by Spectrum Business
With 255 million monthly active users worldwide, X has become a quick, inexpensive and effective way to promote small businesses. X campaigns that focus on reaching targeted prospects rather than the masses usually yield the biggest return.
Here’s how three types of small businesses — a coffee shop, a florist and an office furniture store — were able to use X to connect with customers.
The owner of a new coffee shop in a trendy neighborhood wants to build foot traffic but faces stiff competition from other local cafés and dessert shops. The owner could launch an X campaign to lure customers using the following steps:
Use Promoted Accounts to target local coffee fans who haven’t yet followed the shop on X. In the Promoted Accounts program, a business pays only if someone follows it.
Publish news about nearby events such as local arts fairs and music performances. Offer a discount to customers who come into the store at event time and mention your post.
Send out X-only discounts. Post an offer code or special phrase that followers can mention to get 10% off their order during a specific time.
Post announcements of in-store events such as coffee tastings or book readings. During the event, share photos of customers, staff and featured guests on X.
Entice followers to spread the word about the store by offering a 25-cent cup of coffee to the first 10 people who mention the shop in an X post.
A florist wants to win new customers and keep orders flowing throughout the week. Here are specific steps the florist could take to use X to build business:
Share articles and videos about seasonal flowers, plant care and decorating tips on the shop’s website and promote them in X posts.
During slow periods, post photos of beautiful arrangements and recently arrived inventory. Offer limited-time, X-only discounts on these items.
Post reminders of approaching holidays and special occasions along with a special offer on a flower arrangement to recognize the event.
Thank customers who mention the floral shop on X and invite them to stop by for a free rose or other blossom.
The owner of a local store that sells new and used office furniture wants to develop more relationships in the community and attract local companies as clients. Here is how the owner could build their network using X:
Use Promoted Accounts and timely promoted posts to attract local followers who run small businesses.
Post about topics that affect local businesses such as upcoming networking events, tax filing deadlines and changes to local business regulations. Encourage followers to spread the word through re-posts.
Set up Google Alerts for articles about the community and share them on X.
Announce the arrival of new inventory in real-time on X, offering discounts for followers who buy the items before a specific deadline.
Sign up for a free service like TweetBeep—similar to a Google Alert for X — or TweetDeck to keep track of mentions of the store on X, responding immediately to questions and thanking followers for mentioning the company.
