The key to success on Twitter: join the conversation

This is the fourth post in a series on how to succeed on Twitter.

Before you create a Twitter account for your company, there’s something you need to know: you must follow join the conversations.

Because Twitter’s full of conversations, there are many potential marketing opportunities. With a little bit of know how, a little bit of time, and a little bit of effort, you can find those opportunities.

Look for conversations related to your company or products.

Use the Twitter search feature to search for your company name, website address, and product names. See what people are saying about you, and be sure to respond (even if it’s negative).

While you’re at it, see what others are saying about your competitors, too.

Watch for industry-related discussions.

Whether you’re a cake decorator, mechanic, psychologist, or landscaper, find out where others in the field hang out. Look for popular hashtags or Twitter chats. If you’re a realtor, for example, use Twitter search to keep tabs on discussions of people moving to your city.

Look for opportunities to help, not just sell.

It’s tough as a SME owner to get out of the habit of trying to always sell, particularly when you have mouths to feed and rent to pay. Remember, however, that it’s more important to create loyalty than it is to create a sale; loyalty pays off in the long term, making you work less in the long term.

One way to build loyalty is by helping out people even if you don’t need to. Maybe you run a pizza joint, but you notice someone on Twitter asking about the best place in town to get sushi. It’s not what you serve, but recommending a top notch sushi bar could solidify in the mind of that Twitter user that you know food.

Give answers.

If you can answer a question, find a solution, or point in the right direction, people will be grateful for it and will attach positive feelings and thoughts to your brand.

If you can’t commit time and resources to engaging with people, don’t bother with Twitter. Don’t even set up an account. You need to interact with others.

There’s a reason it’s called social media.