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40 Ways Business Owners Can Use Twitter To Build Their Business

Reblogger Linda Suidan
Real Estate Agent with Results Realty Services, LLC and Mossy Oak Townhomes

Original content by Mickey O'Brien NMLS/CA-DBO #1117018

Posted on 23. Jan, 2010 by Mickey O'Brien in Business Tips

 

This week on Facebook I asked “Who should I follow on Twitter” and surprisingly only a few people responded, one in which is an amazing photographer that you may want to follow twitter.com/@steffoush By asking for who should I follow I was opening up opportunities for businesses to connect with me and my large network. I have many biz owners say “What can Twitter do for me?” so I’m laying it all out right here…

Building Trust & Rapport
1. Express your opinion and expertise
2. Share your interesting links/posts
3. Strengthen relationships with client, competitors and jv partners
4. Tweet often to keep your brand on top of your customer’s mind
5. Share quality content that addresses your clients needs, frustrations, fears & dreams
6. Promote friends and colleagues
7. Promote upcoming events

Market Yourself & Your Business
1. Talk about what your company believes in, and is committed to
2. Give special offers to customers who find you via social media
3. Talk about what you’re doing, who you are, and what you do
4. Direct people to your blog/website
5. Find & Give referrals
6. Have contests and give away prizes
7. Promote your latest blog posts, free reports and newsletters
8. Tweet when you see or do something cool or funny

Listen To What’s Being Said
1. See what others are saying about you (use TweetDeck.com)
2. Listen to what’s being said about your industry
3. Conduct Twitter polls to quiz consumer opinion
4. Learn about what’s working/not working & next for your competitors
5. Find your competitors clients (Read: Sun Tsu’s Art of War, i.e. do not neglect the use of intelligence.)
6. Identify Twitter trends or hot topics related to your industry
7. Ask people for their opinions. Listen to them and respond back.

Expand Your Network
1. Build relationships instead of selling
2. Use Twellow, We Follow to find clients & people with common interests
3. Meet POI’s (People Of Influence) and talk to them
4. Connect your Twitter account to your website, Facebook, LinkedIn and other medias you use.
5. Give and receive testimonials on Follow Friday and connect with new people
6. Use services like bit.ly to see how people are interacting with your content

Build Your Offline Network
1. Hold/Attend meetups/tweetups and meet your online network offline
2. Use TweetDeck to track when potential customers mention a competitor…and then reach out to them
3. Find new employees
4. Ask Twitter followers to leave testimonials on your site
5. Tweet about products and services on Twitter before offering to general public
6. Create special events around holidays for your Twitter followers

Meet People, Celebrate Life & Have Fun
1. Share content that you enjoy
2. Get inspired and motivated by others
3. Learn new things and talk about it
4. Build new friendships, not just professional relationships
5. Be part of a community (your industry or personal)
6. Find new ideas for your business or just for fun

Bonus: Tools I Like That Make It Fun & Easy

1. Use www.ping.fm to post to facebook, twitter, plaxo and more at one time
2. Use hootsuite.com to schedule posts so you don't always have to be online

3. Use Hashtages on Twitter to follow conversations (#mortgages to talk about mortgages)
4. Use the Re-Tweet feature if you see something
5. Use #followfriday on Friday's to recommend others to follow someone

What are your Twitter tips or advise?

Ps: You can connect with me on Twiter at twitter.com/mickeyobrien

 

Show All Comments Sort:
Troy D. Village
Stearns Lending, LLC - San Mateo, CA
MBA - Branch Mgr | Sr. Loan Officer - NMLS #325112

Great advice - Thanks for sharing this, Linda.

Feb 11, 2010 09:20 AM
Sam Miller
RE/MAX Stars Realty - Howard, OH
Knox County Ohio Real Estate Specialist

Linda - That is a great Twitter list for sure.  The connections I have made on Twitter, Facebook and ActiveRain have been amazing.  I am actually negotiating  and selling a lot in Apple Valley this week to a client who I have never met and NEVER spoke with on the phone ever.  All our communication has been from Twitter followed by an e-mail with an offer attached in PDF.  We originally connected because I had made a post about The Apple Valley Lake, he commented on the tweet, we exchanged a few tweets and about 2 months later he eventually commented on an Apple Tablet tweet I wrote and the next thing you know he sends me a tweet saying he wants to buy a lot in Apple Valley.  The first time I will meet him will be on the day of closing.  There is tremendous power in Twitter and social networking.

http://www.twitter.com/sammillersells

Feb 11, 2010 09:47 AM
Linda Suidan
Results Realty Services, LLC and Mossy Oak Townhomes - Duluth, GA

You're Welcome! Honestly, I need to use Twitter more often. I use Facebook a lot but for some reason I just do not use the Twitter as much. I thought that this list might help me utilize Twitter more.

Sam, I know how you feel. I sold a home that never saw. I meet the client from Advertising and Marketing. He knew his home and had me write it up. We closed and drove to the home together. NOW, again I will say, He Knew What He Wanted and then he used me. He was impressed with our Marketing (I Deal Results) and picked me. As his Realtor I was able to lead him unto being able to purchase the home he wanted at the price he wanted to pay. I would not recommend buying a home through a Realtor that did not see the home unless you really know what you want. He was a different but pleasurable client to work with.

Feb 11, 2010 10:55 AM