Can Twitter Help You To Sell More Online?

Almost all businesses, big or small, are using social media marketing to boost their sales. Using free social media websites, businesses are able to communicate with their customers. As a result, they are able to promote and market their business and increase their sales. Twitter is one of the most popular social media websites but its status as a useful tool for increasing sales remains under a cloud.

The issue here is that many entrepreneurs aren’t aware of how to utilize Twitter to its full potential. Twitter allows users to post ‘tweets’ of less than 140 characters at a time. Are you thinking how tweets can help you get more customers? You are not the only person apprehensive about using this social network for your business. The perennial question remains ‘Can Twitter Help You to Sell More Online’.

The answer is yes. Here are some ways in which twitter can be used to increase your sales.

1. Find New Customers and Interact With Existing Ones

You can spread the word about your business using Twitter. You are allowed to build a profile for your business, in which you can list all the important information regarding your business. Once you have created a profile, you will start getting followers. Followers are your fans and friends. Whenever you tweet something, it is listed on all your followers’ profiles. As a result of this, all their followers also find out about it.

2. Provide Customer Service

You can use Twitter to provide customer service. Your customers are allowed to contact you through Twitter and you can post replies to their queries. For example, a customer asks you a question and you answer it, all your followers and their followers are able to see it. You don’t even need to set up a department and yet be able to provide effective customer service through Twitter.

Companies like Netfirms and Hostgator use this method a lot.

3. Deals, Offers and Promotions

A direct way of increasing sales through Twitter is by letting people know of any special deals, offers or promotions you are running. This works incredibly well if you are giving discounts or a buy 1 get 1 free type of deal. People are instantly attracted towards such promotions. Not only can you inform people through Twitter, you can also track their responses.

4. Market Research and Feedback

Use your followers effectively to carry out your market research right there on Twitter. You need to carry out research if you are planning to launch a new product or discontinue an old product. Asking the people on Twitter about their opinion will get you valuable feedback and you will be able to have an idea of how your customers will respond to the new development.

Just because Twitter’s features are limited doesn’t mean it cannot be used to increase your sales online. Make Twitter a part of your marketing campaign and you might be surprised by the results.

Do you have any experience with marketing your small business via Twitter? Feel free to share your experience with us .

Photo Credit: Rosaura Ochoa

Richard is an online business consultant specializing in ecommerce solutions. Richard is a trained Magento developer.

1. How To Make Money Online With Sponsored Tweets
2. Top 4 Reasons For Never Blogging Without Twitter
3. What Can I Sell On My Website?
4. Top 3 Free Ways Of Marketing Your Business Online
5. How to Start an Affiliate Marketing Online Business