If Twitter is one of your preferred social networks, and one where you reach a lot of followers, prospects and clients, consider participating in a #TwitterChat or hosting one of your own.
Run properly, a Twitter Chat can help to build your Followers, reach out to prospects and referral sources, and help to grow your business. Come up with a great topic, do some planning and give it a try.
Twitter Chatting in Political and Topical Campaigns
Twitter has been hosting town hall chats for several years now. President Obama has used Twitter To hold town hall chats since at least 2011. (No doubt, he and other politicians who adopt the format appreciate the brevity required to submit questions!) He used it in his re-election campaign as well.
Right now, most regularly scheduled Twitter Chats are topical. Gnosis Arts lists them in a wiki where you can search by day and alphabetically. Another resource is TweetReports, which is a little easier to read and lets you sort by hashtags, topics, descriptions, and days. There are lots of other ways to find out about and participate in a #TwitterChat.
#TwitterChat Can Engage Customers And Grow Your Business
Twitter Chats are a great way to engage with your customers and prospects to grow your business. Here are some of the benefits they offer:
- You can get a lot done in a Twitter Chat, and they are excellent Q&A forums. Because Twitter demands brevity, no one can dominate with a long-winded question, follow-up, or comment.
- Unlike Webinars and even Google+ Hangouts, there is little chance of a software problem cropping up to prevent people from attending.
- Since it takes place remotely, no one can barge in and pull a stunt like shouting or tossing shoes at a speaker.
- You can segment chats for specific types of prospects and customers, just like you segment your email lists.
- It’s easy for participants to tweet or retweet information from a chat, rather than copying something from a webinar, or worse, tweeting something incorrect or misleading.
Twitter is such a simple platform, it practically begs to be used more often for structured talks. Because it works well on all mobile devices, it can be accessed from virtually anywhere. And Twitter Chats are easy to participate in from your mobile device.
Social Media Examiner recommends Twitter Chats to help personalize your business, build relationships with customers and prospects, and grow. Here’s a condensed version of its guidance, along with my own recommendations, for those of you considering hosting a Twitter Chat:
- First, join a few chats for your industry to see how they work. Join one that best fits your business and be prepared to do some listening before you jump in.
- Introduce yourself to the chat’s leader and let them know about your interest in hosting a chat. When the time comes, see if they are willing to participate and even promote it with you.
- Promote your chat in a blog post and on different social platforms for at least a week before the event. Carefully choose a hashtag for your chat and Include it in your promotions.
- Prepare a cheat sheet with Q & As you expect to be asked. Line up a number of people to attend and answer the questions you pose, or ask questions of their own
- Consider getting a partner or a guest so you can take advantage of their network too.
- Most Twitter Chats last an hour. Think about the geographic area where your prospects and followers are located before setting the time for your #TwitterChat.
- Have fun! It’s an online party!
If you discover an industry chat you think is a great fit for your customers, there’s no reason to re-invent the wheel. Ask if you can host future chats or be a guest. Offer to sponsor a few as well. Be sure you promote your favorite industry chats with their hash tag and ask them to do the same for you.
Done right, a Twitter Chat can be a big boost for your business.
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