Today I would like to talk to you about Twitter marketing.  It’s become an absolute explosive marketing channel for many who use the Internet to gain exposure for their offers and services.

Are you a Tweeter? If so, what does that mean?

Is it simply another opportunity to expose your offerings? Is it simply another channel to convey the benefits of your products or services?

I would suggest that it’s all of the above, but it’s also much more…

Maybe it can be best described with this analogy.

Let’s say you’ve just walked into a room filled with lots of people. A room that that is filled with people that (for the most part) you don’t know. Some are simply standing around talking and chatting with one another.

Some of these people may or may not be interested in your products, services and most importantly some of these people may or may not be interested in YOU.

Here’s the question?

How do you effectively find out “who’s…who”? How do you develop a strategy that will allow you to interact with some of the people in the room in hopes of exposing your products, your services and most importantly exposing yourself?

Let’s face it, most business relationships start with the simplest of conversations. On Twitter, your objective is to begin to start conversations with people to find out if they are of “like mind”. If they have interests that mirror your interest. Maybe just maybe, we can establish friends, prospects, customers, and other types of relationships that can grow to become business alliances that share “mutual interest”.

Now back to our analogy… Would you walk into a room filled with people that you don’t know and stand on a table and begin shouting about your great products and services? Would this be the most effective and appropriate means of achieving your objectives?

This approach may yield minimal results however it probably won’t maximize your potential for long-term success. Another more effective approach may be that of “mingling”… or gently injecting yourself into existing conversations that interest you.

This is a very effective approach when marketing on Twitter. An approach that lays the foundation for relationships that may prove a bit more fruitful. This approach is also much easier than simply branding yourself as a product or service promoter.

Joining an existing conversation is much easier than starting your own with the hope of attracting those who may be remotely interested in what you’re trying to say.

One effective way to do this is the Twitter Search function. This allows you to search for topics that may interest you and respond or “join in” on conversations to expose yourself to others. It also allows for “targeted” followers.

This approach is far better than standing on a table in a crowded room (Twitter) and shouting about your products, services and offers in hopes to attract those prospective business partners.

If you’re trying to attract new targeted followers on Twitter one of the best ways to do this is to “join” existing conversations by responding, contributing and engaging in the conversation that are parallel to your interests..

This can be done with comments, videos that are relevant, of even quotes or jokes that are consistent to the existing conversation. An occasional “ReTweet” of interesting elements of an existing conversation will also get you noticed quickly. Think about it, we are all flattered when someone else “validates” our perspectives or shares our views with others.

In some cases you can even introduce other like minds to one another. This immediately brands you as a “valued” follower.

Try expanding the conversations of others when Tweeting and you’ll find that your presence “in the room” will rapidly increase. People will begin to take notice of your thoughts, views and yes even your products and services because of the relationships that you’ve established.

Once you’ve established yourself as a valued contributor, collaborator and someone that brings people of like minds together… then gently add your prospective, products, offerings and other interesting elements to those conversations.

Consider a different approach to your Twitter marketing to get better results.

As always I enjoy reading your comments…