Last Updated on Apr 2, 2013 by Jenna Scaglione
To some Ecommerce store owners, marketing on Twitter can feel like a nuisance more than a profitable venture. It’s one of those “must do” marketing strategies and though it includes the potential to access hundreds of millions of people, it is often the network that gets ignored.
If you are struggling to get your Twitter profile to a level your customers would appreciate, here are three tips to get the ball rolling…
1. Professional Profile
Is your profile professional? Compelling? Brand-specific?
This is not the time to look for a free Twitter background program and slap a few images on it. Your background and photo are a reflection of your brand.
Here are some tips:
- Have a professional design your background. A poor design will make your customers feel your business is not profitable, which means your products are not valuable. This is not how you want to show your brand to the world.
- Your profile photo can be either your brand or a personal shot. I prefer to launch Twitter as a personal account. It is more endearing and helps to remove the skepticism and psychological walls that exist when people shop brands online. An example is Tony Hsieh of Zappos. His profile is under his business name but his background shows an image of him tweeting. His name is also listed as Zappos.com CEO – Tony to show his customers he is actively involved in serving them and communicating.
Here is part of his background:
Zappos also has a Twitter account dedicated to customer service.
2. Avoid Selling
Although you opened a Twitter account to attract more customers so you could increase sales, you can’t directly advertise your products. Well, you can, but it will work against you. Your customers are on Twitter to interact and communicate, not be sold to. It’s OK to link to your blog posts and product discounts, etc., but avoid doing it too much. Show your customers you value their interaction and you care about what they have to say.
Here is the kicker: When you show your customers you care enough to interact with them and share valuable information on Twitter, it will attract them to your brand and they will arrive at their OWN decision to buy from you. No coercion required! This is one of the most powerful benefits of social media.
3. Engage, engage, engage
Don’t just create a profile for the sake of using Twitter. Interact and engage with your customers. Here are some helpful tips:
- Don’t be boring – Make your tweets creative and interesting. Put some thought into every one and you will get a stronger reaction.
- Thank your followers when they re-tweet your content
- Talk back to them when they speak directly to you.
- Don’t avoid negativity – Respond positively when a customer talks about your brand in a negative light. If you respond with the same level of negativity, it will only harm your brand. And if you ignore it, it will make you look unresponsive and unauthentic.
- Ask questions to generate some responses. Answer questions posed by your customers. Use #hashtags to join conversations as well. Talk, talk and talk some more!
Let your creative brand personality shine on Twitter and your audience will respond. Make your tweets interesting, join the conversation and establish connections with your customers. This will encourage consumer loyalty, repeat sales and build a community around your brand.