Ash to Cash; Make a Customer Not a Sale
twitter for beginners
Twitter is not work. (For most of us). It’s a network. And it can be a great business tool.
twitter beginners workshop in Wexford
Why tweet?
If you are a small business owner, tweeting will take precious time. It takes time to learn how to use it effectively. It takes time to build a network. And it takes time to tweet. Is it worth it? For some, the answer will be yes. And for some, the answer will be no. If you do decide to devote time to twitter, perhaps you should consider if you can forsake other time-consuming activites, so that you still have time to work and live. For my part, I have given up purchasing and reading newspapers entirely during the week. I now get all my news from twitter.
It’s Social not sales
The key to success on twitter is to build a relevant network for your business. On twitter, you are building a brand, (a business always has one), building awareness of that brand and / or building authority, as you share news and knowledge with your followers. Be authentic. Be yourself. Tweet about what you know. Follow your interests. Twitter is full of hidden gems. It is not a place to relentlessly broadcast advertising messages. No-one would buy a newspaper full of advertisments for just one business, and similarly no-one wants to follow a business that broadcasts all about themselves on twitter.
Here are three of the fantastic bonuses that I have gained from twitter so far this year:
A former client got back in touch with me, (and hired me again), by searching for 3 key words on google. My twitter account came up, enabling her to “rediscover” me.
A number of my clients and followers use Facebook for business marketing. My twitter friend, Bear Files in San Diego, a web designer and branding consultant, wrote two teriffic guest posts for this blog, Setting up your Facebook Business Page and Managing and Marketing your Facebook Page. In a few weeks time, another US-based guest blogger will be featured here, in a post dealing with online reputation management. The guest bloggers are sharing their expertise with us and building our knowlege. And it has all been arranged through twitter.
I needed a training room with 25 PCs in South East Ireland at short notice. My twitter followers made some suggestions and a suitable venue was booked within the hour.
There have been many other benefits as well, but this is just a flavour of how diverse the benefits can be. Social marketing is about playing a long game, not instant wins.
Slideshare Presentation
Here is the presentation that was used at my “twitter for beginners” workshop, delivered in assosciation with Wexford Chamber of Commerce.
Twitter for beginners
Twitter Articles for Newbies
Here are a selection of twitter articles that newcomers to twitter may find useful. You also might like to follow these blog authors and sources on twitter to learn even more. They are good people to follow and they really “get” twitter.
Description
Twitter source *
Via **
1.
Setting up your twitter account
@byzhub
@evolutionfiles
2.
10 ways to tweet locally
@smcitizens
@TweetSmarter
3.
How to use twitter to win friends and influence people
@thenakedredhead
@nateriggs
4.
Twitter Engagement? And Where’s that Happening?
@tantell
@brainzooming
5.
Twitter for small business
@Intuit
@TweetSmarter
6.
14 Ways to Use Twitter Politely
@TheMorningNews
7.
Is Twitter More For Business Or Pleasure And Does It Actually Work?
@simplyzesty
8.
Twitter Tips
@lissaduty
* Twitter source author of the post (on twitter)
** Via tweeter who brought this post to my attention
Customers not on twitter?
Here is a video from marketing company, Hubspot, outlining 5 business benefits of twitter, even if your customers are not on twitter.
What other tips would you give to a twitter newbie? Please let us know in the comments below!
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