Internet Marketing Tools

For three months I have posted Twitter tips and techniques for small business users.  My goal has been to show how Twitter can attract more customers in today’s business climate.  

Starting next month, I will shift my focus to posting about Youtube.  How can small business owners use this social media site to attract more customers to their businesses?

As I conclude my Twitter posts, I will share some final thoughts on how Twitter can be used in your small business.

Twittering as Networking

Strip away all of the Twitter techniques, tips, forms, and software tools.  What do you have? You have a digital networking tool.  For the moment forget about Twitter as social media site. Think of Twitter as your own digital networking tool.

I am sure that you have participated in some form of business networking group.  The purpose of these groups is to gather business people together to provide word of mouth referrals.

Twitter is a digital version of these networking groups, with one big exception.  It does not have space limitations (a physical meeting place) or time limitations (weekly meeting times). You can do Twitter networking anytime from your computer or phone.

Successful with business networking groups requires a specific set of skills.  These business networking skills are the same ones for Twitter success.

“Be Interested”

The number one rule of business networking is “Be Interested”.   What would you think if a person who did nothing but push their business cards in your face at a business networking meeting?  You would avoid them like the H1N1 virus.

A solid business network comes from being interested in group members and creating relationships with them.  Who are they?  What is their business about? What’s important to them?  What challenges do they face? What do they like and dislike?  Many networking groups have a function called one to one’s where you spend time talking with other group members to learn more about them and their business.

Use this same “interest building” skill with your Twitter program.  Be interested in your followers before you start pushing your business.  Ask them questions.  Respond to their Tweets.  Compliment them. Acknowledge your followers on Twitter.  Being interested in your followers is critical to building a strong Twitter network.  Take the time and make it one of your goals to build this foundation.  Don’t skip this step.