Alice in Twitterland – How Shrinking Your Marketing Message Can Expand Your Business

In March of 2008, while doing a search for information on a product I needed, I saw a small box on the side panel of the site that said “tweet me”  Being the curious person I am, and feeling somewhat like Alice when she picked up that small bottle that said “drink me”, I clicked on the button. Fortunately I did not shrink, but I was introduced to a new world.  This was the world of Twitter.

I didn’t get Twitter at first.  I thought that here was possibly just another place that could be a time waster.  I was a “face to face” networker who felt a little odd sending out messages that detailed the minutiae of my life.  In fact the total amount of tweets I sent out were 2 ~ one that day, and one again in May.  Hardly prolific.

That Twitter profile sat there untouched for about 8 months, until I started my Virtual Assistant business.  It was then that I revisited Twitter because of the chatter that I was hearing about it through my fellow VA’s.  Whether starting a new business, or growing an existing business, “where am I going to find clients?” is a question that is often asked.  The answer that I was hearing from my peers, was “Twitter”

At first Twitter was used as another platform for friends to stay connected in real time.  However, it has now evolved into an important component of brand marketing, gaining popularity and importance in both the consumer and corporate worlds.

According to Neilsen Online, Twitter increased 1,382 percent year-over-year, from 475,000 unique visitors in February 2008 to 7 million in February 2009, making it the fastest growing site in the Member Communities category for the month.  Demographically these Tweeters are not primarily teens or college students.  In fact, in February 2009, the largest age group on Twitter was 35-49; with nearly 3 million unique visitors, comprising almost 42 percent of the site’s audience.

Almost every one in five small businesses are now tweeting regularly.  Twitter is a useful tool for these small operators who don’t have the deep financial pockets of larger companies to fund large advertising budgets. Twitter is free, simple and easy to use and is the newest, most useful tool for small businesses looking to increase sales and profits.

Cost savings

Small businesses that use Twitter save on marketing and recruitment costs. A substantial amount has been saved by firms who use Twitter instead of traditional marketing methods, an impressive cost reduction from the small business perspective. Small businesses often have little, if any, advertising budget. Having a Twitter account provides an immediate intimacy of tweets that may suit the small business philosophy and approach better than impersonal, sweeping advertising campaigns.

Spread the word

Direct marketing, especially the word of mouth kind that Twitter is all about, is a powerful tool for small businesses looking to expand their customer base. Business owners can also tweet about discounts or new, just-in products, reeling in new customers and enticing regular ones.  A crème brulee cart operating in San Francisco grew by word of mouth via Twitter and within a few months the proprietor had quit his day job to keep up with demand. (“Mom-and-Pop Operators Turn to Social Media,” Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, 23 July 2009)

Community building

Twitter is useful for small businesses wanting to keep in touch with suppliers. The microblogging tool allows small businesses to connect to other small companies, promoting a sense of community that goes beyond traditional geographical borders. Twitter has the ability to increase the range of small businesses contacts, whether with suppliers, potential customers or support services like accounting and consulting firms.

Brand and reputation management

Small businesses rarely conduct market surveys as these are too expensive and time consuming for the average small to medium enterprise. But what about grass root surveys? Twitter allows the small business to monitor what people are saying about their business and their products. You can ask for active feedback and criticism, respond to questions and deal with any disgruntled tweets through Twitter. Listening to what’s happening on the ground can also help small businesses decide on a strategic direction.

What’s my competition doing?

Twitter lets small businesses monitor their competition. What new initiatives are on the horizon and what can you do to keep ahead? If your competitors are not on Twitter, you can search for tweets that mention them so you can see what others are saying about them. Competitive intelligence is a good reason for small businesses to use Twitter and stay a step ahead of the crowd.

Stand out from your competitors

Being able to build a presence can make or break a small business. How to differentiate your shop or enterprise from everyone else’s? Twitter allows you to show your creativity, humour and humanity in marketing your business. Tweets are personable and twitter accounts can be as funny or outstanding as you want them to be – the better for your customers to remember you by.

Twitter is not just for the big guys. Small businesses are signing up for Twitter accounts in droves. There are many and myriads benefits of using Twitter to the small business, including cutting marketing costs and keeping tabs on competitors.

How has Twitter impacted my business?  50% of my clients have come through relationship building and business branding on Twitter.

Is it time to ask yourself – “How can Twitter impact my business?”

Tweet me at http://twitter.com/patticakegirl and let me know.

Why your Business Needs a Facebook Fan Page

Not so long ago having an Internet presence for your business meant putting up a website. A website, while still an important feature of promoting your business, is no longer enough. To reach customers businesses must go where the customers are. Web 2.0 or the social web, is an essential feature of a successful marketing plan.

Facebook is the leader of the pack of social media, with more than 300 million actives users.  While Facebook originally started as the social networking site of choice for high school and university students, the fastest growing demographic is now those 35 years old and older.  Facebook has become essential for business marketing. This new style of customer contact requires implementing new and innovative ideas about marketing.

Facebook is a great way to keep up with friends and family. But you don’t necessarily want your clients to see the baby pictures your mom posted.  Personal Facebook pages allow you to share information about yourself and to connect with friends and family.

Fan pages have many of the same features as personal pages. You can still share articles, photos, videos, and applications, but the fan page is organized around a theme. All of the content on your Fan page is related to your business.  Businesses large and small should take care to present a well defined and controlled image of their products and services. Facebook fan pages are an excellent choice for businesses to use as another platform to promote their products and services.  50% of the 300 million active users log on to Facebook in any given day and more than 10 million users become fans of Pages each day.

Strategies for making your Fan page a success

Make your Fan page a resource

Consider your customers interests. What information do they need? Post articles and links to useful information on your wall. Your Fan page is an opportunity to showcase yourself as an expert. Provide these things for your customers and they will return to your page again and again.

Connect

Interact with customers. Make use of all of the Facebook tools. Respond to comments. You may not want to list your entire product line. A sample on your fan page could lead new customers to visit your website for more. Spamming is always a bad idea, but targeting offers to customers who show interest can lead to increased customer loyalty.

Be human

Pictures and personal information put a face on a company. As long as you present an image that enhances your business, personalizing your Fan page is a great way to get followers.

Be present and be consistent

Fill out your profile completely. Keep article, photo and video content current. It’s not enough to throw up a page and be done with it. Make sure to respond to fans who join and post to your page.

Groups

Create a group for your business or participate in groups related to your business.  To date, there are over 45 million groups on Facebook.  Starting a group, and participating in one, allows you to be the thought leader or expert in your field.

Facebook has recently made some changes to their Groups feature.  Until recently group activities have been isolated to the group page, which sometimes made it difficult to find out what was going on in the group.  Facebook has transformed Groups to make it easier for you to communicate with your members.  Groups will now have a Wall that summarizes all of the recent activities, making it easier to follow the conversation.  Group activities, are now delivered to your News Feed, which will make interacting with Groups much easier.

Innovate

Facebook moves fast. Don’t be afraid to try the latest thing. Explore webinars, and other interactive media as options to improve business relationships.

Creating a Facebook fan page is great first step toward integrating social media into your marketing plan. Remember, that you’re not limited to just one fan page; think of different products or services that you can showcase on separate pages.  Don’t forget to provide links from your website to your Fan page. Make sure to connect your Facebook fan page to other social media, such as Twitter, so your network will grow. In no time your Fan page will be the central hub of your successful online marketing campaign.

Your Extra Pair of Hands – Virtual Assistance and Social Media Specialist