We’ve all heard it: people saying that good relationships are their key to success. Even in highly-dramatic movies, we hear actors talk about their supportive community, friends, and family. Surely, social media would be the same?
We invited Samantha Kelly, social media strategist, speaker, and founder of Tweeting Goddess to help us understand why we should build professional relationships on Twitter and how to go about it.
Here’s a summary of our chat.
Guest: Samantha Kelly
Topic: Building Professional Relationships on Twitter
Format: Eight questions directed at the guest. Everyone’s welcome to share.
The easiest way to start a conversation is to join a Twitter chat. As Lisa mentioned, chats are already established channels. You don’t have to go out of your way to start a conversation. You only need to greet everyone with enthusiasm, respond to their comments, share your ideas, and before you know it, you’ll be comfortable at tweeting out to a new person just to say hey.
A1: Comment on and engage with tweets that you find interesting. Comments should be relevant to the content, and you should participate in Twitter Chats! #TwitterSmarter
— Lisa Benfield (@LisaMBenfield) April 23, 2020
When you’re trying to engage on Twitter, it’s important to share valuable stories. This varies according to your industry and even socio-economic situations. For instance, now, during this pandemic, people don’t want to hear sales material. Instead, share stories of kindness, hope, and positivity. You can share behind the scenes incidents, and experiences that’ll encourage and put a smile on people’s face.
A.1 (a) First of all say something of value – right now during this crisis things that are being received well are acts of kindness (could be a story about someone else), Behind the scenes and inspiring words #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
One way to spread inspiring stories is to talk about what’s going on with you. Be genuine and share your personality with your audience. As our guest pointed out, you can also use relevant hashtags to help your stories reach a larger community.
A.1 (b) 2 Be yourself, be honest and say what’s going on for you. Use hashtags that are relevant right now or relevant to your business and what you do. OR talk about someone else and highlight them #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
In our #TwitterSmarter chats, we’ve discussed the importance of video a lot. Not only do videos arrest your audience’s attention in a busy feed, but they’re also great to showcase your spontaneity. Live video takes things a notch further—it’s an ideal tool for you to initiate conversations and engage with others in real time. Tag those you admire, talk about what a great job they’re doing, and that paves way for an interesting conversation.
Er—yeah! That’s what Twitter is all about. Like Christine pointed out, the fundamental element of Twitter is that it’s all public information. It’s out there in the open so that anyone can get involved.
A2: Is it really "gatecrashing" on Twitter, though? It's a public conversation, IMHO.#TwitterSmarter
— christine gritmon ✨@?✨ (@cgritmon) April 23, 2020
As long as you’re not barging in with a negative, know-it-all attitude, you can totally get involved in an existing conversation. Etiquette is essential on Twitter. Be decent and people will welcome you with cheery GIFs and genuine getting-to-know-you questions.
A.2 Absolutely …once you are being nice of course! This is the lovely thing about Twitter you can get involved in topics of conversation that you can add value to or help someone with an answer to a question. #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
However, as Laura rightly said, it’s not ideal to jump into a conversation to make a sales pitch. That’s creepy and not very Twitter-like. You’ve probably come across brands, with amateur social media managers, jumping into threads that mention them only to make a pitch about how great and helpful they are. That’s not social. Unless the users in the conversation explicitly request for a brand’s help or pricing information, brand handles shouldn’t interfere.
A2: It is fine to jump in on a conversation on Twitter as long as you are providing useful or helpful information. Do not highjack a conversation for your own agenda.#TwitterSmarter
— Laura Denny (@ldcreativemedia) April 23, 2020
Start at the very beginning. Choose a Twitter handle that resonates with you and reflects who you are. Our guest is a good example herself. She’s the Tweeting goddess, because that’s her forte. If you follow her profile, you’ll see how frequently she tweets and how well she keeps her audience engaged.
A.3 (a) Choose a twitter handle that stands out. E.g. The web guy/ The Video expert a lot may be already gone but play around with it. I chose Tweetinggoddess cos it does what it says! Choose a handle that shows off your brand and what you do. Or use own name #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
Profile pictures are crucial for any social channel. Twitter is no different. Make sure you have a professional headshot. If you’re a business owner, don’t shy away from investing in a photoshoot—a proper photo is the first step to establishing your brand. And make sure you update your profile photo to remain current.
A.3 (b) Use a professional headshot – People buy from people so many sure your photo shows you and your personality I was lucky to get mind done here in Ireland by @jmphotodub #Twittersmarter I DO NOT look like this today!! Need a hair salon lol pic.twitter.com/BhRwTRqAmu
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
Once you’ve got an ideal handle and profile picture, move on to your bio. Write it down and read it like a stranger would. Does it cover your brand personality and showcase who you are? Would you, if you read the same copy on someone else’s profile, follow them?
A.3 © Stand out by filling in your bio. Ask yourself ‘Would I follow me’ #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
Dr. Hecht made a couple of other important points as well. Just filling up your profile isn’t enough. To stand out on Twitter, you need to engage with your audience consistently. Initiate conversations, share useful content, run polls, and make your Twitter feed fun to follow.
Another good thing to do is to pin an interesting tweet on your profile. This could be a sightly longer version of your bio or a work you’re particularly proud of and want to share with a larger group of people. A pinned tweet is the first thing people seen your profile after your bio and photo, so make it worth while.
A3: How to make your profile stand out on Twitter:
-Professional photo
-Informative and engaging bio
-Be active & engage
-Pin something interesting to the top of your profile#TwitterSmarter— Dr. Donald Hecht (@realDocHecht) April 23, 2020
Madalyn also has an article that covers top 11 tips to make your profile stand out on Twitter. Have a look.
We’ve talked about this before as well. And Samantha emphasized the importance of building genuine relationships if you want to succeed in sales.
A.4 (b) 72% of people are more likely to buy from a business owner they have engaged with on Twitter. #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
72% of people will buy from someone they know and trust. Think about it—would you rather buy from your local farmer, who you know and chat with every week or from an unknown trader reselling someone else’s produce? It’s always more comforting when you know where your purchases are coming from and who you can talk to about it.
A.4 (a) It's all about relationships and people. Build relationships = trust = Sales #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
And if you still think that relationship building is only for B2C companies, Chris has a word for you. It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing business with end consumers or other businesses. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, ultimately you’re selling to humans. That’s why nothing can beat human to human interactions.
A4: As well as B2B and B2C, don't forget the growing importance of H2H on social networks. It can be done, this has been proven #TwitterSmarter
— Chris Dack (@chrisgdack) April 23, 2020
The key to building relationships anywhere is to be kind and approachable. Show people that you genuinely care about them and that you can be a good listener and a friend when they need you.
A5 (a) Be kind, assist others and share your knowledge #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
As Jim nicely put, be yourself. The more you try to mimic someone you’re not, the harder you’re making it to present yourself on Twitter. Don’t show up with fancy pants when you’re not a fancy pants person.
A5 Tweet as you. Don't put on fancy-pants airs. #TwitterSmarter
— Jim Katzaman – Get Debt-Free One Family at a Time (@JKatzaman) April 23, 2020
Hannah shared some great tips well. It matters to your audience when you retweet their content, share opinions about content you’re consuming, and follow-up with them. Do you regularly come across someone on a chat? Ask them how they’re doing, understand what’s going on with them, and show you’re genuinely interested in their life.
A5:
-Ask questions–every single day, as tweets, when replying to tweets.
-Be truly interested in your followers.
-Be interested in your ideal follower.
-Retweet with comments to show appreciation.
-Keep up with people.
-Comment on posts you are interested in.#TwitterSmarter— Hannah Richards (@actPRHannah) April 23, 2020
Like our guest pointed out earlier in the chat, use videos to show people a little more about yourself. That’s a great way to invite people into your life and make them feel involved and welcomed in what you do.
A5 (b) Let people in a little, show behind the scenes use video like I did before this chat started! #Twittersmarter https://t.co/ayeVzv6FsK
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
And of course, as Madalyn emphasized, don’t shy away from engaging. That’s essential for social media. Consistently communicate with your audience. But that doesn’t mean you have to talk about yourself all the time. No—real engagement is bringing everyone together and sharing ideas and thoughts.
A5: Here's how you build relationships on Twitter:
1. Be of service.
2. Help and listen.
3. Don't be afraid to use the heart button and show some love!
4. Engage. Engage. Engage!#TwitterSmarter https://t.co/5jPkkCVYc5— Madalyn Sklar – Digital Marketing since 1996 (@MadalynSklar) April 23, 2020
An influencer isn’t an alien. They’re the same as any other person. To engage with them, as Marianne said, treat them as you want other people to treat you—give them the respect they deserve, and they’ll return the gesture.
A6: I'd treat an influencer like I would engage anyone else #twittersmarter
— Marianne Avery | Social Media Manager | (@sociallymaz) April 23, 2020
When you come across a person on Twitter whose content you admire, you should tell them that. It’s important to acknowledge those who inspires you—influencers aren’t different. Tell them how they make you feel, what you learned from them, and how their perspective has helped you. Reply to their posts and appreciate them as you’d appreciate your friend on Twitter.
A.6. (a) Influencers are human too did you know that? People will always remember how you made them feel. Ask how they are, comment on their posts, congratulate them when they achieve something ….treat them like a normal person #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
Sab gave us a few more ideas to interact with influencers. Aside from commenting on their posts, you can also reach out to them about provious articles they’ve published. Just tweet out to them saying you read and enjoyed a specific piece. They’d love to hear about the value you’ve derived from their work.
A6: engage them with a previous article, quote, an appearance from a event that you found value from and comment on it #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/RgnqX7tNG1
— sabjackson.com ????? (@Sab_1908) April 23, 2020
Of course not. Relationships should be rooted in mutual respect and appreciation. If you’re only looking to build relationships with influential people, then you’re treating them as a sales strategy and not a person. Don’t do that—it’s vile.
Instead, build relationships with people you find interesting. That could be anyone from a business owner to a social media novice. Your purpose should be to know more about that person and to spend time with them.
A.7(a) Nope, build relationships with anyone who you find interesting or you feel you can add value to or learn from. Build relationships with people ….all people #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
That said, if you’re trying to forge relationships with random people who don’t add any value to your life, you’re wasting time. This can happen more easily than we realize. We all like keeping an eye on our favorite celebrity. However, responding to their photos, sharing their statuses, and showering them with likes probably won’t impact your life in a meaningful way. Find people who will genuinely uplift your life and build relationships with them.
A.7(a) Nope, build relationships with anyone who you find interesting or you feel you can add value to or learn from. Build relationships with people ….all people #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
After all, as Phil reminded us, just because someone has a million followers doesn’t mean they have an engaged audience. Sometimes, someone with far fewer followers can have a much more tightly-knit network.
A7 -a – this idea that b/c someone has a gadzillion followers is somehow more influential that someone with 50 chaps my hide. #twittersmarter
— Phil Bowyer – Author / Podcast Producer / Director (@philbowyer) April 23, 2020
This is a subjective question. If you choose an influencer who resonates with your target demographic, then you have a good chance of getting sales through a partnership with that influencer. As our guest explained, she once helped someone reach business women, because she already has an established network of the target audience.
A.8 (a) Depends on the audience you are trying to reach. If you want to reach women in business then people have hired me to do this. I already have an engaged community you see. Anyone who has an engaged community is better if it's who you are trying to reach #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
Even if you do find an influencer whose audience fits into your target group, getting sales directly through Twitter can be a lengthy process. On the other hand, with a display ad on search engines, you can get a sale with fewer steps and more easily-traceable click throughs. If you don’t want to be disappointed afterwards, it’s important that you understand the Twitter processes before you hire an influencer.
A. 8 (b) You can get sales from Twitter but usually takes longer than a clickable ad for example but higher value e.g. consultations – If people like you and trust you and your brand sales will come #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
Gabriela explained why it might take a long time to get sales through Twitter. You should definitely connect with influencers, but don’t ask them to sell for you. Instead, seek their help to expand your reach. They can help amplify your message and brand just by sharing your content with their network. Even if that doesn’t translate into sales, it is excellent word of mouth marketing.
A8.
Connect with influencers!
_
They
can help you
amplify your message!_
Influencers can help you increase your:
??reach
??visibility
??network
??opportunities
??leads
??audience insight
??& more#TwitterSmarter— Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) April 23, 2020
Remember when we talked about getting a professional headshot for your profile picture? Well, Samantha tweeted about her photographer, which in turn helped him get more sales. That’s a great example of getting sales through Twitter.
A. 8 (c) An example of a sale through Twitter is the fact that I got @JMPhotoDub to do my headshot ..we met on Twitter! And I tweeted about it and he got more sales from others who liked the headshot #Twittersmarter
— Samantha Kelly (@Tweetinggoddess) April 23, 2020
Well, folks that’s all from me. Thanks for reading, and for more insight from our chat, take a look at this Twitter Moment that Joana put together. If you’ve got some time on Thursday, join us for the next #TwitterSmarter chat at 1pm ET.
About me, Narmadhaa:
I write all things—technical and marketing copy to fill the pocket; haiku and short stories to fill the soul. A social media enthusiast, I’m a member of the #TwitterSmarter chat crew, and always happy to take on writing gigs.
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