Live Chat Recap: Leveraging Twitter to Grow Your Business

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Live Chat Recap: Leveraging Twitter to Grow Your Business

In this OWN IT Live Chat we were joined by Barry MacQuarrie, CPA. Barry shared his expertise on how to use Twitter to grow your practice, including best practices for building your Twitter profile and simple steps for how to build, develop and best interact with your audience.

Live Chat Recap: Leveraging Twitter to Grow Your Business

These s l ides summarize some of the main ideas presented. You can read the full Live Chat Recap at this link.

h t t p s : / / w w w . o w n i t . c o m /communities/ownit/posts/784306

Barry has always been a fan of networking as a tool for business development. Before

social media, this was often limited to connecting with members of your local Chamber of Commerce or civic organization.

Social media changed all this and allows us to have a global network of peers.

Networking is Networking

LinkedIn was the first social network that Barry used. Six years ago, he started a community called SocialCPAs. They conducted an annual survey for five years studying how accountants were adopting or avoiding social media. Today, their community is active on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Networking is Networking

One of the obvious differences is the format used to share information. Users must be very concise because their tweets are limited to 140 characters in length. This led to a whole new “language” that is used for tweets.

How is Twitter different than other social networks?

For example, the @ sign followed by someone’s Twitter handle is used to direct your message to another user. Many terms in the Twitter glossary are now used across all social networks.

How is Twitter different than other social networks?

• Personal or Business?

How do you get started on Twitter?

• Personal or Business? • Choose a handle.

How do you get started on Twitter?

• Personal or Business? • Choose a handle. • Set up profile.

How do you get started on Twitter?

• Personal or Business? • Choose a handle. • Set up profile. • Build your network.

How do you get started on Twitter?

• Personal or Business? • Choose a handle. • Set up profile. • Build your network. • Start sharing!

How do you get started on Twitter?

The first step is to decide if you are using Twitter for personal reasons, business purposes or both. The answer to this question will impact your profile and choice of a Twitter handle.

Personal or Business?

The lines between personal and professional have blurred somewhat. It's valuable to share both personal exper iences and profess iona l expertise on social media.

Personal or Business?

You can use something relating to your business, your own name, or a combination. Some folks like to have separate Twitter accounts for business and personal voice.

Choose a Twitter name (handle).

Examples: @DebbieSmith

@AcmeAccounting @JohnJonesCPA-Acme

Choose a Twitter name (handle).

The next step is to build a Twitter profile that includes your photo, a brief bio, your location, and a website address. New users should review the security setting associated with their account.

Set up your profile.

How do you build a following or network on Twitter?

Follow others!

Build your network.

Start by following others. You will find many that will follow you back. If you’re not sure who to follow, look at who your peers are following.

Build your network.

Barry recommends following the thought-leaders in your industry and the companies that are driving innovation. Also, make use of the “Who to Follow” feature in Twitter.

Build your network.

Barry suggests quality over quantity, but, it helps to follow lots of people when you are getting started so that you can see how others use Twitter.

Build your network.

Be useful.

To gain followers, it is equally as important to consistently have valuable content. You will attract new followers who will want to read and retweet your content.

Build your network.

People share all types of content on Twitter. It’s a great place to share personal thoughts and experiences. Twitter can be used to say thanks to a person or company that have helped you. It can be used to promote an event or have a conversation.

What should you share?

Accountants and other professionals that turn their knowledge into online content will have an advantage over their competition. This content can take the form of a blog or articles on your website. Twitter and other social media can be used to promote your blog and showcase your articles.

What should you share?

Blogging, article writing and sharing on social media will help y o u b e c o m e k n o w n a s a thought-leader. It can be a great business development tool.

What should you share?

Tweeting is described as microblogging. In other words, getting your message out in 140 characters or less. Blogging allows to you share in more depth. Writing a blog post is like writing an article for a trade journal or newsletter.

Twitter can be used to promote your blog posts and share them with your followers.

What should you share?

Blog first and then tweet a link to your blog.

But, don't limit your tweets to just linking to your own site. That can be considered spammy.

Remember that Twitter is a conversation!

What should you share?

For people who don't want to blog, there are several ways that you can find content to share on Twitter. First, check out Google Alerts. You should consider setting up alerts on your firm, your clients, your industry or niche and your competition. Barry has about 30 Google Alerts setup and often gets three or four updates per day with great content to share.

What if I don’t want to Blog?

Other people’s Blogs can also be a great source of content to share on Twitter. Follow blogs written by your profession’s thought-leaders, software vendors, etc. You can use Twitter and other social platforms to share this content with followers and friends. Don’t forget to include the blogger’s handle in your tweet to let them know you like their posts.

What if I don’t want to Blog?

Sales may not come directly from Twitter, but you can use it to extend your network, learn, and also get people to your blog or events.

It's a great way to meet people, including future clients.

Think of Twitter as the top of the funnel.

FIND MORE INFORMATION on OWN IT• Visit OWNIT.com for the full Live Chat recap

including additional information and links. • Check out the rest of our helpful series. • Join the Network Dedicated to Small

Business Success. • Connect with thousands of small business

owners like you with our free app.

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