Twitter is a powerful business tool that is one of the least understood social media resources. The good news is that it offers a unique way to get in touch with people on a more flexible and diverse platform than most others. The question is: how to actually garner that business? The largest pitfall of social media is that effort and content are generated and sent out into the ether, never to be heard from again. Here are some strategies (beyond “post things”) that companies that are known for their social media presence use to break into this “Tweeting” thing.
#1 Follow: Overall, your goal is to have more followers than people you follow, but chances are you are not going to start that way. The best way to break out of cyber-space solitary is to start getting in contact with people who are relevant to your business (consumers of your product/service and potential power partners). Don’t start following everyone—find those individuals and businesses that provide complimentary services to your own, and follow them. Which brings us to number two…
#2 Engage: Reply (@), hashtag (#) content in order to generate traffic through your Twitter page. The more familiar your name, the more likely fellow business people are to engage with you as well. The goal is to become a subject matter expert and a name people look for when a question or new topic comes up. Ideally, your content will intrigue and inspire customers so that they want to know more. Don’t push the business, always provide value. Seek out people who are mentioning your brand and/or your industry, and to interact with them regularly.
#3 Generate Social Capital: Share others’ content (retweet!). Help others who are in complementary businesses/niches by spreading their word and facilitate reciprocal exchanges. This is the feel-good portion of social media. It shouldn’t be all about you/your brand.
#4 Promote: Often times, people are fairly knowledgeable about the range of their options, and are looking for a tie-breaker to make their decision easier. The best way to promote yourself is to continually express the benefits that your services/products provide (not just the features!). Occasionally, if you have a product or service for which you can offer a promotional deal, it is good to do so, but not too much so as to devalue your brand. Starbucks does this really well, they offer promotional deals like that say, for example, “Come in on (date) with your mug and get free coffee!” Even people who don’t usually drink Starbucks are more likely to stop in on that day, and hopefully to return after.
#5 The 411: If your business has time-sensitive products or information, Twitter is a great way to get customers the instant low-down. We’ve seen it used for mobile food truck location updates, for featured coffee roasts, and even for live-time swim team updates. Customers and clients love it because they feel like they’re getting the hottest live information. You will love it because customer interaction and interest will be almost instant and always relevant.
#6 Respond: Take the time to reply to every tweet directed at you/your brand. Put some thought into your responses; let every recipient know that your company cares! When a customer finds a company that does take the time to speak to them, the trust will come easier, increasing the chances that customer will return in the future.
#7 Problem-solve: The great thing about Twitter is that if someone has a problem, it’s likely that they’ll talk about it online. Yes! Rather than ruining business relationships in a completely inter-personal sphere, such online discussions give businesses the chance to respond, apologize, and remedy the issue. More than fixing a potential PR disaster, taking the initiative to solve customer’s problems shows a level of care and dedication that is still rare. Those wanting explore more of the social media culture of customer service should pick up a copy of The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk. You won’t be disappointed!
Overall, it is important to remember that the more people feel that they are interacting with people, the more likely they are to form trusting, enduring relationships. The tone of posts is important in establishing Twitter as a point of contact within the organization or company, rather than a marketing strategy. Therefore, the more humor and personality you can put into your posts and comments, the more effective they will be.
This week’s guest post is by Meghann Conter and Amalia Frick. Meghann is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Outsource Locally, a Colorado company that provides professional, on-demand technology and online marketing solutions to businesses. Meghann and her team provide done-for-you social media marketing solutions for their clients. These clients experience peace of mind, knowing that their social media and online presence is being managed by a team of marketing professionals. For more information, visit www.Facebook.com/OutsourceLocally or www.OutosurceLocally.com.
