Promotion or Elevation?
Do you use Twitter to promote yourself or to elevate your likeability?
Be quiet and listen for a change
No, I’m not talking about monitoring for complaints or accolades. I’m talking about listening from a place of caring.
What do people complain about? What’s important to them? What brings them pleasure?
Position yourself as someone who cares
Instead of using Twitter to pump out self-serving messages, try using it to understand what people want. Ask yourself questions like:
- How can I make this person smile?
- How can I be of service?
- How can I make this person’s day?
- Do I know someone who can help this person?
- Can I offer a useful tip?
Remember: people buy from people they know, trust and like.
Position yourself as the expert
Another approach is to listen for opportunities to offer your expertise. Ask yourself these questions:
- Can I offer information that might give this person direction?
- Do I know a website, a book, some facts that might answer this person’s question?
- Can I offer a solution?
The right information positions you as an expert in your field. Help out one person and just think of the volume of listeners who will see your reply.
Listening and offering kindness or support may not bring you a sale today. But it won’t likely be forgotten. Furthermore, people are more likely to tell others about your generosity than about your promotion.
Think about it. What would you respond most positively to?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post. This gives me a totally different perspective. I never really know how to reach out to followers. This gives me tons of ideas. Thanks Shireen!
You’re welcome Erica! Thanks for the feedback as always.
What if I want to offer assistance to someone who doesn’t follow me, but follows a competitor of mine? Would that look bad?
That depends. Try to offer general assistance.
For example, if someone asked how to find a good web designer, I might suggest the best method is to ask colleagues for referrals, then to check the websites of those referrals for designers who appear to suit their needs and style.
I wouldn’t jump in and suggest they see me if they are a follower another web designer. The most direct I might be is to post a link to an article I wrote on finding a web designer (http://www.shireen.ca/blog/2012/02/03/how-to-choose-a-web-designer/). It’s informative without suggesting they hire me, although it does bring them to my website.
Does that help?