How can my business get leads from social media sites like Twitter?

I think one of the most powerful (and overlooked) features of Twitter (and other social media) is the search function.

As a small business owner you can search for people who need your product (or in some cases, your service).

It’s really quite easy; just type into the search bar:

• Need new “insert your product here”.
• Desperate for a “insert your product here”.
• Want a “insert your product here”.

Presto, up comes a list of people who tell you their problem. A couple of examples:

Need new headphones

Need sleep mask

The next step is to REALLY GENTLY introduce yourself. This is the hard part, and I’m still trying out different “approaches”. But you might try a reply tweet which goes something like:

“Hi, I noticed you need a new widget! Hope you don’t mind, but we have them on special/for sale/available (insert link) cheers.”

Or the less direct, kinda sneaky approach, (and will probably get me in trouble with someone…)

“I’ve used company xyz’s product/solution/software – works well. *Insert link to your own website* “

This approach isn’t limited to Twitter either. You can try this on Yahoo Answers, and even on Facebook, as you can see has just happened in the “How Headphones get Tangled up on Their Own, I’ll Never Understand…” group (which has nearly 37,000 members):

Social media allows YOU to seek out people who have problems and help them solve them as politely as possible.

SEO/SEM kinda work the other way; people have problems and they come looking for your solution (if they can find you).

You’re in business to solve people’s problems, and there are lots of ways you can go about that. Social media just one method.

Both methods work in my opinion; a “gentle push” (social media) and “pull” (SEO/SEM) is what’s required.

Let me know how you get on; what approach worked best, and what results you were able to achieve.

Chris Thomas heads Reseo, a search engine optimisation company which specialises in creating and maintaining Google AdWords campaigns and Search Engine Optimisation campaigns for a range of corporate clients.

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