Are you prospering among the 80%, or starving among the 20%? In terms of Internet marketing, 80% refers to those who use Twitter to increase brand awareness and their bottom line.
Businesses that fail to embrace the power of the Tweet--the lonely 20%--are potentially falling behind the competition and losing out on possible revenue.
If you wait another year to start Tweeting about your business, then you're liable to be part of the desolate 10%.
Non-Twitter businesses are going the way of the Dodo.
If you're not using Twitter in your marketing efforts, now's the time to get on board.
Businesses that operate online (and what business doesn't operate online these days?) have discovered that Twitter's minimalist format of 140 characters or less is perfect for piquing consumer interest.
The Twitter environment is ideal for announcing special offers, new products, and your company's recent activities.
Twitter is like having an instant press release at your fingertips.
Here's how to get started.
1.
Have a plan Before you start inviting followers and blasting Tweets, put together a plan for your Twitter campaign.
Even though the tone on Twitter leans toward casual, don't think for a minute that businesses Tweet their followers without any thought or preparation.
Open a word document and write 10 or 20 Tweets in advance.
Write entries for upcoming promotions, product releases, technological advances, or any news that sheds a positive light on your business activities.
Businesses do not Tweet off the cuff.
They know what their plans are months, sometimes years, in advance.
You should, too.
Because, if you don't have a clear vision of where your business is headed, who does? If you're not familiar with the Tweeting format, go to twitter.
com and read about their specifications.
2.
Open a Twitter account Relative to most social media platforms, opening a Twitter account is remarkably simple.
Just enter your name, email, and a password of your choosing, and then click on the "sign up for Twitter" button.
It's really that simple.
Be careful though.
Your Twitter user name isn't just a code you enter to access your account, it is a part of your Twitter URL and the name that will be displayed on the page that everyone will see.
Your user name could be your own name, or the name of your Website (or some similar variation).
Remember, you are trying to build credibility within your niche, so don't create a user name like MyDogHasBadBreath22, unless of course you sell mouthwash for dogs.
3.
Use your resources If you have a Facebook, Google+, MySpace, or other social media account, make sure you add a link to your Twitter page on your wall.
Configure your email to automatically include a link to your Twitter page.
Plant you link in everything with your name on it and in every email you send.
You should even include a link to your business Twitter account in your personal emails.
People who sign on as followers of a Twitter page like to know there is a real person behind the persona.
Don't be afraid to talk about your business, or at least include a Twitter link, in your personal correspondences.
4.
Say "Cheese" Upload a nice photo of yourself.
Statistics show that Twitter pages with photos draw as much at ten times more followers than pages without photos.
If you don't have a portrait-type photo, have one taken by a professional photographer or by a friend with a decent digital SLR and a reasonable understanding of photographic techniques.
DO NOT hold a camera at arm's length and take a self portrait.
Photos taken this way are rarely flattering or professional.
5.
Blow Your Own Horn If you expect people to follow you on Twitter, you'll need to give them a reason.
Use the bio section in your Twitter account to talk about your areas of expertise or interests.
Don't be shy here; people will only follow you if they think you will provide pertinent information about their topic or niche.
6.
Stay on topic It's okay to occasionally Tweet about your favorite baseball team, your political preferences, or the latest album from your favorite band, but Tweet about your niche at least 80% of the time.
Tweeting about topics that interest you adds a human touch to your updates, and people like to know they are following a human being.
But, if they operate within your niche, they also want relevant industry information, which is what you should be Tweeting about most of the time.
7.
Tell us where you're from Don't be just another anonymous entity on the Internet.
People like to know where you're from, so enter your city or region in your profile.
People who fail to do this, usually because of perceived privacy issues, tend to turn off potential followers because it looks as though the page was artificially created (by a robot program).
Including your location is especially important if you are Tweeting as a business.
The common perception is that any business not willing to disclose its location is probably a fly-by-night or impossible to contact should a problem arise.
You don't need to be pin-point specific about your location; you don't need to enter 2511 Oak St.
, Apt.
17, Cleveland, OH, when N.
E.
Ohio will do just fine.
Once you have your Twitter page set to your specifications, start following a few people within your niche.
Building a followership takes some time, so make your Twitter account just one aspect of your overall marketing campaign.
Remember, keep your Tweets and your profile honest, human, and relevant.
Spammer are the pariah of social media, and if you are suspected of being one your followers will drop off like maple leafs in October.
And that is not how you want to start off your Twitter marketing campaign, if you intend to be an 80 percenter.
Businesses that fail to embrace the power of the Tweet--the lonely 20%--are potentially falling behind the competition and losing out on possible revenue.
If you wait another year to start Tweeting about your business, then you're liable to be part of the desolate 10%.
Non-Twitter businesses are going the way of the Dodo.
If you're not using Twitter in your marketing efforts, now's the time to get on board.
Businesses that operate online (and what business doesn't operate online these days?) have discovered that Twitter's minimalist format of 140 characters or less is perfect for piquing consumer interest.
The Twitter environment is ideal for announcing special offers, new products, and your company's recent activities.
Twitter is like having an instant press release at your fingertips.
Here's how to get started.
1.
Have a plan Before you start inviting followers and blasting Tweets, put together a plan for your Twitter campaign.
Even though the tone on Twitter leans toward casual, don't think for a minute that businesses Tweet their followers without any thought or preparation.
Open a word document and write 10 or 20 Tweets in advance.
Write entries for upcoming promotions, product releases, technological advances, or any news that sheds a positive light on your business activities.
Businesses do not Tweet off the cuff.
They know what their plans are months, sometimes years, in advance.
You should, too.
Because, if you don't have a clear vision of where your business is headed, who does? If you're not familiar with the Tweeting format, go to twitter.
com and read about their specifications.
2.
Open a Twitter account Relative to most social media platforms, opening a Twitter account is remarkably simple.
Just enter your name, email, and a password of your choosing, and then click on the "sign up for Twitter" button.
It's really that simple.
Be careful though.
Your Twitter user name isn't just a code you enter to access your account, it is a part of your Twitter URL and the name that will be displayed on the page that everyone will see.
Your user name could be your own name, or the name of your Website (or some similar variation).
Remember, you are trying to build credibility within your niche, so don't create a user name like MyDogHasBadBreath22, unless of course you sell mouthwash for dogs.
3.
Use your resources If you have a Facebook, Google+, MySpace, or other social media account, make sure you add a link to your Twitter page on your wall.
Configure your email to automatically include a link to your Twitter page.
Plant you link in everything with your name on it and in every email you send.
You should even include a link to your business Twitter account in your personal emails.
People who sign on as followers of a Twitter page like to know there is a real person behind the persona.
Don't be afraid to talk about your business, or at least include a Twitter link, in your personal correspondences.
4.
Say "Cheese" Upload a nice photo of yourself.
Statistics show that Twitter pages with photos draw as much at ten times more followers than pages without photos.
If you don't have a portrait-type photo, have one taken by a professional photographer or by a friend with a decent digital SLR and a reasonable understanding of photographic techniques.
DO NOT hold a camera at arm's length and take a self portrait.
Photos taken this way are rarely flattering or professional.
5.
Blow Your Own Horn If you expect people to follow you on Twitter, you'll need to give them a reason.
Use the bio section in your Twitter account to talk about your areas of expertise or interests.
Don't be shy here; people will only follow you if they think you will provide pertinent information about their topic or niche.
6.
Stay on topic It's okay to occasionally Tweet about your favorite baseball team, your political preferences, or the latest album from your favorite band, but Tweet about your niche at least 80% of the time.
Tweeting about topics that interest you adds a human touch to your updates, and people like to know they are following a human being.
But, if they operate within your niche, they also want relevant industry information, which is what you should be Tweeting about most of the time.
7.
Tell us where you're from Don't be just another anonymous entity on the Internet.
People like to know where you're from, so enter your city or region in your profile.
People who fail to do this, usually because of perceived privacy issues, tend to turn off potential followers because it looks as though the page was artificially created (by a robot program).
Including your location is especially important if you are Tweeting as a business.
The common perception is that any business not willing to disclose its location is probably a fly-by-night or impossible to contact should a problem arise.
You don't need to be pin-point specific about your location; you don't need to enter 2511 Oak St.
, Apt.
17, Cleveland, OH, when N.
E.
Ohio will do just fine.
Once you have your Twitter page set to your specifications, start following a few people within your niche.
Building a followership takes some time, so make your Twitter account just one aspect of your overall marketing campaign.
Remember, keep your Tweets and your profile honest, human, and relevant.
Spammer are the pariah of social media, and if you are suspected of being one your followers will drop off like maple leafs in October.
And that is not how you want to start off your Twitter marketing campaign, if you intend to be an 80 percenter.
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