Using Twitter As a Business Resource
I can`t count how many people have told me that they don`t get Twitter and won`t use it because it`s a waste of time. What they are missing out on is the huge potential for business use. You would be amazed at how much you can get from this simple “waste of time”.
Example: A few months back, I tweeted that I was running short on work. Within minutes, I had a direct message from a content company asking if I wanted to take on some of their excess. The result? Over $1,000 in earnings. From one tweet. Not so much of a waste after all.
I have also made valuable connections on Twitter that have resulted in guest posts being published, free resources that would have cost me hundreds of dollars, and having an interview on Frugal WAHMS Talk Radio. All this on top of the ability to connect with other adults while working at home with my kids.
That being said, if Twitter is not used correctly, then you will certainly be wasting time. It`s important to realize that it is a SOCIAL tool . . . not a place to post auto-tweets of blog updates or ads. Yes, you can and should promote your websites, but that isn`t the only thing you should be doing. I get people complaining that no one ever follows them, that they aren`t seeing results and that they just don`t see the point. But when I look at their Twitter profile, it`s pure business and if you look at their tweets, they only tweet their latest blog post and never interact with anyone else. You can`t expect people to want to follow you or even take any interest in your message if you aren`t interesting or paying attention to anyone.
So, just how do you make Twitter work for business? Here are my hints, please feel free to add your own in the comments.
Be real. I tweet about my kids. I tweet about working from home. I tweet about life as an expat in Guatemala. And yes, occasionally, I even tweet about what we ate for dinner. And guess what? People respond to those tweets 10x more often than they do business ones. Those are the tweets that get me followers.
Don`t follow everyone. There are a lot of people who automatically follow anyone who follows them. Don`t do it. It`s the fastest way to hit Twitter burnout and you`ll end up with a TON of spam. Pick the people you follow with care. Read their profile, check their recent tweets and make sure they are someone interesting and useful.
If they suck, unfollow. There`s no reason to keep following someone who is blatantly posting ads and only ads, or someone who never posts anything except what their dog is doing (unless you`re into that). If you don`t like someone, click that unfollow button and declutter your Twitter. Reasons I quit following people include extreme negativity, picking fights with other Twitterers without checking facts, too much auto-tweeting, a steady stream of tweets on the same exact topic, and too many “I just picked my belly button lint” type tweets.
Turn off the auto tweets. If you are active on Twitter and post other things, you can get away with auto tweets. Heck, I used them myself for a while. BUT. If you really want people to click on your links, then I highly suggest adding your own comment. Which looks more inviting: “New post on At Home Mom” or “Check out why I think Twitter rocks for business”? A personal note is worth the few seconds it takes to type it and you`ll get a much better response.
Make it work better. Twitter`s actual page is a bit awkward to use. That`s why so many alternative programs have popped up. You can take your pick, but my personal favorite is twhirl . . . it lets you get pop ups of new tweets and is in a separate, tiny window that can be easily minimized to your status bar.
Follow people who make it work. Look at someone like Problogger or eMom to get an idea of how the best in the business use Twitter, then emulate them.
Don`t overlook Twitter. Like many social networking opportunities, it has the possibility of being used to simply waste time, but if you use it correctly, you`ll find that it really is very useful.
Great post, I was remarking just today to a friend who knew nothing about Twitter that I hadn’t bothered because it was a waste of time. Just goes to show what can happen when you stay ‘inside the box’.