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The Business Side of Twitter: Part 2

Twitter BirdLast week, I prepared a presentation on “How to Generate Business in <140 Characters”. While I plan to post it on the new multimedia section of my site when it launches, I figured there’s no time like the present to put some of these resources out there.

So HOW do I use it for business?

5. Start a conversation.
I can promise you that you will only get what you put into social media. Twitter is not a magic solution where you create an account and suddenly start finding new clients. You need to be engaged and find ways to connect with people – start meaningful conversations that show your expertise in a friendly, approachable manner.

6. Interact with those who interact with you.
Take some time to check out your @ and direct messages. You don’t have to feel like you have to respond to every one of them, but it is good to respond to people who are trying to interact with you. Taking the time to thank someone for a RT or respond to their comments about your company are great ways to show that you are on Twitter for more than just your own goals.

7. Join a community.
There are many communities that have gathered on Twitter so it’s important that you join them! You should use hashtags (#) to search by industry, interest group, target client interests and more. The more active communities you can find, the more likely you will be able to form relationships that last and can ultimately turn into your next client.

8. Meet tweeps in the “real world”.
Twitter opens up the number of people you meet on a day-to-day basis, but it shouldn’t replace face to face interactions. Just as you might take a potential client to coffee, you need to do the same with people you meet on Twitter. If you are having a good conversation with someone nearby, invite them to a cafe nearby to continue. If they live far away, arrange time to speak on the phone. Think of Twitter as your access to a larger network of possibilities, but don’t forget the etiquette of traditional sales and relationship management.

Photo by ELDH

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Liz

Liz King is a social media-integrated event planner and award winning blogger. As the owner of Liz King Events, she runs an innovative firm that creates dynamic branding events integrating the use of social media. Planning events from soup to nuts, she works with her team to create and sustain your event brand and enhance attendee engagement. Liz is also a co-founder of the Event Technology Showcase PlannerTech. As the owner of Liz King Events, she has been featured as a speaker at the International Association of Exhibitions and Events, National Association of Colleges and Employers, ExpoWest/Supply Expo and several other events as an expert on the topic of social media and events. She has also been featured in Connect Meetings Intelligence and Convene Magazine, among others.

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 12th, 2010 at 11:33 am and is filed under Branding, Social Media/Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • http://www.planetplanit.biz Paul Cook

    Enjoyed this post Liz. I think meeting Tweeps in the real world is really important to remember. Virtual relationships on Twitter means that there is a real person behind the tweets. For me I cannot wait to meet the #eventprofs that I am developing connections with. The tweeps that I have met so far have been great. I have been lucky enough to meet @samueljsmith and @Surreyweddings as a direct result of twitter both on and off line.