The power and utility of all of the new Internet-based bootstrapping options for marketing, such as Twitter, Facebook, and other social media, continues to evolve and grow.

Many entrepreneurs are discovering the power of Twitter as a means for keeping customers up to date on daily specials and sale items, best times to avoid long customer lines, and special events. 

But Twitter is also proving to be a tool for keeping customers in the loop when a business is in a crisis. For example, the Wall Street Journal illustrates a new use that entrepreneurs have discovered for using Twitter:

The social-media service -- where users send short "tweets" to followers who have signed up to receive the messages -- came in handy for Innovative Beverage Group Holdings Inc., whose drankbeverage.com site crashed last month after a surge in traffic following a segment on Fox News for the company's so-called relaxation beverage, which contains "calming" ingredients like valerian root and melatonin.

If customers like your product or service, they will generally be tolerant of glitches that occur as your business grows. The most powerful message of the Twitter story above is not Twitter itself, but the importance of timely and honest communication with your customers. 

While e-mail may seem like a quick way to communicate, for many it is becoming perceived  as too slow and antiquated just as snail mail did when e-mail began to become more common. Twitter can reach people immediately with just the key information they need to know delivered right to their iPod or Blackberry.

And during a crisis in your business, such instant and honest communication can ensure that you keep the loyalty of your community of customers.

Service businesses have not really tapped into this mode of communication. Twitter is such an easy way to let people know the status of their service call. One of the greatest frustrations about waiting for the repairman is just not knowing when he actually will show up.

One caution -- there is not one easy way to communicate. Some people prefer Twitter, some e-mail, some phone calls, and some Facebook. When getting contact information from customers find out which they prefer. You may need to maintain a multi-channel approach to customer communication.

(Thanks to Bill Hobbs for passing this idea along). 

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