You’ve probably asked yourself: How can I make Twitter work for my business? Start by identifying how you want to represent yourself on Twitter. After all, Twitter is an extension of you and your brand.
A master of controlling his image and message through Twitter is President-elect Donald Trump. It doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree with him, Trump gets his unique brand across using this platform. However, his messaging isn’t going to work for everyone.
Let’s walk through what our president-elect does correctly on Twitter and some of his Twitter missteps to help you find your voice on the social platform.
How Trump Uses Twitter Correctly
Here, Trump uses Twitter to express sympathy and empathize with the victims of the recent bus crash in Tennessee. This move humanizes the future president and puts him on track with public sentiment about the tragedy. With this tweet, he gains support from the public by appealing to their emotions.
Identifying emotionally with a situation is a great way to showcase how you feel about the subject and how you can potentially help individuals in similar circumstances.
For instance, when COLAs for the upcoming year are released or when the market takes a hit, tweet your thoughts on the subject and let your clients know that you are available if they want to talk. Use your tweets to demonstrate that you are more than just a business, but a group of people who care about their clients and will do whatever they can to help.
Now, that being said, it’s important not to let your emotions be the only driving factor when tweeting, as the president-elect is sometimes guilty of.
What Trump Does Wrong
There are many instances of Trump overreacting to celebrity or oppositional statements on Twitter, and while this doesn’t appear to affect his fans, it doesn’t win him any supporters either.
Twitter should be a platform where you can reach more leads by demonstrating your professionalism along with your personality. Don’t post a tweet out of anger or a need to react; think it through first. Ask yourself if you will later regret posting it and if it will help your business. If there is a chance that a tweet might damage your reputation, don’t post it.
Remember, Twitter is a place for you to communicate with the public directly, not a place to rant about opinions. Tweet with purpose — to connect with your audience and build your brand.
There are a million ways you can use Twitter to promote your business, from interacting with others to live-tweeting your events, but don’t use Twitter as a reactionary tool to defend yourself or complain about differing opinions. When used correctly, Twitter can grow your practice and create a strong sense of community between your clients and your business.
