by Spectrum Business
X, formerly Twitter, is a highly popular social media tool because of its unique approach to creating connections. X lets small businesses connect with customers and potential buyers, promote new products and bring traffic to an online store.
Best of all, X is simple to use. You make a post and the people who follow you see what you have published. Followers can “repost” your message to their followers – essentially forwarding your post. A single repost from another business or person with a large following can potentially add dozens of new followers to your business account.
These tips can help you start building your business and boost foot traffic with X:
Your goal is to get as many followers as possible, at least among the kinds of people who are likely to buy from you. The easiest way to start getting followers is to follow your current customers, other people in your community and leaders in your industry. If you follow people or companies who in turn have large followings of your target customers, you have the potential to connect with those prospects through reposts or paid ads.
Another way to get followers is to promote your X feed by adding the X logo to your site and emails and to signage in your store. But ultimately your follower count will be driven by the quality and quantity of your posts, so if you commit to marketing on X, be sure you can share content regularly.
A common reason people follow small businesses on X is to get news about upcoming products. For instance, a post from a shoe store might describe new riding boots and include a link to the store’s website. The message’s wording might be along these lines: “Just in! Black and tan leather boots with gold buckle: $150.” Or, if you run a small organic grocery store, you can let customers know when your next shipment of mangoes arrives so that they can buy them at the peak of freshness. Some bakeries even post when croissants are fresh out of the oven so nearby customers can get them while they are still warm. Talk about real-time marketing!
Photos can help to tell your story and compel people to visit you. Did a celebrity wear a dress that you sell in your store? Include a link to the story and a picture of the dress and invite people to stop by. Restaurants can tweet about seasonal items and include photos of beautifully prepared dishes.
Promotion of in-store events such as readings, wine tastings or trunk shows can also drive foot traffic. Tying a limited-time offer to the event can add urgency to your customers’ visits.
Everyone wants to buy from an expert. You can build your profile as a knowledgeable resource by posting information about your products or industry. For example, if you own an ice cream shop, you might tweet about how much is consumed every year in America, the most popular flavor or the craziest flavors you’ve concocted. A hair salon might post about how to create a hairstyle of the moment. Be careful to vary your content, though; don’t just bludgeon your followers with facts. X is a great way for your business to show its personality.
Marketing on X can also help with customer service. First and foremost, you should respond quickly to all queries on your X feed because this is important for keeping customers and prospects happy. Since X is a very public tool, your responsiveness highlights your service orientation. Set a goal for response time and assign this responsibility to one person to maintain quality.
X can also help with customer service by letting you broadcast, for example, that a shipment has been delayed, how your appointments are running or other issues that your customers should know about. You can also reach out to customers individually via direct message to ask for their feedback. For instance, if someone recently purchased an appliance, you could follow up with a message to ask if they need help setting it up or inquire about how well it is functioning.
