subject: Tips For Building a Responsive List With Twitter [print this page] Tips For Building a Responsive List With Twitter
There are two types of Twitter marketers - those who focus on the number of followers they have as a measure of success, and those who use the level of responsiveness as their measure of success. The latter is the one that will help you make money.
For a long time there were bragging rights to be had regarding who had the most followers. Even celebrities like Ashton Kutcher got in on the game, vying to achieve greater following numbers than other celebrities. Marketers were of the same mindset.
Then some started to realize that numbers meant nothing if they didn't convert into sales, and the real dilemma turned out to be not how to get more followers, but how to turn those followers into interactive prospects and customers.
Twitter shouldn't be a place where you care if someone follows you back if you're following them. Unfortunately, to many people, it is - so make sure you reciprocate the follow for your prospects. You can easily use a tool like Tweetdeck to separate your lists and hone in on those you really want to tune into, but it's a feel good measure that helps your followers stay with you.
Make it a point not to continually sell in your Tweets. Twitter is for sharing information - so make sure you find a good balance of sending out hyperlinks versus just Tweeting good valuable information and tips.
Retweeting is the method with which your posts go viral, but in order to get Retweets from your followers, you have to engage in some of it, too. Pick some Tweets that you feel will benefit your followers and Retweet them to your account.
Seek out Tweets from other users who are asking questions in your niche and then Tweet out an answer to it. For example, you could type into the search box: "does anyone know how to" Sony - if your site talks about how to download books to a Sony Reader.
Make sure you combine a good mix of personal Tweets with business Tweets. People on social networking sites like to get to know each other, so let them gain a bit of insight into who you are as a person.
You can also increase the responsiveness of your Twitter followers by engaging them in conversations. Ask them questions, get them to participate in a poll, or request their insight into a certain topic or situation. People thrive on being able to give their $0.02 and with only 140 characters to worry about, it won't take you a long time to communicate back and forth with your fans.
