When it comes to converting Twitter followers into leads, the secret to success is trial and error. The more you experiment with different social networks, the more you experiment with content, the more you experiment with timing, the better understanding you will get of what works and doesn’t work for YOUR company. You could try some of these tactics, and see if they work for you:
![twitter followers]( "Twitter")
Target your Twitter followers
One really important thing that I have found helpful is to make sure that your followers are 100% targeted. If you’re a marketing company selling your services to small business owners, FOLLOW SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. Don’t waste your time following big name industry leaders that won’t ever speak to you or acknowledge your presence online. Instead, connect with people that actually care about what you have to say.
- Use Twellow.com to find people to follow. It works as a yellowpages for Twitter. Follow people that you think could be a potential customer. If you’re relevant to them, they’ll most likely follow back.
- Use the #hashtag search tool on SocialBro.com. It will show you around 1,000 Twitter users that actively use the #hashtag. Explore users. Check how many people follow them, and how many people they follow back. Check their tweets as well. If you don’t see any ‘via @’ mentions, re-tweets, or any conversations actually taking place in their last 10-15 tweets, they’re not worthy of your follow. They only want to promote their own message, and won’t actually develop a business relationship with you.
Make sure your Twitter followers are online!
A tweet usually doesn’t last very long. And if your Twitter followers aren’t online to read your tweet, then your message will be lost.
- You can listen to some studies, and try optimal times if you want, but large studies are generalized results. They may work for you, and they may not. However, using specific tools like Tweriod.com and SocialBro.com will show you when YOUR OWN FOLLOWERS are online. This is when you should be tweeting.
- Take your optimized times, and schedule your content at those times using tools like Hootsuite or BufferApp. Scheduling your content ahead of time will make it easier for you to manage comments later on in the day. Scheduling content should only take about 30-60 minutes of your day, the rest of the time you should be conversing with your Twitter followers.
Ask the right questions
What I see too often are people that say Twitter is not generating any business for them. When you look at their Twitter accounts, they’re not asking any questions, or having any conversations of any sort. Quotes won’t generate business.
- If someone mentions you on Twitter, or re-tweets your content, thank them and initiate a conversation – ask them how they’re doing. Most people will answer ‘Good’, but if they answer ‘So busy, I don’t even know what to do’, or ‘Good, but I think I need a vacation’, this is your key to jump in. Ask them why they’re so busy, and if you can help in any way. They might just be looking for your offering.
- Listen to #hashtags that are related to your industry. Often people will ask questions that you can answer. They’ll appreciate the help. Your job is to keep the conversation going, and follow up on a regular basis. If something else comes up, you’ll be there to offer help again. This will build a relationship, and when this person needs your service, you’ll be someone they’ll think of.
- Listen to your competitors, and what their clients are saying. If a client is complaining, swoop in and ask if there’s anything you can do instead to help. They’ll be impressed.
Make sure your content converts
A quote does not convert a reader into a lead, there’s no link. Your own advice in 140 characters does not convert, there’s no link. Make sure that some of the content you put out reaches back to your website.
- Vary your content. Make sure some of your content links back to your site, but also share other people’s content. Social media is not meant for advertising your own message all the time.
- Make sure that the content you share from your website or blog is conversion friendly. Have a newsletter signup sheet, a contact form, a free download, a quote form, an email subscription to your blog, etc., right at the top of your page, so people can clearly see the conversion form. Don’t put it at the bottom, or people won’t see it. If there’s no conversion form on your blog or website, your traffic won’t convert to a potential lead.
Do you have any tips or tricks that you’ve used before to help convert twitter followers into leads? Do you have any tips or tricks to convert users of other social networks into leads (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.)? Please leave your comments below!
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