As you consider social media in your firm, take a look at Twitter.
Do you need a plan?
Many clients I work with want to join Twitter to have a presence. I often ask them if they have a plan on how to use it, their strategy, the measurement goals, etc. Rarely any of them can easily answer these questions.
After helping them to define their strategy and measurement goals, I often suggest three simple things they can do each day to help increase their connection and following on Twitter.
- Share a helpful article about what you specialize in. For example, if your area of specialty is the employee benefits area, post an article about that topic.
- Tweet something about yourself. What I mean by personal is something that makes you come across as human. For example, “Today I’m attending a conference on [insert topic].”
- Answer a common question you hear from clients. This helps to frame you as a thought-leader and may encourage a potential client to seek you out.
Each of these tasks can be automated. However, be careful with this technique to ensure your brand does not come across as impersonal, “spam-like,” or possibly “ghost written.”
Twitter Strategy
Twitter is a micro-blogging tool for people who seek bottom-line results. If you cannot say what you mean in 140 characters or less, work toward that goal.
Also, know who you’re trying to talk to or whom you want to attract before jumping into Twitter. This allows you to make genuine connections that help you to expand your online brand while enriching your own knowledge.
Lastly, you need a content strategy to be really successful with Twitter. This can be accomplished by working with people who specialize in social media, or by speaking with your marketing team to ensure your messages are on brand and represent you or your firm in the best possible light.
What do you find most useful from the companies you follow?
