Everyone’s tweeting and so are you. Twitter has proved to be an effective micro-blogging platform using which you can communicate with like-minded people, business prospects and customers easily.
It is undoubtedly one of the best ways to get in direct touch with customers – something that traditional marketing practices didn’t allow. You can share information, promote offers and discounts and also solve product-related problems in real time using just 140 characters. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But be warned the Little Blue Bird that’s seen everywhere is quite a thing and needs to be mastered to be used perfectly. You can randomly tweet, follow or generate sales lead. While you can use the Twitter platform to boost your sales, remember that it’s hard work and work that demands dedication.
Twitter has 271 million monthly active users and over 500 million tweets are sent every day. The chances of meeting your potential buyers on Twitter are thus very high. A recent study on B2B companies reveals that most companies having Twitter accounts get twice as many sales leads. But developing sales leads isn’t very easy and it happens solely based on an established relationship of trust, credibility and value. You can’t sell when you haven’t earned. In this article we will look at the best practices of how to use Twitter to generate sales leads.
First Build Trust, Sell Later
Do not make the mistake of thinking that as soon as you create a Twitter handle you can start selling your products and ideas. You can’t. And if you insist on doing so, followers will spam you and you will be ignored. Thus put your best foot forward and work on building trust among the followers first. You can do so by publishing quality content on topics related to your brand. Slowly but steadily this supply of content will prove beneficial and you can start selling them.
Don’t Bluff, be Genuine
Remember that Twitter is a personal platform for many. Most users will not see you as an impersonal brand but a personal staff of the company. Thus it is very important to connect with the followers. Whatever you publish on Twitter should reflect the personality of the writer (you). This way you will be more authentic, believable and genuine for the users.
Follow Trends, Post Trends
Twitter gives us breaking news and recent history has enough prove of it. The best way to generate sales leads is to capitalize on current news (if it is related to your industry) and post something informative. But do not make every news item your story.
Work According to A Planned Strategy
We have been repeatedly saying that handling Twitter needs dedication and hard-work. This is where a planned strategy comes into the picture. Ask yourself a few questions before you plan a strategy – What is it that you do? What do you want to be known for? Why are you using Twitter? Just gaining visibility on Twitter is not an ideal goal (though it is important). You should be using the micro-blogging platform to solve problems and connect with the customers on a personal level. Make a list of topics you want to post/ tweet on Twitter so that you know your steps carefully. They should be on your area of expertise so that it lends credibility to your content.
Do Not Oversell
Don’t be impatient to think that a few articles would be enough before you start selling your brand. Most users on the Twitterati see overselling as a selfish thing which turns them off. While occasional information on discounts and special offers is always welcome, a steady diet of the same is not advisable.