Many of our B-to-B clients still debate the benefits of Twitter for their businesses. Sure it makes sense for retailers, but are other businesses going to follow us? Well, many B-to-B companies are behind their B-to-C counterparts in their efforts to ramp up, but we’re seeing more and more take advantage of social media outlets to gain clients. We understand that for a small company with limited time, it can be a tough call — it takes time to tweet, blog, or create content on Facebook. This is something that has to be developed and maintained with great thought and care. However, there are plenty of potential clients who are already online searching for services and ready to follow.
Not sure where to start? We recommend a great book, which can serve as a Twitter primer of sorts, Twitter Marketing: An Hour a Day by Hollis Thomases of Web Ad.vantage. She clearly goes through the background, the benefits, the dos and don’ts of Twitter and how to manage your account using just a short amount of time each day. Thomases also proposes a month-by-month plan to master tweeting but here’s what we suggest you know when getting started…
5 Quick Twitter Tips
- Ask away. Posing questions or asking for advice is helpful in adding/keeping friends. No one wants to read robot responses. Stay personal and post tweets that sound much like something you would say if you were speaking directly to a follower.
- Simplicity is everything. Strive to keep tweets less than the designated 140 characters. This ensures that the messages you are sending out only contain truly useful information. If people are going to take time out of their day to read what you have to say, be sure to realize that every little bit counts.
- Optimization. The opportunity for search visibility using Twitter is huge. Include keywords in your tweets that relate to your company (i.e. branding, strategy, etc.). Doing this will increase your chances of being found in a search because many search engines, such as Google, index Twitter.
- Keep it personal. Always respond to direct messages. Taking time to speak with your clients and peers shows them that they’re concerns and comments are important and that you are listening. Also key, read what others are saying about you. Twitter can be a good way to gain feedback about what is or isn’t working for your company. Don’t be afraid of the negative comments, knowledge is power.
- Turn heads. If you don’t already have an account, start one! Twitter can allow your company a fresh start and a chance to build your own reputation and brand. If you already have an account, Twitter can be useful in maintaining your company’s image as you are able to directly interact with customers and handle any issues that may arise. Using Twitter is a great way to show others that your company doesn’t just exist, but that it is evolving.
Learn more about how Twitter can create value for your company by picking up a copy of Hollis Thomases Twitter Marketing today. And should you want to explore options in this and other social media marketing efforts for your business, give us a call.
— Wendy
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