One of the largest opportunities that you will have on Twitter is to follow back. You want users to follow you, but you can glean many customers from those users that YOU follow. If you don’t follow someone back, it can send the message that you are on Twitter only for sales and promotions. This is a selfish message that will not get positive results; you will build no loyalty with a one-sided following. Following back is a potential signal of caring and consideration which should not be forgotten in the marketing plan.
Use the @mentions feature of Twitter that will help you to build stronger relationships and attract a more targeted audience’s attention. This tool directs the tweet to a specific user and operates as more of a one-on-one approach. Your goal is not to sell them a product immediately; it is a call to action that engages them without the pressure associated with a sales pitch. You are creating a relationship that can elicit a sale after the relationship is established. With time and patience, these relationships will grow and they will be more likely to reply, retweet and engage with you. Real business opportunities grow from real relationships; that is a powerful tool to keep in mind as you establish your Twitter marketing campaign
After engaging your audience on Twitter, you want to drive these users to your promotional or business website. As your users develop more trust and confidence in you, they will begin to explore who you are in the marketplace and what your product can do for them. Post enticing ads with shortened URLs that will direct them to your webpage. If your information is relevant to them and interesting, they will look further into your product.
Another feature of Twitter that you can use as a tool in your marketing toolbox is Tweet swaps. This resembles ad swaps where you advertise on another person’s list and they advertise on your list. Your Twitter followers are on your list to learn more about you, read about your discussions, and to keep updated with current trends in the niche they enjoy. With Tweet swaps, you won’t be making sales; you will just be developing ideas and driving traffic. This will expand your exposure and can help you to build a loyal, long-term following that will make money for your business. With Tweet swaps, you can access another’s followers and capture them with your ideas and deals. Find a Twitter partner who has a similar niche as you. Your marketing strategies should be close but not necessarily the same. Don’t just look for someone who has a massive list of followers; you want quality over quantity or the followers will be of no use to you. The best idea is to offer a free product to these followers instead of trying to sell them a product immediately. This tool is for generating leads and not promoting sales.
One of the most interesting ways to build up an extensive following on Twitter is to post questions on any topic but preferably one that you have a wealth of knowledge about. You can provide answers to these questions in your discussions with your followers. This establishes you as an authority on the topic and it serves to build trust and reliability between you and your fans. Starting dialog with others on a friendly but challenging topic will build a community of followers who listen to your tweets and respond with their own helpful ideas and thoughts. This is a subtle way of promoting your product with the use of information that you have carefully gathered. Knowledge is power and you want the power of Twitter marketing to perform for you.
Although there is no right or wrong way to use Twitter in your marketing plan, you should abide by the unwritten rules that ensure you positive promotion and fabulous feedback as you interact with your followers. Proper Twitter etiquette will go a long way in developing the loyal relationships that increase your sales and profit.
Develop a plan that includes the amount of time you will spend working on your Twitter account. Many times it is easy to lose track of time and end up in the wee hours of the morning completing a discussion that you began with your followers. Set an ample amount of time to publish your content and engage your followers on Twitter. Adhere as close to your scheduled time as you can and make the most of any interaction in which you participate.
The rule of 80-20 in marketing applies in Twitter marketing as well as in traditional means of promotion. If you are constantly talking about yourself or promoting your product, no one will want to discuss topics with you. You can include tweets about topics closely related to your business, offer helpful information that will improves the lives of others, and interesting discussions that include a variety of issues. Offer diverse tweets as you interact with your followers; don’t over promote yourself or your business. A business relationship is a two way street just as in other relationships. You have to show an interest in your client to gain their trust and confidence before they will purchase a product from you.
Cross promote the marketing initiatives that you are using with your Twitter account. Fully use every tool available to you on the web and integrate these so that they will work smoothly and efficiently for you. Link your email and URLs with every tweet that you make so that it will be easier for a follower to contact you outside the Twitter community.
Be very careful with the content of your tweets. If you’re using your Twitter account as a marketing strategy, you want the public to see everything that you tweet. You have no idea where these tweets will shared so avoid negativity or heated discussions. Don’t say anything on your Twitter account that you would not say in public. Keep from becoming too personal or familiar with your clients so that no mixed message can be perceived. Always keep your language professional, honorable, and respectful. Off-color jokes and innuendos are not acceptable.
Put the interest of others before your own interests. Your Twitter marketing account is not all about you; it’s an opportunity to build a quality relationship that will bring business and profits to your company in the future. Take time to listen to others, respect them and their ideas, and share content rather than forcing your views and ideas on them. Be interested and be cordial.
One of the rudest things you can do in your tweets is to use corporate terminology or jargon that people may not know or understand. You don’t want to appear arrogant with your audience interaction. Don’t use rhetoric that is industry-specific; that confuses your audience. You have a brief time to capture their interest and attention; don’t use words that they have to look up or ask you to define for them. You don’t want to appear as a corporate robot whose aim is to sell a product and move forward to the next client. Try to speak successfully and with confidence as you interact with your potential customers. Don’t be condescending or patronizing toward them; they will not have a positive response to you and will move toward a more user-friendly person with whom to interact.
One of the most interesting marketing tools today is with Twitter. It is a real time stream of current trends, information, and interaction that can capture an audience quickly and move them to purchase the product that you are offering to them. With a solid plan and method of execution for your company, you can tap into the power of Twitter marketing immediately. As you plan your marketing strategy, include this cutting edge technology that is exploding in the marketplace today!