In my last column, @A Twitter Primer, I covered the ins and outs of how to use the tangible aspects of Twitter, like writing good tweets and how to pimp out your profile. In this column, we're going to be talking about the "soft stuff," like exactly how you can use Twitter to market your business, among other objectives.

1. Building brand "You." The reality is that people don't do business with brands; they do business with people--and that person does not have to be the CEO. Take a look at low-cost airline JetBlue on Twitter (@JetBlue). The company's Twitter stream is managed by a team of folks who have great personalities, are attentive to detail, like dealing with people and want to make sure the JetBlue brand experience is just right.
   
   The beauty of Twitter is that you don't have to be a mega-company like JetBlue or have a Twitter team like it does. The prize is that you can do almost all the things JetBlue can do because you have access to the same technology. Talk about destroying the playing field and building a new stadium!
    
2. R&D on the cheap. Are you worried that your new Spacely Sprockets or Cogswell Cogs won't be well-received? You can ask your tweeps on Twitter for insight into your new idea before you invest money into creating or building your latest masterpiece. Chances are your market will have insights to help you build a better sprocket or cog.
   
   If you're an entrepreneur who's afraid that someone will steal your idea, get over it. If you're worried about your intellectual capital, ask an open-ended question about the topic and see if the responses gel with what your product offers. If so, you're on the right track; keep going. If not, you've just saved yourself a cruise ship's worth of time and energy.
    
3. Sales, specials and steals. If you want a boost in sales within a specified period of time, try a Twitter-only sale. This is a good test of how responsive your market is to Twitter. For example, Zappos, the online retailer that's powered by culture, lets all of its followers on Twitter know about special sales, coupon codes and free shipping offers. To paraphrase American Express, twittership has its privileges.
    
4. Connect with hard-to-reach people. You might be surprised by who's on Twitter. Whether they're active or not is another story, but many people you've been trying to get in touch with for months have Twitter accounts. Why not casually reach out to these people on Twitter?
   
   Keep in mind that Twitter is not a sales channel, so your initial outreach can't be about you at all. Say something nice about them, their company or their brand. Above all else, be genuine and connect with the understanding that you'll get to know them over time. There's no need to rush, shove or force anyone into a relationship with you. If the relationship is symbiotic, it'll happen; if not, you probably wouldn't have worked well together, anyway.
    
5. Tweecomendations. I've received recommendations on everything from a top-flight literary agent to a massage therapist on Twitter. It's all about relationships. If you're paying attention and you can help someone, chances are that when you need something, that person will help you, and she'll go out of her way to do so. Twitter is a great platform for win-win back-scratching--as long as you don't go overboard. Use your Twitter stream to ask for what you need: Chances are, you'll get some great recommendations.
    
6. Shift the culture. It's hard to admit when the culture within your company is dead or dying a slow, brutal death. If you see the handwriting on the wall (you know who you are), why not absorb some of the energy from Twitter and use it to shift the culture within your company?
   
   Invite a social media expert into your company to show you and your team the ropes (heck, invite the legal team, too) and help everyone get acclimated to using Twitter. The expert will help you create do's and don'ts so you won't have to worry about information leaks. Then let everyone use Twitter to connect with the market.
   
   Don't concern yourself with people wasting time on Twitter. The truth is, if someone is a time-waster, she's a time-waster, period. No amount of Twitter access or non-access is going to change that. In fact, if you're a smart, forward-thinking company, you might use Twitter access as a way to get rid of all your C and D players. If someone abuses a privilege, that tells you how she'll handle increased responsibility.
    
7. Brag a bit. After you've helped save the world and done some social climbing, it might be a good idea simply to let folks know what's going on at your company. What's new and exciting? Have you nabbed a client that you can and want to share about? Have you been asked to speak at a popular conference? Are you having a contest? Share the details about how to win.

The reality is that all these ways of sharing really are marketing--whether it's external marketing, internal marketing or both. How your company uses Twitter says a lot about you. Will you continue to hide behind reasons to stay disengaged--or will you get out there and market your twit off?