+ RSSMarketing Your Business on Twitter: The Social vs. Selling Dilemma
Social media & micro-blogging sites like Twitter have changed how many companies market themselves on the internet. They are looking for cutting-edge ideas to win over new friends and followers to convert into potential customers. The dilemma is striking the right balance of friendly conversation and product pitch.
In February of 2009 @AlexKaris posted the following question ion Twitter: What is the NUMBER 1 reason you unfollow people? The winning response with 42% of the votes was "tired of watching them self promote with links and no interaction."
The problem for me as a businesswoman on Twitter is the more I interacted and became part of the Twitter community the more reluctant I was to make a full sales pitch to my followers. By the second month on Twitter I noticed the followers who only sent out a barrage of sales Tweets with no interaction were very annoying. How would I keep from becoming "that guy/gal" with constant stream of 140 character Twitfomercials filling up the screen?
Important questions needed to be answered. If I interact too much, too little, give a casual sales pitch or pull back will I be unfollowed? How do I announce my website products and customer service without loosing potential customers? How can I avoid destroying the positive Twitter reputation I worked so hard to build?
You cannot find a better example of the social vs. selling balance on Twitter than that of @ricklondon. Rick London Group, LLC CEO Rick London's personal approach involves putting himself forward as the face of his company on Twitter. He Tweets freely with the online community promotes his celebrity clients and provides links to his humorous cartoons.
Take proactive steps to market yourself and your brand to the Twitter community. Grow your following first by tweeting with those in your immediate network. Tweet music famous quotations, and jokes if you do not want to participate in friendly banter. Finally use your tweets to attract and coax your base to your internet site.
