Why You Should Be Working Twitter Twice as Hard
You’re at a sick party; everyone is dressed to impress. You go with an open mind, hoping by chance that you’ll meet someone who makes a real difference in your life – whether that be love or a job opportunity…whatever. I used to think that Twitter was like that party, except everyone was talking and no one was listening. Now I’ve changed my mind.
The MVPs Are Listening
I realized that Twitter is a goldmine of opportunity, as are all of the big social networks. Not only are people listening, but the iron curtain between regular Joes and MVPs has turned into tissue paper and the party is more like a backstage pass.
There are all sorts of one-off accounts of this, such as Rihanna who recently picked an unknown chick she saw on Instagram to star as her henchwoman in the BBHMM video.
The story that sticks out in my mind is Pablo Sandoval’s suspension from the Red Sox. Sandoval was caught in violation of rules against social media use during games and suspended – on his salary that’s a huge chunk of change that just went out the window, but that’s not the point. The point is that big league players are on social media networks like Instagram and Twitter and they’re listening, if not responding.
Use Twitter to Establish Rapport
I personally believe that everyone looks at tweets which mention them, even celebrities. You CAN build relationships with MVPs. But the trick here is that you’re using Twitter to establish rapport, not make sales.
We recently had a Twitter success story at Spiro when our Tweets engaged the host of a renowned business podcast (We can’t tell you who it is just yet) and resulted in us getting a spot on his show. All we did was:
- Comment on posts in a meaningful way
- @mention handles when appropriate to draw attention to our content
Our dialogue wasn’t pushy or one-sided; it was a 140 character conversation.
You’ll Get More Engagement from Twitter Than Email
We also conducted a very unscientific experiment under the theory that Tweeting would net us a bigger, better response rate than email lists. We began Tweeting the people in our email list and responses to our beta release jumped through the roof – turns out sales guys love Twitter!
Once you have that natural dialogue going just move the conversation to email and, bam, you’re 10 steps closer to yes than you would be if you started out cold calling. At that point, follow our guide on what to do when you’ve got a one-on-one with your sales prospect.
Twitter Is Like A Swiss Army Knife For Sales
Twitter is not just about generating leads, it’s useful throughout the sales cycle. Twitter can help you:
Find Prospects
There are more than 500 million accounts on Twitter and it’s your job to find the ones that are most relevant and high quality for you. Find the right accounts to follow by searching relevant hashtags and keywords. Check out a competitor’s Twitter account for ideas on who to follow. Once you’ve got it narrowed down, use a Twitter client like HootSuite to create lists.
Use As an Alternative to Traditional Communication Channels
Can’t reach someone on the phone or email? Try Tweeting them.
Gain Insight Into Companies
Following a company’s Twitter feed can help you gain insight into their culture, goals, and agenda. Following what is said about them can give you insight into what their pain points and strengths are according to their customers.
Build Relationships with Influencers
It doesn’t always have to be about pursuing a prospect. There are influencers out there who can help you with professional or personal development and expand your network. Follow and engage with them.
Do you have a Twitter success story to share? Tell us in the comments below.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
