If I had a dollar for every business where the guy we are making a presentation to tell us they “get” twitter and it is simple to maintain”, well let’s say I wouldn’t have to work as hard.
Yet those same people who tell Dennis and I that regularly (some won’t come out and say it, but they look at us like…are you crazy?”) are the same ones who later either come back to us and say. “I don’t get Twitter” or “This doesn’t work for me!”
The truth is that this is a tool that is a game changer and when done properly can accomplish in a short time many things that it would take years to do (and a bunch of money) using traditional media. Many business owners think this is an area that is the easiest of the social media tools to take on. And it can be.
On the other hand, don’t be that guys that does the following:
- Houston, we have a problem…”Failure to Connect”
We would all like to have thousands of followers. But keep in mind that there is a responsibility that goes with it that is also critical to your follower growth. Engagement! When someone sends you a mention (@yourtwitterhandle), be sure to respond to it. Same thing with DM’s (direct messages), although that can be more challenging at times. But you will find that you will make some amazing relationships (some just friends, others that may turn into business) by just being courteous. When someone doesn’t return my “@” message, I think “Houston, we have a problem…So be careful on doing business with that person” Conversely, be patient. The person you sent an “@” message to may only be on once or twice a day. - Follow blindly or desperately!
Twitter has an initial control limit that will stop you from following more than 2,000 people. Once you have 2,000 people following you, the rules change a bit to allow some more flexibility so to speak. One of first things that many people look at is your follow/follower ratio. Nothing says spam’s a coming by being the first one to follow someone who is following all 2,000. We all have to start somewhere, but many people actually appreciate it when more people are following you than you are following. When you do follow them, they feel a bit more special. A good rule of thumb would be to follow 5%-10% max more than are following you. Keep in mind that it may not do your dog sitting business much good by following someone 3 time zones away either. - Being a lurker or a lookie loo!
Don’t give the appearance that Twitter was just a fad and that you got an account to say you are there. Social media (I say this over and over) is about engagement. Trust is earned. Don’t find yourself being labeled in the up to 25% of accounts who only have a couple of tweets total, none of which occurred in the last 90 days. You are trying to build relationships to help your business. How do you feel when the only communication you get all year is a calendar and it says to refer business to them? Same holds true here. Your message is clear and it is received. Get in the game! - Tweeting Too Much
You know these people. People who follow a relative handful and have thousands of tweets? People who tweet more than 10-12 tweets a day (which even I think is too high) will tire their followers out. The results of too many tweets are that people don’t pay attention to the ones you really want action on. There is a balance. Find it because if you find that followers are dropping off, this is the thing I would look at first. - Totally Self-Promotional
Internet marketing is about self promotion to an extent that is. Remember, we like to do business with those we know, like and trust. If the only things you tweet about are the seminars/webinars you are promoting, what you are selling, etc, people are going to tune that message out pretty quickly. My personal approach is one third retweets, one third things that I think my followers will find interesting and one third about me both personally and professionally. Don’t worry that people don’t know what you do currently. Let your actions speak for themselves. People who share and are providers of great content, sharing tips/advice are rewarded on Twitter. Make sure you are one of them! - Avatars – either lack of one or an avatar that is doesn’t represent you
While your business logo is important as it tells about what your business does, we don’t’ engage with a business. I don’t call up and ask a business to speak at my gathering. Let’s start with those that don’t have any avatar. You are severely limiting the people who will follow you (including me) For those with a pic, keep in mind the pictures are small on Twitter. So a head shot works best in my mind. In any case, make the picture representative of who your authentic self is. - No personalized background
And while we are at it, let’s talk about your twitter background…or more specifically your lack of one.Let’s face it, it is difficult for most of us to condense what we do and who we are in 140 characters. So, if you don’t have a background that let’s people know who you are, what you do and perhaps contact info along with the other social networks that you can be accessed on, you may never have another chance to make a great impression. So don’t waste this opportunity. By the way, there is nothing wrong with having fun with your background (many can be done for free). It might even set you apart in a positive way from your competition. - Knowing the right mix of business vs. personal
Life is about balance and twitter is not any different. People do want do know if you saw a great movie as it provides some insight into who you are. But you don’t benefit from sharing EVERYTHING you do (which also lends itself to over-tweeting). So mixing business and pleasure can be done. But if you are just starting out, let your professional persona come out first. What is it that Warren Buffett says? “I like to make friends of people I do business with, not the other way around” - Not Helping Others
You want to know the number one way to get followers? Be what Malcolm Gladwell describes in his book “Tipping Point” and become known as a “connector” A connector acts as either a problem solver or a resource library. The simple act of answering people’s questions or pointing them in the right direction (especially if it isn’t about you) will generate a loyal following. And the great thing about the net is word gets out. Don’t know the answers? No problem. When you find interesting articles about your niche, be generous and share it with others. Not doing so will never get you any Twitter love. - Not Checking In Regularly
You check your email regularly don’t you? What about your Facebook account? Well it should be no different here. Set some specific times during the day to check it and forget it. This is a tool and sometimes we can also become enamored with it. Don’t be. But the likliehood especially when you are first starting out is you don’t check it at all. And then pretty soon you forget about it all together. And then you are going to find out that you are “that guy” (or gal) who has just commited one of the top 10 mistakes for Twitter.
Good tweeting!
Believe it or not, not doing social media right can actually harm your business.
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Finally, those are my thoughts from high atop my 2nd floor office above my garage. What I want to hear are YOUR comments. What are you using to give you ideas/content for your blog or website?
If you are looking for free tips or advice on how to approach your social media, go to Social Media Dudesand subscribe to your newsletter in the upper left hand corner! Still not convinced that social media is right for your business? Read this and get our F.R.E.E. report on the 7 Myths of Social Media! Or follow our tweets on Twitter at twitter.com/johnpanico Finally, those are my thoughts from high atop my 2nd floor office above my garage. What I want to hear are YOUR comments. Please leave one now.
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