As a small business owner, one of your primary responsibilities is to drum up business via smart marketing strategies. These strategies should include the use of social media such as Twitter, Facebook and or Google Plus. Did you know you can use Twitter to increase and grow your business? Indeed you can. There are countless stories of company owners who have done exactly this.
There are the tried and true methods such as posting regular company updates, info on new staff hires, press release announcements and so on. But we think that “outside the box” tactics tend to do better and are simply more fun to run. Below we present four such tactics that you can try today on Twitter and grow your business with.
1. Caption Photo Contest
This is one of my personal favourite types of contests because the entries range from the mild to the wild and it’s a very fun type of contest. You would be surprised as to how those who enter will go all out to submit a great
caption for your photo. The caption photo contest is great for all involved including those who enter and the contest holder – you. Make sure you have a GREAT prize and your Twitter followers will salivate at the idea of entering a fun (and profitable) contest.
2. Re-tweet Marathon
This is exactly what it sounds like. The marathon involves you and your followers retweeting away scores of tweets and getting scores of followers in return. Best way to promote this idea is via an article on your blog announcing the retweet marathon and then also tweeting about it on Twitter letting everyone know. It can be for a certain period of time say between 1 and 4 pm during a weekday or last the course of an entire day. You decide.
3. Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a terrific way to drum up interest in your business and possibly sales and or more customers. The idea works the same as a traditional hunt except that this type of scavenge will be done entirely via your website. In other words, your Twitter followers will HAVE to visit your site to participate. What you do is place an image (or other goodie) deep on an inner page within your site (don’t make it too easy) and the first person to find and report it on Twitter – wins a NICE prize. This could be a cash prize, a free item from your site or other similar idea. Many will want to win the prize and join in on the fun.
4. Hold A Twitter Chat
Did you know that via the use of #hashtags you can create a Twitter chat and others will be able to follow along. You create the hashtag and this could be anything from the name of your company to something wacky and fun that is catchy. We advise to go with something catchy, wacky and fun. Hold the chat during a day and time that is best for your specific type of audience and make sure to let everyone you know about the upcoming chat. Announce it via your company blog, newsletter, Twitter, Facebook and so on.
Key Take Away
Whichever method you decide to try, keep in mind your overall goal. If you want to increase sales, then perhaps a scavenger hunt is your best bet as this will bring followers to your site who may after the scavenger hunt is over decide to buy or try one of your items. Never underestimate the power of social media to bring in customers.
Guest article by Missy Diaz a freelance writer based out of Chicago who works for a high speed internet service provider.
~Image source: http://www.iconfinder.com/icondetails/65799/512/bird_twitter_icon
