This ends the TwitInterview for @remarx.
Latest Updates: Cara Stewart RSS
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Kim Beasley
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Cara Stewart
Kim, thank you so much. It’s been a real pleasure. You can learn more about WunderMarx|PR at http://www.wundermarx.com. You also can e-mail me at cara.stewart@wundermarx.com or call +1 714-862-1112. Of course, please follow me at @remarx so we can have a conversation!
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Kim Beasley
@remarx Thank you for allowing me to interview you. Please share how you can be contacted.
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Cara Stewart
Three of my favorite ways to find potential customers on Twitter: Search by key words or phrases relevant to your business and see who is active that fits your customer profile; follow the journalists, analysts and investors that track your space and engage with their followers; and use and track hash tags to create and manage conversations pertinent to your area of expertise.
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Kim Beasley
@remarx One last questions. How can a business owner find potential customers on Twitter?
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Cara Stewart
The “quality” vs. “quantity” demand is raging among social media observers and marketers. Some say it’s important to have a small-yet-loyal-and-engaged following. Others say it’s more important to mass large number of followers. I don’t believe either argument is right or wrong. It depends on your business, industry and motives. However, whether you have 100 or 1 million followers, you must respect them as individuals and give them meaningful Tweets and continually engage them in conversation. Also, Twitter is a tool just like any other marketing tool or initiative. You must put into place metrics (return on investment, return on objectives and return on reputation) to gauge its success. I am a big believer in closed-loop systems. If you Tweet about a new product your company offers, for example, can you lead your followers to a white paper on your site about the benefits of this service? Then can you track what that follower does on your site? Could you create a “sales trail” that leads to further engagement, such as an e-newsletter sign up, placed order, phone call inquiry, etc. What matters gets measured, and what is measured matters.
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Kim Beasley
@remarx As a business owner, how does one measure the “quality” vs. “quantity” of the network of followers and friends? How can a business owner maximize their efforts for conversion from their network into cash flow?
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Cara Stewart
Absolutely! The rules of traditional mainstream media relations or publicity do NOT apply on Twitter. With traditional methods, you would push out messages and hope that someone (a journalist, a customer, an investor, etc.) would hear them. It was more of a one-way conversation. With Twitter, the rule is to create a conversation. You must engage the community first, demonstrate value early and often, and show your “authentic self” (a phrase that is becoming overused but nonetheless meaningful). Only then can you promote yourself. Even after you’ve established a kindred community, you have to respect your followers. No one wants to be sold to, after all. They want and need information in a free exchange of ideas.
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Kim Beasley
@remarx Are there any “rules” for how a business owner can publicize their business on Twitter?
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Cara Stewart
Well, I’m a former journalist. We had a phrase in the newsroom: Why use a 25 cent word when a 5 cent word would do? It meant to be brief. Use words that pack a lot of power but don’t try to impress your audience by using a lot of jargon or “marketingspeak” because they will see right through it. Beyond that, I also believe the best way to create compelling Tweets is to know your key messages. Decide what you want to be known for on Twitter and in all of your marketing. This is your brand. Guard it and defend it. Finally, the best way for a business owner to demonstrate expertise is to ask questions. You don’t always have to Tweet what you know. You can take an instructive role in helping the Twitter community. By doing this, you show you’re invested in creating a long-term relationship, not simply a transactional one.
