Too many people regularly post links on Twitter and think that they are fully utilising it as a business tool. But to really promote yourself on the social networking site, you need to be interacting with other users.
Unless you are ‘talking’ to other users, you are writing a monologue – not participating in a dialogue. Reaching out to others allows you to build up more personal relationships with companies and people with whom you may wish to do business. Answering other people’s questions in your niche area, or discussing business issues of mutual interest with them, enables you to demonstrate your expertise in a very targeted way. Show potential clients and potential contacts how you can add value!
So how do you find good conversations to join? Start with accounts that you yourself follow – hopefully you have built up a good list of Tweeters who are of interest to your business. Even if they are not potential clients, interacting with them can bring you to the attention of other worthwhile contacts. Do not ignore those who follow you, responding to questions and comments posted in reaction to your own posts, and by direct message.
You can also use Hootsuite to track keywords that are particularly relevant to your business, and jump in when you see conversations in which you can engage with users. For example, you might come across someone in your geographic area looking for a trader in your field; or perhaps asking a question which you can answer, leading to a longer exchange and possible work.
For a really targeted approach, try creating lists on Twitter of customers you would like to target or of contacts that might be able to promote you to their own customers (these lists can be made private). This will help you focus when you follow hundreds of users. Then interact with them as often as possible – creating those personal relationships, showing how you can benefit them or their clients, and hopefully leading to work!
