When it comes to social media, one of the sites that contractors think about the least is Twitter. Many of my clients who are contractors have approached me and asked, “Well, what am I supposed to do with 140 characters? It’s impossible!”

To which I then happily say, “Not so!” Twitter can be an invaluable resource to any business, regardless of the industry or niche that you’re involved in. If you want to know how you can use Twitter to your advantage, then read on for some tips on how it can benefit you and your business:

Use Twitter to Connect

The most obvious reason for opening up any type of social media account is to connect with current and potential customers and clients. The more avenues you give for people to find and contact you, the more likely you are to get their business.

When you get your business onto Twitter, start looking for people you may know. Look up individual names and the business names of past and potential clients. If you find them, “follow” them! By following them on Twitter, you’ll then have access to their Twitter feed and be able to contribute to any discussions that they may be having on their Twitter accounts and can offer up your expertise. This will help you become more recognized in your particular niche or industry and, as a result, grow your business.

Listen In on Conversations

This is both a curse and a blessing to many businesses: the ability to be able to listen in on conversations about you or your company. Twitter allows you to search specific keywords so that you can find conversations that are happening that relate to whatever topic you want.

I always recommend that companies do a “search” on themselves. Look up your company name and see if any conversations about your business come up. See if people are talking about YOU. If they are, whether positive or negative, you should be contributing to these conversations to either thank people for their compliments or to try and resolve any concerns that they may have.

Check Out the Competition

Don’t think that you have other competing contractors sitting on Twitter? You’ll likely be pretty surprised to find that your competitors already have a Twitter account up and running, AND with people “following” them!

Your competition being on Twitter offers you a great opportunity. You can first see what people are saying about your competition online. But what you can also see are the people who are “following” them. What you should do is start “following” your competition’s followers. Why? Because you can then respond to any industry-related concerns that they may have before your competition does. You can help solve their problem well before your competition is even aware that there is a problem. You can, in effect, swoop right in and steal the competition’s clients and customers.

Post to Twitter Often

As with any social media account, the only way for it to be of any use to you at all would be to use it, and use it frequently. I recommend for my clients to post regularly to Twitter, which means at least two to three times a day. Short blasts of information are what will help people recognize and remember you and your brand. Even if they don’t need your contractual services at the moment, posting regularly will help them remember your name, and thus increase the likelihood of them contacting you when they do need your services.

You may be thinking, “But what do I post about? And in so few characters?” and the reality is that there is a whole lot for you to post about. You can post about:

  • Deals or promotions that you’re having
  • Special events that you may be hosting or attending
  • Interesting things happening in your industry
  • Interesting or entertaining videos, pictures, and news stories (though make sure that they’re appropriate for all audiences)

Key Takeaways:

Twitter is an incredibly powerful tool that, when used correctly, can get you more business than you ever thought possible. It’s great for:

  • Connecting with clients and customers
  • Checking up on the competition
  • Resolving any questions and concerns
  • Thanking and rewarding people for giving your company a “kudos”

Need Help?

If you’re a contractor interested in generating more leads from social media, contact us today to schedule your free marketing analysis.