Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Tweet Your Heart Out

At Black Sheep, we’re strong believers in the power of the Tweet. Some of our clients have told us they have been advised otherwise – that they don’t belong on Twitter and should stay away. And we couldn’t disagree more.

You’ve got something to say, right?

You provide a service or product to people, right?

You’re a badass at what you do, right?

The thing is, Twitter isn’t just for 12-year-olds and movie stars. It’s for everyone! It’s an equal-opportunity outlet for you to get your message to lots and lots of people. Why turn that down? It’s free! AND it gives you the chance to position yourself as an interesting, experienced and informed representative for your business. And who knows – you may learn something in return!

The social media gurus at Black Sheep have put together a few tips for effective Tweeting so you can get the most out of you 140-character message.

Be a know-it-all. You know a lot about stuff, so let everyone know. Offer tips and advice, links to articles you've found helpful and references to new and exciting innovations in your field. Be sure to answer questions and open a dialogue. In no time, you’ll be the go-to resource for hamsters, dryer lint, 1983 television shows… or whatever it is you know so much about.

Deal or no deal? Deal. Offer your followers an incentive for paying attention. Give them discounts, special promotional opportunities or insider information that will give them a reason to keep their looking balls peeled and their attention on you. Just don’t over-do it… you don’t want to give it all away at once (thanks, mom) and you don’t want to become a spammer.

Tickle their funny bone. You don’t want to be a robot behind a computer. Nobody likes a robot. Have a little personality and showcase it in your Tweets. It’ll keep things interesting and allow you to connect to your followers.

It takes one to know one. You can’t just start Tweeting and expect the masses to come running. Find other people who interest you – people talking about your favorite topics, your friends and people who might be in need of your help – and start following them. Odds are they’ll return the favor.

See? It’s so easy a 12-year-old can do it. So get started today. Got more questions? Still not sure what to do? Contact us or attend our Twitter training session next month, and we’d be happy to answer any questions.

1 comment:

JTB6806 said...

Read your blog on tweeting and took the plunge recently. I’m really hesitant with anything that is out of my comfort zone, anything social media falls in there for me, but your blog motivated me to get out of that zone. I’ve done a lot of things with my business this year, prop marketing for example, that typically would have made me cringe, but the fact of the matter is that its out of most people’s comfort zone, too, and standing out is what its all about.