Entries Tagged 'twitter' ↓

Can that really be true?

Well, it is according to a recent article in The Drum.

Apparently, a recent survey undertaken by TalkTalk Business discovered that only 1% of UK SMEs use social media sites such as Twitter and Linked In to generate new business.

Out of the 500 SMEs surveyed, 43% said they weren’t comfortable using social networking sites.

As a copywriter, I’ve been using social media for a while to offer advice, promote my business and make new contacts. It really isn’t scary – it’s just like chatting with friends.

Finding the comfort zone

Social media allows customers unprecedented access to companies these days. They can instantly send messages, ask queries and make complaints – perhaps that’s part of the problem.

But there really isn’t any reason for companies to be afraid of social media. Used wisely, it can open up new markets and even find new business partners.

Of course, once you put something out on the web, it’s there for good, so any company looking to use social media as part of their marketing must have a strategy in place.

Understanding your social media strategy

The first thing that must happen is for everyone to understand (that includes senior management) that the main goal is not to sell.

Social media is a long term commitment that should add value to your relationships with your customers.

Then you must determine what your goals are – whether you’re using it for PR, customer service or marketing. However you use it, your goals must be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely).

Of course, not every social media outlet is going to be right for your business, so do your research. Work out where you customers hang out and where your activities will have the greatest impact.

Once you start to use the platform(s) join in the conversation, don’t just lurk on the fringes. Chat with people, answer questions and offer advice. All of these activities will help get you noticed and increase your levels of engagement.

After a while, you may start getting questions coming your way. If you do make sure you answer them. Also, it’s worthwhile bringing your social media activities into the real world by going along to networking events and tweetups so people can put a face to the profile.

One more thing about Twitter, if a specific person within your company runs the account, make sure they sign their name to their tweets, or have their bio on your Twitter page. People like to know who they are tweeting with.

The best way to learn is to do

“Social media can prove invaluable as a new business tool and so it’s worrying to see that so few SMEs are embracing it. Its business benefits range from being able to engage and understand the needs of customers and prospects through to gaining insights into target markets and perceptions of your organisation or brand.

“There’s certainly scope for more SMEs to be educated on how social media channels can be applied to business and ne harnessed to benefit the bottom line.” Paul Lawton, Managing Director of TalkTalk Business.

I couldn’t agree more Paul.

Over to you

Are you one of the 43% or have you embraced social media as part of your marketing strategy?

Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts.

Yes, love it or loathe it, Twitter is a fantastic platform for your business.

You can instantly connect with customers, you can act immediately, you can ask questions and get a shed load of responses – Twitter is amazing.

But are you using it to maximise your customer service and support?

To show you how it can be used to your advantage, I want to direct you to a great post I found on SocialMediaExaminer.com. Written by Leo Widrich, co-founder of BufferApp.com, it is a personal account of how Leo has used it to improve his company’s customer service and support.

After all, as he says, customer service is one area where you can really make your company stand out in a crowd – in the words of Gary Vaynerchuck (@garyvee):

“I genuinely believe that any business can create a competitive advantage through giving outstanding customer care.”

So, what are Leo’s tips?

Well, they go something like this:

• Use Twitter to give a rapid response
• Personalise your Tweets with your name or picture
• Use DMs to your advantage
• Use search tools to help people who aren’t even customers yet

So, if you want to improve your customer service and blow your competitors out of the water, have a read of 4 Ways to Use Twitter for Customer Service & Support.

Twitter – a social networking platform where you can communicate in 140 characters, which amounts to relationship building in a literal nutshell.

Take a good a look at the third word in that opening sentence – social.

How can you automate being social?

Social is relationship building, spontaneity, conversation and all those things you need to be present to do.

And yet people still profess that automating your Twitter usage is the way to go – but why?

The Pros of automated tweeting

Those in the ‘pro’ camp will try to convince you that automating your tweeting will:

• Save you time
• Give a constant presence
• Give your followers a stream of tweets to keep you in their mind
• Provide your followers with timely offers
• Help you plan your strategy to target potential customers

But there is a problem with that. Sending out random tweets isn’t always constructive. Plus, some people who automate will schedule the same tweet to go out at weekly or monthly intervals. They may think it saves them time, but it’s not long before their followers get fed up with seeing the same message. And that type of repetitiveness highlights the fact that you’re an absent tweeter.

The cons of automated tweeting

So, that brings us to the cons of being automated:

• There is no engagement with your followers
• Your tweets can appear random and disjointed
• If you’re not there, you can’t respond to replies or RTs (retweets)
• There is no conversation
• You can’t react quickly to someone else’s tweet

The ideal strategy

I am no Twitter guru, but I have been using it for a while now.

For me, the best strategy is to be there in person when I’m tweeting. The only automated tweets that go out are those showing my latest blog posts when they are published – everything else is me. That way I can react to other people’s tweets, join in with conversations and offer help and advice when needed.

Over to you

What’s your take on this?

What strategy do you use?

Leave a comment below and have your say about the pros and cons of automated tweeting.

Sally Ormond – Copywriter

Everyone is going social these days.

We’re all tweeting, posting status updates, digging, stumbling – you name it.

The only problem is keeping on top of all the social networks you use.

How are you managing yours?

Are you getting the most out of them all?

The problem with social media

Managing my networks is a problem and I’ve long searched for the perfect solution for me.

In my quest I came across this post on SocialMediaExaminer.com that looks at 3 new apps to help you manage your social networks.

They take a look at:

• Alternion – ideal for managing your accounts on various networks across the internet
• LiveGO – great for keeping up with several accounts on Twitter, Facebook pages and your email
• Netvibes – a simple way to monitor brand mentions or specific topics all in one place

Go and take a look – one of them could be just what you’re looking for.

One of the main barriers preventing businesses from getting stuck into social media is that they don’t believe you can actually sell using it.

Other than the time issue, many people don’t utilise social media because… ‘Why do I want to know what someone had for lunch?’ Yes, people do talk about sandwich preference, but that is all part of building relationships and allowing people to get to know you.

And those that do dabble give up after just a week or two because they aren’t seeing results. Well, first off it takes time for your social media activities to bear fruit. And, if you’re just using Twitter or Facebook to bombard people with lame sales messages, you’re not going to have any success because you’re just turning people off you and your business in their droves.

You see, although it is possible to sell just about anything through social media, it’s not somewhere people hang out who are looking to buy a particular product. They are there to see what people are saying, or looking for information to a particular problem they have, or an expert to give them a helping hand.

How to get results

As more and more people become ‘comfortable’ with social media, they are increasingly turning to it to find out information. And that’s where you come in.

So, if you are going to make the most of this golden opportunity to reach out to a whole new marketplace, you need to have a strategy in place.

1. Test

The only way you are going to find the right approach is by testing.

Which method produces the most engagement?

Once you’ve discovered what works for you, stick to it, but continue to monitor your results.

2. Target

If you want to use social media you have to ensure you are targeting the right people. Use keywords within your tweets and updates and hash tags.

So, make sure you know who your audience is and what’s important to them.

3. Trust

People will only buy from you once they trust you.

How do you get them to trust you?

Giving away great information, engaging with them and making your content easy to share will help to build trust.

4. Engage

Social media isn’t a one way street. If you want people to like you and trust you, you have to engage with them. Ask them questions, post a poll on your Facebook page, do a question and answer session and ask for feedback.

All of these activities will make you more accessible to them. And if you’re accessible, you’ll be seen as approachable – a business they would want to buy from.

5. Call to action

Of course, once you have their trust and engagement you have to ask them to do something – don’t assume they will automatically buy.

Direct them to your website, make them aware of your offers, or ask them to sign up for your newsletter. Whatever it is, make sure it’s clear.

So, can you really sell anything through social media?

Yes, you can if you get your approach right.

Over to you

What successes have you had with social media?

As a copywriter I’ve gained several new clients through Twitter – leave a comment below and share your experiences.