I've figured out how I'm going to make my fortune. You've probably already guessed it: Twitter.

Rather than explain the whole idea by myself, let me share a fanciful (that's a fancy word for made up) Twitter conversation between me and one of my "followers," dparcheta.

@JerryBrownPR: I'm going to be rich! And famous!

@dparcheta: Sigh. I've heard that from you before, Jerry. What's the plan this time?

@JerryBrownPR: Twitter, of course. Where have you been? I have a new Twitter page. I even put my picture on it. That's important, they say.

@dparcheta: And . . . ?

@JerryBrownPR: I'm going to tell people how wonderful I am. They'll flock to my Web page. Buy my stuff. I'll be rich and famous.

@dparcheta: I don't think it's quite that easy.

@JerryBrownPR: Of course it is! Everybody’s doing Twitter. It's the new cool thing. I just send out these short little messages and everybody will know how cool I am.

@dparcheta: Well, our research shows a lot of companies are using social media - including Twitter. But they really have to work at it to make it work.

@JerryBrownPR: Work at it?

@dparcheta: An average of 10 hours a week¹ for marketers in small businesses. Double that for corporate marketers who use social media.

@JerryBrownPR: 10 hours a week!!! I'm too busy for that. I have all these email messages, voice messages, things to check on the Internet. Oh, and work.

@dparcheta: So do the rest of us. I have a Twitter page, too. But I seldom use it. I don't have time. I really don't know anyone who does.

@JerryBrownPR: I'm reading this book that says I'll be in the top 10 percent of Twits – I mean Twitterers – if I get at least 80 followers.

@dparcheta: You think that's good news? Sounds to me like most people are still figuring out how to make Twitter work.

@JerryBrownPR: Hmmm. I hadn't thought about it like that. You're so smart.

@dparcheta: Actually, a lot of companies are using social media for marketing.² And Twitter's their top choice.

@JerryBrownPR: And how are they doing?

@dparcheta: Most of them are still struggling to figure out how to do it well.

@JerryBrownPR: Some people have figured it out. A NY Times story mentioned a pregnant woman with a device that Twittered every time her baby kicked her.

@dparcheta: That was an interesting article. It mentions several examples of even small businesses that are finding Twitter useful.

@JerryBrownPR: You mean like the massage company using it to notify customers when they have unexpected openings?

@dparcheta: And Dell noticing that customers were complaining about a problem with the keyboards on one of their laptops. So, they fixed it.

@JerryBrownPR: It's also a good market research tool, I hear.

@dparcheta: Social media are a good way of increasing visibility and bringing traffic to your Web Site.³ But listening instead of talking may be one of the best uses marketers can make of Twitter for now.

@JerryBrownPR: Well if I'm going to have to work at this Twitter thing, I think I may just go back to my basic 2-step business plan.

@dparcheta: You mean the one about winning the lottery?

@JerryBrownPR: Yep. Step 1: Win the lottery. Step 2: Do anything I want. Elegant in its simplicity, don't you think? Just need to figure out Step 1.

@dparcheta: Hey, Jerry. Help me out. Do you know how I can remove myself as a follower of a certain Twitterer?

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Debra Parcheta (dparcheta) and Jerry Brown (JerryBrownPR) can both be found on Twitter. But they don't have a lot to say there just yet.