With social media entering the mainstream business arena, Emma Mason gives a few tips for those considering twitter as a business tool.
As an adviser, this probably isn't the first article you have read urging you to embrace social media. But no matter how polished the prose, these articles often come from marketing ‘gurus' who have a massive lack of understanding about how you actually go about your business.
Those dealing with brokers on a daily basis know that satisfying clients, lenders, the network and the regulator is enough to keep anyone busy from 9 to 5 and beyond. You don't have many spare hours a day to tackle twitter, and it is often hard to see how it will actually benefit your business.
Nevertheless, social media can help those in the financial advice market to boost their business. A question often asked is how to find the time to tweet but there is no need to spend long each day on social media. Instead, try to use your time efficiently on it.
Emma Mason is business development manager at Blacks Connect
Build your network @Cover_Mag
Follow people in your industry, be it other brokers (including competitors - it is a great way to keep track of what they are doing), lenders, the press and other key commentators that will keep you up to date. When you follow people they often follow you back, but not always. The best way to build your followers is to tweet something of interest that people will want to read and share.
Develop relationships @Cover_Mag
It is important to focus on what you tweet, but it is also vital that you read other people's tweets and respond to them. That's how to get the best value out of twitter. Be nice to people, and they will return the favour. If you read a post from an industry peer that you enjoy, re-tweet it to your followers, and that person will see that you have shared it. They are more likely to reciprocate next time you post something interesting. Network online in the same way you would in the real world.
