Build Your Business Using Twitter - Part 2

In part one I posted on how to build up twitter followers that were relative to your business. In this post I'll explain why having relevant followers is the most important thing to selling your product or service on twitter and also talk about great ways to engage and interact with your customers (which will hopefully lead them into a lasting relationship with your brand and eventually a purchase!)

So, now you have a group of relevant followers. Even if it's a small amount you can still start to build a relationship with them through fun and easy interactions on twitter.

Here are 4 suggestions I have for interacting with your followers.

1. Tweet About Your Day

I'm not talking about 'Really annoyed, my bus is running late and I have an important meeting in 30 mins grr'. If you are a business or a self employed person your twitter account should represent that primarily. It's cool to throw in some personal tweets every now and then, and they can make your brand seem even more endearing, but on the whole, stick to business, unless you are your brand (this applies to musicians etc, where people may be interested in what colour pants you are wearing that day). An example of a good way of a business / brand talking about their day would be 'Working on new recipes for cupcakes today, can't wait to try them out!'. Personal and professional.

2. Tweet Photos

Without a shadow of a doubt the tweets I get most interested to click on or read are those with a photo. Who doesn't love to see what someone is up to? Now, don't go spending all of your time tweeting pics of your latest meal (hand up, I have done this on so many occasions) as it's pretty cliche and unless you are eating something really amazing no-one is really gonna care...more to the point unless your business is food then why are you tweeting your meal anyway?! Tweeting pics of what you are working on, new product samples or a behind the scenes exclusive shots are good (such as this shot from behind the scenes at our latest shoot for The Glam Collective). It's an insider look that no-one else gets aside from twitter followers.

There are also some great iPhone apps such as instagram and hipstamatic that can make your tweet pics look a bit cooler than you average photo.

 Instagram

Hipstamatic

3. Tweet Questions and Competitions

Having a bunch of twitter followers that are relevant to your product or service means that you pretty much have a focus group on hand at any time. Stuck on the colour choice for your latest product? Tweet a pic of the 2 choices and ask for their opinions! Knowing they have helped to mould your brand will give the followers a real sense of connection. I often ask my twitter followers what they think of my website design, a new graphic or otherwise and the outside opinion from a fresh eye is really useful. Competitions are a great way to engage with followers you already have and find new ones (more on using twitter for marketing in the next part of this Twitter series). Don't just do a boring question and ask for an answer, use twitter to get creative. Get them to answer with a picture, or make an understandable answer using the shortest amount of letters. Be fun! I must point out here that if you are some kind of extremely high class, luxury company then this may not be right for your marketing campaign, but then I wouldn't suppose you are reading my blog anyway!

4. Tweet links to your blog posts

Tweeting links to your blog posts means you will get more readers and hopefully some retweets which means your posts will reach a wider audience. Don't however, let your blog do the automatic tweet thing - which would you rather click on?

'Fashion Focus - Smart Clothes (LINK)'

or

'Hey guys, I just wrote a post on how to wear smart clothes without losing your identity. Check it out! (LINK)'

No comparison right? Be careful with the automated tweets! Also this throws up a small point on blog titles - make them snappy, catchy and human. I could go into this in loads more detail but that's for another post.

This concludes my 3 top tips in using twitter to engage with your audience. In the next part to this series I will be talking about using twitter to market a new product and increase your audience.

While we're here, don't forget to follow me on twitter :)

S x