Not too long ago I found myself doing some additional research about the benefits of social media and networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. I found some really interesting things about Twitter that I hadn’t realized before – things that could really have a huge impact on the way you market your business – especially if it is an online business. Today I’ll share two main points.

The first is that if you are a salesperson, especially a newer salesperson, your prospects may have the foresight to do a little bit of research about you individually before deciding to make a purchase. If you use your real name instead of a pseudonym when creating your Twitter account your prospects are even more likely to find you online. If you’re careful about what you post they’ll see how professional you are – and how knowledgeable you are about your product.

The second interesting fact is that Google views Twitter with high regard. They also view each individual Tweet as a separate web page when ranking them on Google. This means that ever Tweet your post is increasing the amount of content your prospects can find on the web. It works even better if you occasionally include a link back to your main company website.

The trick, of course, is making sure your Twitter account contains valuable information. If you’re spouting off random music lyrics or pieces of useless information no one will care about what you have to say. Guaranteed.

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker

A while back we talked about how you should be using Twitter for marketing purposes but I wanted to give those of you who weren’t already using the service a chance to check it out. In short, Twitter is a social networking tool similar to the instant message programs we have been so used to for years. The only difference is that you’re limited by what you can say in 140 characters or less.

The concept is known as microblogging, though it seems as though quite a few people are taking advantage of the concept and instead of limiting themselves simply make numerous posts one after the other. But I digress.

There are a number of ways you can use Twitter during your marketing campaigns. Today I’d like to share 5.

1. Twitter provides marketers with a way to build up a “fan base.” Not everyone who is interested in what you do or sell will make a purchase upfront but they may in the future and they’re likely to recommend you to their friends.
2. Using Twitter is a great way to build a buzz surrounding a new product or service you plan to launch. You can leak small bits of interesting information to the public before the actual release date and your niche target group will have the information they need in advance.
3. Twitter gives you another tool you can use to build your company’s brand.
4. If your company already has a formal blog Twitter will give you the tools you need to further extend its reach. You can post links to your blog updates on Twitter as well.
5. Twitter followers may appreciate special deals or discounts. You can use the fan base you’ve created to offer loyalty discounts not found elsewhere – thus increasing your sales while keeping your fans happy.

These are, of course, only a sampling of the things you can do with Twitter. They key is to ensure you are networking with people who are really interested in what you have to offer – not just people who want to build up their own “friend lists” for their own benefit. More on how to do that later!

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker

Are you on Twitter?

If not, I really think you should be.

Why?

Because Twitter is exactly the kind of social networking environment you should be in. If nothing else, the opportunity to practice limiting your thoughts to a mere 140 characters is something truly defining. It teaches you to be succinct and engaging while making your point using nothing longer than a simple sentence.

Being an active member on Twitter will also give you the opportunity to meet two types of people:

• People who are in the same field, or related fields, as you are.
• People who are interested in the products and services you offer.

Now, there’s skill involved in building a good following on Twitter. You have to be active and engaging. You can’t just throw out a bunch of advertisements or links to your website and expect people to care. You need to show interest in what they’re doing, or somehow show them that you really want to offer them something of value.

I could go on and on about how and when to use Twitter, but instead I’ll leave you today with a challenge. If you are NOT already on Twitter, go check it out and sign up. Take a look at the system and think about how you could possibly use it to network or build your own prospect list.

Oh! And make sure you follow me on Twitter as well if you’re not doing so already! Once you have a few days to look at Twitter we’ll talk about some of the best ways to really utilize it in your marketing campaign!

Sean

Sales Expert - Marketing Consultant – Motivational Speaker