Image Credit: Flickr
Social media has made marketing obstacles for women small business owners a little less challenging. Facebook is known as the most personal of the social networks, even when it comes to professional pages. Consumers can really learn a lot about a small business owner by heading to her Facebook account and looking through the links, photos, and posts on her Timeline.
Twitter, on the other hand, made a name for itself by offering brief bits information. Even a strong Twitter profile is limited in the information it makes available (that whole 140 characters or less thing makes it so). While the brevity of Twitter does have some advantages for small businesses, engaged relationships with your Twitter followers are very possible too.
Take a look at a few ways to make smart connections on Twitter that will lead to long-lasting engagement.
Peruse the Followers of Your Followers
If there are people or businesses already following you, chances are that their followers are from a similar target audience. Instead of looking randomly on Twitter for people who may be interested in your small business, head to the Twitter feeds of the fans you already have and then click “followers.” Browse the people who are connected to these accounts and click “follow” on the ones that look like they would be a quality connection for you as well.
Retweet, Retweet, Retweet
The best form of Twitter flattery is to share the status or link of a follower with your own fans. This not only sends a message that you appreciate the content, but also that you are willing to share the Twitter love. It is a simple way to make a social media connection that is deeper than a simple “follow” alone – and it will also encourage these accounts to retweet your posts to their followers too.
Don’t be Shy about Your Favorites
The next best thing to retweeting is to mark the “favorite” button on Twitter content. This shows the people you follow that you are reading their posts and it also lets them know a bit more about what you are interested in seeing. This can lead to a deeper understanding of each other, and your points of view, and further engagement in the future.
Approach Others about Partnerships
When you find a brand on Twitter that complements your own, don’t be afraid to reach out about mutual beneficial partnerships. It can mean something as simple as agreeing to retweet each other’s posts, or could even lead to a more in-depth referral program. Remember that other businesses on social media are just as eager to reach more followers, and that together you make it happen for each other more effectively.
Social media engagement is just one way to be a successful entrepreneur – and making the most of those online relationships really will make a difference in your marketing effectiveness.
How have you used Twitter to your marketing advantage?
Photo via Flickr on Creative Commons
Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com, a company that helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources and business news. She spends much of her time establishing new relationships for ChamberofCommerce.com, publishing weekly newsletters educating small business on the importance of web presence, and contributing to a number of publications on the web. She can be reached at megan@chamberofcommerce.com.
