Twitter vs. E-mail: Which one really gets more leads?

Twitter vs. E-mail: Which one gets more leads? Want to reach new homebuyers? (No need to answer that.) Before you get sucked into the Social Marketing vortex (which is where every company seems to be heading), consider the following facts:

* Although Twitter had 18.2 million unique visitors in May 2009, 5% of Twitter users account for 75% of all activity, and 85.3% of all Twitter users post less than one update per day. (Sources: blog.nielsen.com; www.sysomos.com)

* 90% of Internet users between the ages of 18 and 72 use e-mail daily. (Feb. 2009 Pew Internet and American life project)

* 87% of consumers' online time is spent reading their e-mails. (David Daniels, Vice President JupiterResearch, Dec. 2007).

* 60% admit to checking their personal e-mail at work an average of three times a day. (AOL, 2007)

Twitter has recently become the talk-of-the-town for many marketing agencies, when it really doesn't justify more than a casual mention in social media strategy. Yet it is the basis of many marketers' social media conversation. The reality is: Twitter is not the right tool if you're expecting to get many leads (or ultimately, sales). Twitter's usage numbers are not putting a dent in e-mail outreach. Remember, 90% of Internet users spend 87% of their time online reading e-mail!

The interesting phenomenon is that many companies are jumping through hoops to respond to tweets, yet they are comfortable using auto-responders for their e-mails, such as: "we will get back to you in 48 hours," or not even responding at all. Responding to an e-mail should be your first social media strategy. Use Twitter with a "brand-awareness" approach, and think of e-mail like a telephone -- your customers are waiting on the other line.

There are opportunities to have real interactions with your customers, and they're sitting right in your inbox. What strategy do you have in place to react to responses to your e-mail campaigns? Having real conversations with your customers through e-mail is the best way to ensure a lasting relationship. And maybe your customers will even tweet about your e-mail savvy-ness. You can read about our email outreach program here, and find out how we can help convert prospects into customers with email marketing.

Posted by Bill Hunter President/Creative Director

Wilmington Design Company