Social media has got us all in a little tizz, and it still feels like Marmite for a lot of business mums who either love using it or hate it because they don’t know how or the point of using it.
Twitter is quite different from Facebook, and is a great way to:
1. get a little closer to your customers
2. spy on your competitors (and if they are using Twitter successfully, then you really should be keeping an eye on them)
3. drive traffic to your website
Twitter tip no.1: Getting closer to your customers
It’s a big sign when big brands like mobile phone companies are using Twitter to do customer service or to let people know what is available on their network. For instance, mobile network Three uses its Twitter page to find out what busy mums on the go want in apps, and it lets them share their tips and advice on the best smartphone apps to use.
While these brands may have budgets that some business mums can only dream of having, but there are tools out there that can help make using Twitter as easy and keep time consumption to a minimum.
One quick-win is to make sure you are using an up-to-date smartphone – you can tweet from your handset while soaking in the bath, waiting at the school gates, commuting to meetings…while another class is performing at your child’s school assembly.
Twitter tip no.2: Spy on your customers
Don’t feel bad about spying on your competitors on Twitter – they’ll be doing it too. And they’ll probably ‘follow’ you on Twitter so they can see what you’re tweeting. You should probably do the same.
If you are light on followers, go through your competitors’ followers and see if there are any people who you can follow, who will (hopefully) follow you back, too.
Twitter tip no.3: Driving traffic to your website
Unlike Facebook, which is more about social interactions with people you know (although it can also drive traffic to your website) Twitter is a great way to promote special offer, new lines and general awareness about your products or services.
It’s also a great way to meet like-minded people, follow them and then start building business relationships.
