1. Branding

Here now is another media through which you can promote your brand. You can never do enough to promote your brand and through micro-blogging you can create a casual, easy going presentation of yourself, your company and your message. Make sure you have included your picture.

2. Hiring

In this day and age, we as business owners are looking for the best, most effective and cost-effective ways to hire new staff or expand our business. If it’s good enough for Virgin’s boss, then why not you?

3. Feedback

As a blogger we all like feedback. So this is a great place to ask questions and to receive instantaneous feedback from your audience. Ask lots of questions and listen. At events your audience are provided with a forum to provide instant comment.

4. Networking

A great feature of micro-blogging is that you can interact with your audience. You can immediately comment by clicking on the @Replies function on your twitter page, and that way you have opened up a communication with those you want to talk to. Or you can choose to send a direct message to them which is for their eyes only. And if you want to develop a sense of community then continue Commenting on other’s tweets and retweeting what others have already posted.

5. Build Traffic

Twitter provides yet another platform within which you are going to find yet another audience. If you create great tweets the people who read them are going to click on the link to take them directly to your Blog or your website.

6. Find Friends, Prospects & Opinions

search.twitter.com will allow you to find out what people are saying about what you’re doing. You just might discover some new friends in the process. Be aware of other’s opinions and then you are in a strong position to respond to those. Polls are another powerful medium to check the pulse of your marketplace. Your critics will use this medium – so be prepared to engage them. Ignore them at your doom.

7. Learning

In one place there is a gathering of great minds. Twitter provides an awesome opportunity to tap into this brain’s trust. Again – ask the questions and you will be amazed at how willing the Twitter community is willing to help.

But at the end of the day – embrace this new technology – because social media is a powerful place to engender trust and to develop relationships that in the past would never have been dreamt possible.