Social media marketing is the best way to attract more leads and customers for your personal brand. People use their mobile phones as well as their computers to ask customer service questions, search for information, purchase services and products, and share with others what they have found. Twitter is still at the top of the marketing list, and there are several ways you can build both a professional and personal community.
Managing your strategy in both types of accounts involves common sense, great planning, and management. Here are several steps to help you get started:
- Leave your personal brand account in tact – Chances are you have a strong following on your own account. As your brand changes it’s important to maintain that presence while linking to your company’s Twitter account. This will enable you to add or delete information as things evolve in your career.
- Keep your brand account for business communication only – Content and replies should be used for customer service and provide useful information. Keep personal updates on your own profile — the types of followers on each account should also show this.
- Send out the right amount of tweets – With target market research find out what other brands are tweeting throughout each day. Sending out too much can turn away followers who will in turn perceive your account as spam. This will be based on your niche, your market’s demographics, geographic location, and the response rate to your content.
- Be strategic with Direct Messages (DMs) – A direct sales approach can be turn off for any follower on Twitter. Instead, use this as a way to solve customer issues, and to provide helpful information and advice. The feature should be about building relationships rather than pitching people.
The world is watching your personal brand on social media. By understanding the difference between a personal account and a brand account your engagement on Twitter will become more focused and people-centered. This can also help build into your other social networks and your website for more leads and sales.
