Best Tip for Using Twitter?

What is your one tip on how B2B marketers should leverage social media? This is what I was asked by ClickDocs, a great source of information on content marketing. You can read other insights from other experts here. Here's my answer:

Small business professionals who want to attract people for their products and services through Twitter often start off on the wrong foot. They look at it and answer the question, “What are you doing?” Who cares?

Start off by doing a search for keywords in your field. Use the search button at the bottom of the page and type in “Need help with …XYZ” and see what comes up.

On any day, people are asking for help with things on Twitter. You can answer their questions, refer them to your blog, and offer to help. Be sure to follow them when you do.

The next thing you need to do is set up alerts for keywords in your field. I use TweetLater.com. Every time someone is tweeting about my area of expertise, say content marketing, or leadership and executive coaching, I get an email alert.

That way I can respond to their tweets and be helpful. I can also stay informed of the latest buzz.

Small business professionals who want to attract people for their products and services by using Twitter should use two important features:

1. Use the search feature on Twitter. You can use the words your prospects might be using. Go ahead and try it. You’ll be amazed at how many opportunities there are for helping other people.

2. Set up alerts for key words in your field. That way you get email updates each time someone talks about your area of expertise. You can find people in your field or prospects and then follow them. You can use a Twitter alert service through TweetLater.

Twitter is only as good as you make it. Don’t tweet like this:

• “I do executive coaching in Podunk, CA.”
• “I write web copy for you.”
• “Best real estate property in the state.”

Be Helpful

Focus on others, what you can do to help them. Act like you’re a new arrival in a cocktail party. Don’t try to draw attention to yourself and your business. But be sure to be helpful by sharing where they can get helpful information to help solve their problems.

I’ve got my blog posts set up to feed automatically into Twitter by using Twitterfeed.com. I blog most days, or at least every other day. People see my tweets on Twitter, and click to read my blog posts. It’s a major source of traffic to my blogs. People from Twitter are more likely to leave comments on a blog.

Since this is done automatically, I don’t spend any time on this. Apart from that, I read my TweetLater alerts in my inbox. I go over to Twitter when I see an alert and I can respond or re-tweet something helpful.

Sometimes strangers will see one of my blog posts they like and re-tweet the headline with the link. Be sure to thank them and follow them, since they are a great source for you getting known. Be sure to re-tweet other people’s good blog posts too.

Ask for Help

When I was about to write this tip, I used Twitter to ask others for their best tip. Here are two responses I got:

• @xposure (Nigel Lamb)@Patsiblogsquad: Use the search for keywords. Answer questions that are your area of expertise. Recommend others, so they return the favor.

• @leeodden (Lee Odden) @Patsiblogsquad: Search twitter using queries that describe prospects in a state of need & be helpful to them.

On Twitter, I asked people how they would answer the question “What is your one tip on how B2B marketers should leverage social media?”

Just imagine how you could create content for articles, blog posts, and white papers. The next time somebody says, “Twitter? Who’s got time for that?” you’ll know why it’s smart to use social media sites for growing your business.

Patsi's on Twitter, click here and follow me!

By TwitterButtons.net

Comments

[Rosey Dow]

ReTweeting helpful links and comments will boost your TwitValue and also brings more followers.

[John Bottom]

All very true Patsi. The Cocktail Party etiquette metaphor is well documented (eg at www.baseonegroup.co.uk/beyond) and is an important one to remember. The key is in the word 'social'. People do this stuff because they like it, and no one likes being given the hard sell. Nice blog, Patsi. You're now on my RSS radar!

[Jenny Pilley]

I've just started on Twitter so posts like this are really helpful. I think so many people think that social sites have a lot of hype and ignoring the facts of what they can actually do for a business. As long as it is done right, like with the advice you have given, there is a lot of opportunity to be had from sites such as Twitter.

[Francis]

"Twitter is only as good as you make it."

I couldn't agree more! There is a lot of talk about Twitter being a waste of time, but truly it doesn't have to be. Thanks for pointing it out and sharing your views!

[Patsi Krakoff]

Thanks Rosey, Jenny, John and Francis, all for your comments. I wish there was a way for you all to leave me your twitter addresses/links so I can be sure to follow you. Drop me a line when you can with that info!

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Very well analysed, points brought out and rightly concluded