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Not everybody loves Twitter. I get that.
But even if you’re not currently in the Twitterverse, stay with me for a moment.
Because there is something for your business in Twitter if any of these statements are true:
Your sweet-spot prospects are there.
Your referral sources are there.
Your competition is there.
Your smallest—but still not insignificant—value from Twitter is simply being able to listen to the conversations relevant to your expertise. All it requires is creating an account, following those that matter to you and checking in regularly to see what’s cooking. If you’re not already doing this, seriously, start now.
But where you can make Twitter priceless is when you fully harness its power to bring you one of the big three: clients, media coverage or book/digital product sales.
Clients. This is the big kahuna. If you already have demonstrated expertise and a robust business model, you may well be sitting on tens of thousands of dollars (or more). I’m living proof—Twitter has directly led to over $300,000 in revenue (and indirectly to much more).
How Twitter works for YOU depends heavily on to whom you sell and how you price and deliver your services and products. But with so much revenue at stake, shouldn’t you explore its potential? One of my clients wasn’t convinced Twitter would work for him after he’d played with it for a few months. I convinced him to make three changes: his handle, his profile and proactively following his sweet-spot potential clients. Boo ya—two weeks later he had his first Twitter client.
For more details on the “how” of building your platform via Twitter, check out my video here . or the article “What Works For Me On Twitter” here.
Media Coverage: Maybe you can’t afford $5,000 and up a month to get yourself a PR team to promote you or your new book. Or you’ve been burned before and just don’t want to go there again. Why not start building your own organic media coverage right now? It’s easier than you think on Twitter.
Fact #1: Every major and minor journalist, as well as influential bloggers of all persuasions, is actively using Twitter. You can follow them, befriend them (think relentlessly helpful) and ultimately even pitch them. Or they may make it even easier and pitch YOU. Bloggers and podcasters are on constant alert for content and you may just fit the bill.
Fact #2: Most journalists are juggling multiple stories and impossible deadlines. They appreciate nothing more than the expert who helps them—quickly, on-point and with no drama.
If you start building your media network organically right now, then, when you need them (new book, new product, hot story), they will be primed and ready for you.
Book Sales: Twitter is to book sales what walnuts are to banana bread. It’s not the main ingredient, but it takes the bread up a notch. Here’s how it works.
The single best way to sell books is from your most intimate audience and that’s your email list. These are the people who have given you permission to enter the sanctity of their in box. Twitter will get you some direct book sales, but the real magic is in your list. So to sell more books, use Twitter to build your list. And not while you’re publishing the book, but months before.
That requires compelling content designed for your audience, regular invites to join your list and seamless integration with your website sign-up.
There’s another group that’s critical to your book sales—what I call your “Circle”. These are the people who will read advance copies of the book and post reviews, serve as endorsers and/or put out the word to THEIR audiences. A solid book launch needs about 100 Circle members, and more is generally better.
Use Twitter to organically connect with your future Circle over time and when your book or products are ready—you’ve got built in apostles to spread the word.
The bottom line is this: take a good hard look at what Twitter is worth to you right now. And then decide whether upping the ante might just bring you the jackpot.