“I’m only doing this as a spy,” I told my husband as I signed up for a Twitter account. And it was true--as an Internet-trend researcher, I really ought to know what it means to tweet. It was not with self-interested motives that I joined. I really did not want to join. Really?
This morning I typed in ‘Alice Munro,’ my favorite writer. And then I tried ‘Lorrie Moore.’ What do these fiction writers have to do with my research? Nothing.
Over the holidays my brother was in town. He works as a lobsterman in Downeast Maine, and (pridefully) he does not have Internet access. However, while visiting us he discovered that we--his family and friends--are all on Facebook.
“Let’s Facebook,” he would say. He’d open my computer and ask, “How do I do your Facebook?”
“OMG,” he typed in, “Got the dog and going out for a ski. LOH.” (He mockingly invented that one ... lots of hugs.)
“You can just make your own account,” I told him, to which he murmured a series of noises that amounted to I would NEVER.
Why the reluctance to be seen on the Internet? It could have something to do with our upbringing, our pride, or perhaps the way we see (and want others to see) ourselves. No matter the reason, our Internet-shy behavior proves this: You will not go unseen in cyberspace. And, it’s not even that hard to find you.
Which, for an entrepreneur, can turn out to be a pretty good thing. Just this morning, by typing in the names of my favorite writers, I came upon the Knopf Publishers tweets, in which author Amy Greene was mentioned. I’d never heard of her, and in part that’s because her book was just released yesterday. Now I’m going to look for it at the library.
So, shy or not, if you’ve got a reason to be known, you’d best hop on the Twitter boat. It’s Scrappy Marketing at it’s best. Here’s why:
It’s free. When was the last time a friend told you about some new enterprise she heard about on a billboard? Exactly. These days, I’m not even sure it matters whether or not you have the funds for conventional advertising. Who needs to hire a firm to write 140 characters or less?
It’s huge. Last year Moonfruit (moonfruit.com), a company that allows you to build a Web site for free, offered free laptops to those who tweeted the brand name in their updates. The response went viral--so much so that Twitter eventually decided to put a stop to it ... but not before thousands learned the name.
It’s not a sales pitch. People don’t like to be hounded. And in this format, they’re not. Here, people find you as they roam down a path of their own interests. Which has an amazing effect in the sales world, for people like to discover you on their own terms. That’s how I found author Amy Greene, and now I’ll read her. Had I gotten an e-mail suggesting I do the same? Probably that e-mail would be in the trash, and the book never read.
It’s a chance for you to be real. I love Scott Simon, the host of NPR’s Saturday Morning Edition. And because of Twitter, I know when his kids have the flu. Which, of course, there’s no need for me to know. But the point is that it tells me something about him. Sometimes he talks about his family. Today he posted about the people in Haiti. My opinion of him as a kind, good man is reinforced by his posts. I will keep listening.
For your tweets, some quick tips:
Spread your wings. Got more to your company than a product? Maybe some values, some social interests? Show that side by posting and retweeting stories of interest. Like-minded people will come your way.
Use the tools. There are hundreds of apps out there to help you navigate this ever-growing media trend. ‘Monitter’ offers a live view of what users are saying about your product. ‘twtQpon’ gives you tools to create coupons for participants. You can check out all the apps at oneforty.com.
Give them the lead. We know by now that sales are not only about generating leads. Anymore, those potential ‘leads’ are really that--they’re the ones in the lead. With Twitter, you can hear what potential customers have to say. No more expensive focus groups. Just post a question and find out what the people want.
Be creative. It’s the same marketing advice Snoop Dog will give you. Twitter’s new, and there’s a lot that hasn’t been done yet. From trivia questions to coupons to sign-ups, there are now endless (and free) ways for you and your customers to interact. Just today I signed up for a Pantheon Newsletter in order to be entered into a drawing to win a free book. Which means that I’ve now entered a dialogue with Pantheon ... I’ve become a potential lead.
Don’t lose yourself. How would you act at a dinner party? Hopefully you’d listen. And not talk too much. Twitter too is a public place. Same rules apply.
And, finally, EXPLORE. Twitter changes every second. And the revolutionary thing about social marketing is that you could be that change. Good luck.
Abigail Maxwell is a fiction and freelance writer who lives in New Hampshire. You can contact her at abikmaxwell@gmail.com. image credit