Twitter Etiquette – 5 Things your Customers want to Hear From you
Twitter Etiquette and Manners are the first way-point on your Twitter journey. After you changed from egg head picture.
During an earlier life I traveled extensively for my profession. Middle East, India and Africa and other less exotic places.
As a social person it was easy to travel and meet lovely people. I made minor social blunders like many visitors do. Thinking back the culture mishaps were inevitable. I just apologized, learned and got on with my work. And, well, here I am. None the worse for wear. What is fascinating are the different social rules that exist between countries and even within the same country.
Twitter culture is also different. Different to life and to different to LinkedIn, Facebook, G+, et al.
Twitter Etiquette
The Marketing Takeaway — Twitter manner mimics real world manners.
A lot of you small business owners are tentative about Twitter, I know because you’ve told me so.
Just about everyone has the same fear: ‘what if I press the wrong button?’ or ‘what if I make a fool of myself?’
Caution is the correct approach as THE ENTIRE WORLD IS LISTENING TO YOU.
Well, not really the entire world. If you are The Beiber or Lady Gaga then yea.
Mortals like us are lucky if 10% of our followers see our tweets. More on how and when to Tweet in a later post. (NTS write that post!)
But, hey, everyone makes mistakes, its part of life and learning.
Accept it and move on.
“Twitter is not a technology, it’s a conversation. And it’s happening with or without you. #Social #Networking” –Charlene Li
What is the Twitter Etiquette?
Please, thank you, you’re welcome, are the cursory beginning.
The reason Twitter has been so phenomenally successful is you can talk with people from everywhere. Twitter has become this all-encompassing extension of our life.
Yes, Twitter is public, is very powerful, and very addictive. Twitter and social, can damage your business reputation, if it’s not done correctly.
Think of Twitter for your business. Customer and prospects all in the room chatting together. One of the many uses for Twitter is the ability for prospects to get to know you, like you, and trust you. And we all can use trust.
Twitter Etiquette as the Social Phone – Are you going to Answer?
Would you buy from a business who does not answer their office telephone? Or a company that keeps you on hold endlessly, or does not respond to email, or has bad products and poor customer service? Of course not and nobody else would either.
Twitter is the telephone and everyone can see how you answer your phone or not.
And that’s the point of Twitter manners.
Every interaction with your follower is on the plate of public scrutiny. Social Media is changing the rule of business.
Do you remember those spot light that crisscrossed the night sky? A signal of the movie premier or a grand opening?
I do. How powerful that light would be shining on your every tweet, every interacting, every word, especially when you are not answering.
Your Twitter Stream as Window into your Soul
One of the signals I use when deciding to follow person or business is to look at their twitter stream.
A twitter stream is a window into your business soul. Look and see for yourself. View the earlier tweets and see how many are links, @mentions, RT and conversation. What is the ratio? Just look and see how many tweets in 24 hours, how many are conversational, how many are links, are @mentions, or retweets. Just use your judgement.
[Tweet “”If eyes are the window to the soul. Then Twitter is the Window into your Business! #Open #Honest #JustSaying”]
I follow real people who share content, talk, retweet and laugh. Kind of like my real friends.
So after 20 years on Twitter (cough, cough) here are my obvious and I hope very obvious suggestion to weave into your Twitter etiquette routine.
1. Say Thank You
When people follow you it’s a public acknowledgment of you and your business. They are saying I like what you are doing/saying.
I reply to every person that follows me with a thank you message. It’s usually a direct message and may included a question or comment on their business. For me its my Thank You and a way to continue the conversation. Also Automatic direct messages are bad etiquette.
2. ‘Morning Hello’
Do you normally greet people with a morning or good morning? So why not on Twitter? I begin each twitter day with the morning greeting. It humanizes your interactions and lets everyone know you are ready for conversation.
3. Congratulations
Everybody has birthdays, special occasions, milestones etc. Mention them on Twitter, it will make their day.
4. You’re welcome
Please, thank you and you’re welcome. Yes basic courtesy words, but, often missing on the twitter machine. Obviously, a person with 10s of thousands of followers is probably not going to thank you for your retweet. It’s not practically possible.
5. Of course I can help with that…
Helping is the new selling. If a person asks for help, perhaps politely offer your ability.
Any Etiquette I missed? Or do you have any example of #TwitterFail? Love to read them Tweet to me.
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