Has Twitter helped you attract new clients or customers?
Some business owners and entrepreneurs, who use Twitter as part of their marketing strategy, do extremely well. Others seem unable to transform their tweeting time, into tangible, commercial results.
I would like to hear from you, if you use Twitter as part of your marketing efforts and have achieved bankable results, which can be traced back to connections you made on Twitter.
What tips or advice do you have for others, who would like to transform their Tweeting time into commercial success?
Please include your Twitter @username in your comments, so your fellow readers can follow you. My user name is @JimConnolly
First, my twitter username is @mpolicha
I have indeed used Twitter to generate sales. I’m talking about sales I could trace back through stats to twitter. I wasn’t dealing in big ticket items (t-shirts as a matter of fact) but over the space of about 3 months, out of a following of less than 500 if I recall, I was able to make some sales of varying size.
That doesn’t sound like a lot, but I wasn’t promoting my stuff really. Mostly I was promoting a site, which in turn led to a store which sold the products. I think I could have done even better with a bigger list and a more direct approach.
My advice? Make real connections, and then trust that they won’t be offended if you show them a product you’re proud of. They usually won’t be.
Marek´s last blog ..Your Blog is a Monarchy, and the People Want Your Head!
“Make real connections” – Wise words!
Thanks Marek!
I agree, that’s the way you use twitter to engage with real people, to give them information and or entertainment, then when they think of suppliers of your product or service they think of you.
Twitter is an amazing tool to publisise your blog, and I think that the fact that you are not directly selling is the reason why it works. Twitter is about getting to know your customers and them getting to know you, that’s the reason that they buy.
Its like micro blogging and the same principles apply to tweeting and blogging see http:/www.siliconbeachtraining.co.uk/blog/blog-top-tips/
Heather
silicon beach training´s last blog ..Why does google.com change to google.co.uk?
I had been using Twitter for about six months when I tweeted that I had put a short promo video on my site about some of the services that my company was offering.
About a week later, I had an email from the CEO of an engineering company in Ohio (I’m based in France). My tweet had evidently been retweeted by a couple of my Twitter followers, and somehow had got as far as this guy. He wanted me to produce a series of online promo videos similar to what I had put on my site!
We produced the videos, the client was happy – and even paid within a few days of receiving my invoice.
Perhaps this was just down to being at the right place at the right time, since (so far) this has been a one-off. Regardless, it does illustrate the power and reach of social media channels.
Twitter: @KEXINO
Hi Gee,
Your story is interesting, and shows (I believe) that it would not take much, to get you from this one-off client, to a regular stream of enquiries and sales.
Thanks for the feedback, sir!
Hi, I think it all depends on your approach and also what it is you are trying to get from it. I operate a start-up business offering search engine marketing services and for me Twitter has become a very good instrument for networking and getting contacts as well as jobs. As a sales channel I can see the potential, I think it helps if you are a large brand as you will already have followers who will help promote you if you are offering a good service. I think it largely depends on your strategy and how you interact with the users of Twitter, just posting updates is not enough.
My twitter user name is @Stevanos
Hello Stephen. I think whilst ‘numbers’ matter, they only matter of there’s quality there.
In my experience, a smaller network of high quality contacts is FAR better than a large, less engaged network.
Thanks for the feedback!
@yaelbrisker
Not yet Jim, but it’s a question that’s in my mind for a while, particularly as I am relatively new to it all.Specifically, those of you who are therapists and life coaches of some kind , I’m looking forward to reading your comments!
Hi Yael. Thanks for the feedback.
Essentially, those of us (including myself) who sell services, should find Twitter an excellent way to connect with people. Six of my last 8 clients came directly from people I met through Twitter.
Hope that helps.
Thank you Jim!
Interesting question, Jim. I have had two ‘bankable results’ which I know with certainty came from nowhere else-a coaching client and a book sale. (I have had more than one book sale but have only recently begun mentioning it on Twitter!) But I don’t use twitter just for sales;as Stephen and Marek have implied, it is important to be both genuine and generous. I am more than happy to promote people I like and enjoy and also to actually talk to them. Using twitter is a tool for my business, but it’s also like having a goodnatter with friends in the coffee break! And I have found some great people to interview too!
My twitter name is @JaneCWoods
Hello Jane. I think everyone who uses Twitter as a successful element of their marketing, uses it primarily to connect with people, rather than sell to people.
Thanks Jane!
My Twitter handle is @bradfordshimp (creative, I know!)
I haven’t moved any direct sales, but I am working on changing my approach to more products that will be of interest to the people I already interact with on Twitter.
I have used Twitter successfully to introduce a lot of people to my blog (allbizanswers.com) and to get people involved in projects. For me, I think it will just come down to the right products.
I do wonder how best to make an ASK on Twitter, as I am used to just providing content and links to content.
Bradford Shimp´s last blog ..Business Scaling Ideas for Small Business
Hi Jim,
I haven’t been using Twitter for that long but have been able to generate new contacts and traffic for my blog.
No bankable sales as yet.
Will keep you posted,
Adrian
Adrian Swinscoe´s last blog ..To improve customer acquisition use your customers language
@gacilu
So far I have not achieved bankable results, but I am just starting the process. So far I’ve used it to perform market research. Once you have identified the main keywords around your product or service, you can easily identify potential competitors, customers and partners. I am very impressed with twitter as a marketing tool in general, not only for increasing sales.
Guillermo Acilu´s last blog ..4 easy ways to check the details of your electric expenses
Jim, as you will probably have already noticed, I really enjoy Twitter. Part of the reason for this is the response I have had from the great people that I have connected with there.
Those relationships have led to new websites for customers that first met me on Twitter and new features for websites also. Often these new features are the result of a discussion that began on Twitter.
Twitter has also brought larger audiences to hear me speak and has led to my writing being picked up by a magazine and a variety of websites that I had no recognition in previously. All of this has led to a greater presence for my personal and professional brands.
Is Twitter good for marketing and your wallet? Hell, yes!
I have 2 Twitter identities: @inspirationguy and @inplymouth and I also manage the Twitter account for our local Toastmasters club @armadaspeakers
Hi there.
Yup – tangible results back to twitter for my business. 80% of my products beta testers came from 8 tweets over a week! It will most certainly be part of our marketing strategy when we commercially launch and expect significant results from it.
My twitter account is @barneyausten
Thanks for sharing.
Barney Austen´s last blog ..Do your projects make you money?
@JulieWalraven
For me, I have used Twitter to hire experts and build alliances with multiple people. As a resume writer, I am noticing a trend in delayed decision-making. I have a new client coming in tonight that carried a note about me around for a long time before she called me. Another booked in May, said that the business card she got from one of my other clients was posted on her refrigerator for a year before she called me.
I have several people who are thinking about my services because they know me on Twitter. Communicating with DMs and following me from Twitter to Facebook, I trust that as more people have great interactions with me, they will also trust me with their career marketing needs and bankable results will follow.
Julie Walraven | Resume Services´s last blog ..Why I Moved to Headway
Hi Jim,
This should be of interest. Nailed down success. Thanks to 2macfack for her awesome work. Good weekend to you Squire – Jack.
http://thesocialpenguinblog.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/the-black-art-of-twitter-analytics-illegal-jacks-style-by-kelly-forbes/
I have banked money from a few orders from Twitter. I was not expecting to but surprisingly I had orders from quite early on
Jane
Good to hear it Jane. Thanks for stopping by the blog!!