Twitter’s Startling Secret —
and Three Ways You Can Use It
to Explode Your Business!
Oprah’s now on Twitter.
Which means it has now hit the mainstream. And you can bet the Shaqs, Ashtons and Britneys of the world will ensure it sustains its phenomenal 752% growth rate for the months to come.
So you’re probably asking yourself — what does this mean for you and your business?
Well, you may have heard some of the obvious reasons.
Like how the Twitter explosion presents you with a bumper crop of potential prospects just ready to harvest …
Or how the bulk of these new followers are in the 25-35 and 45-60 year-old range — meaning they’re the ones with disposable income to spare.
This surprising (though lucrative) stat isn’t lost on the marketing and business community, either. Even though Twitter has only 15% of the number of Facebook users, more businesses have set up shop on Twitter than any other social media.
You’re probably looking at what is fast becoming
the most effective B2B marketing channel in the world.
These are all exciting developments, and that’s reason enough to hop on board this micro-blogging platform.
But there’s another startling twist that makes Twitter the most powerful marketing channel in the world.
I’ll get to that in a minute … but first, let me introduce the miracles that Twitter has accomplished for my business.
I raised myself from obscure Malaysian copywriter to sought-after international speaker and consultant in a space of six short months.
I initially used Twitter to get copy clients. It has evolved as a joint venture attraction machine, and now I have more projects in the pipeline than I can handle.
And most importantly, Twitter funded my wedding and honeymoon by enabling me to start a five-figure business in under a month — from scratch.
So what’s the difference Twitter has that no other marketing medium possess?
Ambient Intimacy.
Let me explain.
Researcher Leisa Rechelt defines Ambient Intimacy as a state where in a social media setting, users are more intimate and responsive with others - in contrast to real life. Due to the anonymity of the online space, people have the tendency to let their guard down and will act in a way that belies the real-world trappings of social decorum.
Granted, this applies to all forms of social media including Facebook, Flickr and MySpace. However, this hyper-connectivity is amplified in Twitter more than all of them.
Here’s why …
- Twitter is Safe. Your contact information is protected, and it takes just the push of a button to block a threat. As a result, people interact without the fear of intrusion.
- Twitter is Real Time. Studies have shown that immediate interaction is the key to accelerating intimacy between two people.
- Twitter is Short. With a 140 character limit, prospects will not think twice about baring their soul because brevity creates the illusion of security.
Here’s why this information should excite you. Since time immemorial, marketers have long been taught to “enter the conversation in your prospect’s mind.” To tap into it, engage it, answer it - Being the solution to their deep-seated problems. Creating an invulnerable bond and relationship.
The more effective you are at getting into the conversation, the more wildly successful you will be. Here’s the amazing thing …
Twitter is one big mental conversation. Getting into your prospect’s mind has never been easier. It’s almost telepathy!
This means all the persuasion tricks you know and love, take on new vital life in the Tweetasphere.
You probably can see Twitter’s business potential already, so here are three alternative uses of Twitter.
- Psychic Market Research
Due to Ambient Intimacy, your prospect can give their unvarnished opinion about your service and product on their Twitter stream without reservation. Even better, your prospects Tweet their innermost hopes, dreams, and fears. This means that you’re only a click away from discovering your prospect’s dominant emotion and tailoring a marketing angle that they respond to.
And you know what’s even more amazing? It’s all in real time! In fact, this unique Twitter trait has not been lost on Google, with all the recent rumors of acquisition flying around.
You see, where Google is effective is finding out what people are searching for now, Twitter is effective in finding out what people are THINKING now. Imagine being able to execute marketing campaigns that do not just tap into what matters to people this month, week and day but THIS VERY MINUTE. Can you picture the soaring response rates?
- Become a Savior
One of Jay Abraham’s famous teachings is the Strategy of Preeminence. It basically says once you position yourself as a go-to person in your niche and be a source of help, the money will follow because you’re perceived as an authority.
In no other medium can you see this more vividly than on Twitter. People constantly Tweet for help all the time, which means if you’re observing, you can come to their rescue and be their knight-in-shining armor at their precise point of need.
And you know what’s even more remarkable? The human mind can’t differentiate redemption coming in extended help or short 140 character Tweets? Your short Tweets can easily give you maven-hood status in record time if you know what to do!
- Network on Steroids
Here’s another delicious point — top dogs and gurus are equally susceptible to Ambient Intimacy as much as the next person. And more often than not, they have not outsourced their Tweeting efforts yet, like they do with all other forms of communication.
If you’re not too pushy with your own agenda and engage with them on the conversation that’s going on in their mind (Easy to see, because they’re Tweeting it), you’ll make friends really, really fast.
That’s how I made friends with a dozen Internet millionaires in my first few weeks on Twitter, and was able to convince them to be my high-powered JV partners in my first product launch. Even though I was a nobody. Now, I am getting more speaking gigs and JV offers than I can count.
Are you starting to see how Twitter can accelerate your business in leaps and bounds? Hurry and get on Twitter today. The first-mover window of opportunity is gradually closing each and every day as media coverage gets to the saturation point.
Internet multi-millionaire Stephen Pierce says it’s easier to dominate a channel rather than a market in this day and age. Jump on the Twitter bandwagon and harness the power of ambient intimacy for your marketing today.
What are your most pressing questions about marketing on Twitter? This is by no means my last Twitter article, so I’d like to know what your Twitter issues are – post your comments below. Thanks and hope to talk to you soon on Twitter — you can follow me at http://twitter.com/emailcopywriter.
Kenneth Yu
Guest Contributor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE™
"The Puppet Master" Kenneth Yu is an award-winning million-dollar copywriter turned online entrepreneur and social influence marketer. Together with his wife, Laura, Kenneth runs Puppet Strings Marketing – a relationship marketing education company that generated five-figure revenue in its first month of operations. He is the creator of the Twitter Salvation System (http://salvationsystem.com/blog/), one of the world’s highly-regarded Twitter marketing courses that will teach you how to nearly effortlessly generate leads, achieve viral success and attract JVs on warp speed.
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28 Comments »
Join the Discussion!
Let us know what you think. Or ask us anything. Or offer your own sage advice.
The only rule: RESPECT THIS HOUSE! Postings that contain abusive language and/or personal attacks will be cheerfully VAPORIZED. One cross word and – POOF! – your well-thought-out post will be gone in a puff of smoke.
– Clayton
Comment by Mark Bond — April 28, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
I’m a believer! I know of a car dealership that has sold over
$1,000,000. of cars using social media especially Twitter.
Tweet On!
Mark Bond
Comment by Todd — April 28, 2009 @ 12:52 pm
Simply gold. When used in conjunction with traditional direct marketing principles - twitter is a true goldmine of not only prospects but research for marketing campaigns and strategies.
Now if you combine twitter with smart, emotional, effective writing strategies that Clayton and the gaggle of other experts on here teach - you become literally a jedi master on twitter.
I hope we can connect - http://www.twitter.com/todd_herman
btw- here’s a quick tip - people love inspirational quotes on twitter
Comment by Lori Osterberg — April 28, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
I agree, Twitter is an amazing tool that is obviously taking everyone by storm. I’ve also used it to gain clients and speaking gigs. Just like every other tool, the key comes from using it. You have to take action with it to make it work for you and your business.
Looking forward to learning more - there’s always another thing to try!
Lori
Comment by Lydia — April 28, 2009 @ 1:00 pm
I have been a chocolatier for 25 yrs. and had a store front for 5 years. I wanted to try and start an internet business but for the past 3 years have had trouble getting people to website. I know chocolate, that’s all. Internet is baffeling to me, I know barely enough to get me by. I got on twitter about 3 weeks ago, and understanding how it works was a real job for me. Got plenty of feedback about my techniques, trust me! I talk with people but not being a sales or marketing person don’t really know how to engage. I also feel a little inadiquate not really knowing what to say and how to say it. Any advise on this. Lydia
Comment by Adam — April 28, 2009 @ 1:03 pm
Great post - Twitter has been huge multiplier factor in my business, and I am getting a ton of traffic and new clients just from interacting with my twitter followers.
It does take some time, and you have to be yourself - you can’t fake it. But it has been a great tool for me and my business too.
Adam
Comment by Jeremy — April 28, 2009 @ 1:26 pm
Twitter is so much noise keeping me from real work. No thank you.
Comment by Chong Xin Yun Seth — April 28, 2009 @ 1:51 pm
YES, Kenneth.
It’s really good to see you here.
Clayton, you’ve found one of the biggest stars.
Comment by Marc — April 28, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
I guess I’m a Luddite, but I don’t see Twitter, Facebook, etc. as anything but new diversions from productivity. People don’t return phone calls and emails in a timely fashion, why, or more accurately how, is social media going to help an already technologically overloaded world get more done? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say social media will lose its sheen rapidly, right at the point in time the next “big thing” is poised to be shoved down our throats.
And please, I intend no disrespect to anyone who is high on this approach. I just don’t see it as anything more than the latest way way for “new gurus” to land clients desperate not to be left out of something they don’t fully understand.
And somewhere Marshall McLuhan is spinning like a top in his grave.
Comment by cliff — April 28, 2009 @ 2:31 pm
Really nice to have some honest input,the world is changeing very quickly,yet with a bit of patience and high quality stuff from the likes of kenneth Yu…I was taken with his fast way of conveying his message,then as a copywriter he ought to be good at that I guess,anyway from here in the U.K. keep it up please guys,I appreciate all the assistance you can give……Cliff
Comment by Jenny — April 28, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
Excellent article. And to top it off - Twitter is just plain fun. I’m riding this wave with you. Thanks.
Comment by Scott — April 28, 2009 @ 2:55 pm
Dude - went to the site and tried to buy the “Salvation Package” and got an error message from the shopping cart…
S
Comment by Steve Newdell — April 28, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
It’s all very interesting and I suspect the Tweet Application is better for marketing some products better than others. As to imagine: social media is best to market socializing, human contact, speaking engagements, flash news about sales, tell the world “I’m here I sell the world’s best gourmet chocolate at “www.chocolateer.oops.”
Then…APPLY as Mr Yu did, “come to my web page, see what I offer, here’s what to do to get it.”
The time-waste factor worries me. I’m capable of but disinterested in public speaking engagements. I could offer new articles about a nitche, a channel of my interest.
This can be big, but I don’t have enough personal energy to have a life and tweet all day. Maybe I can hire a tweetie bird.
Thanks Mr. Yu. I’ll keep reading and thinking. sn
Comment by Melody Brooks — April 28, 2009 @ 7:42 pm
Lydia,
Please tweet me @melodybrooks if you’d like some help. I know a bit about Twitter, and would love to talk with you about growing your business.
Melody
Comment by Richard V. Eastman — April 29, 2009 @ 12:58 am
I’ve been a Youth Counselor for 30 years. I don’t understand the world I live in. If the L.A. Dodgers lose a season fans want a new Manager. Same with the L.A.Lakers or General Motors, Ford, Chase Bank…The head honcho has to go…Schools are failing. Teenagers bored with High School…Dropping out by the millions. Drugs and crime lead the way in the teen activity. School Superintendents are too academic — not Trained How to manage…Am I Crazy???
Comment by Kenneth Yu — April 29, 2009 @ 11:25 am
RE: Lydia. I believe the key to using Twitter is to be yourself and to apply real-life social principles in your interactions. The biggest tip I can give you is 1st impressions are 80% of the battle. So put a background from http://killertweets.com, a nice photo of yourself, and some quotes and tips related to your industry. Once you do that you move out of realm of spammer to someone trustworthy.
Comment by Kenneth Yu — April 29, 2009 @ 1:25 pm
RE: Marc. I used to think like you. I’m not one of those social media evangelists by any stretch of the imagination. I’m an old-school copywriter who just happened to realize once you combine old-school persuasion with social media, you get incredible response rates.
It can work and it does make money, you just need to consume the right information. I admit that there r a lot of make money scams. But separate the wheat from the chaff and you get one of the best traffic generation and personal brand building tools on the planet.
Take it from Mr. Old Fashioned like me
Comment by Dexie — April 29, 2009 @ 9:25 pm
The signal to noise ratio is higher than other media.
Although I have blogged about the benefits of Twitter for business. Follow the crumbs…
@dexie
Comment by Phyllis — April 30, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
where’s the RT button for this article?? @phylliskhare
Comment by Shel Horowitz — April 30, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
Twitter is very powerful. Among other things, it landed me a speaking gig at a major marketing conference, and then people tweeting the highlight of my speech got me 100 new followers, many of whom weren’t even at the conference. I think some of them saw Mari Smith (Facebook/Twitter guru) endorsing me as she responded to someone tweeting about me.
One of the things I love about Twitter is that because if someone’s a jerk, you can unfollow with one click, the content value stays high. Not always true with e.g. Facebook, where it’s much les convenient to exit a group once you’re in.
For those who want a good introduction, Ive actually written an e-book called Web 2.0 marketing for the 21st Century. I give it away with purchase of either of my Grassroots Marketing books, or sell it for a few bucks on its own: http://snipurl.com/h3y4e
Comment by JerDon & Sara — April 30, 2009 @ 7:17 pm
Yu have created Very informative article. Thxs very much, and some nice interaction too. With Old School Mktg some including my Son said I was a Genius. Built 2 Multi Million$ Biz’s. But EYE 4 the life of me have been unable to make it work on the Internet. We have a great Product & Web Pg, And have Spent lots$ & dedicated 8-10 daily for 2 Yrs. This information is very nice & I have been trying to do similar strategies, with Tweet Sara & I Have Grown 4k group in a 6 Wks. We spent 8-12 hrs a day doing so. Perhaps we need a JV but I fear partnerships, because I’m too giving have lost horrible in past from getting people involved money-wise. Again thankz Kenneth for this forum. JerDon & Sara
Comment by skweeds — May 2, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
“Brevity creates the illusion of security.” I like this.
Comment by Susan Connors — May 5, 2009 @ 1:29 am
Thank you for an informative and very useful article.
Comment by Simon — May 10, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
I did go through all of Ken’s Twitter Salvation videos and I still find myself rechecking some of them out several months later. They have some really good tips and a darn good philosophical approach. As for profitability I’m still too new at this game but it has helped my following
Comment by Chris Goegan — May 14, 2009 @ 1:38 am
Kenneth - thank you for the tips. Newbie to twitter and not into hype. I’m an old school Canadian guy who likes to see people win. My first impression was that there was too much hype and not enough substance. I guess that’s a part of any industry eh? So, I’m trying to figure out how to connect with people who are about the bigger cause - that there is something bigger going on than any of us can imagine and it is our responsibility to play our part.
Keep the tips coming eh!
Chris.
Comment by Coach T.I.A - Coaching You to Take Inspired Action! — May 19, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
I love twitter! Twitter brings me amazing friendships, collaborations, discussions, learnings, clients, website traffic. It would be much harder to get established as a newbie starting out if it weren’t for twitter. Social Media rocks
Comment by Terence — May 21, 2009 @ 8:22 pm
Richard Eastman, you ask the question “am I crazy?” I’m no expert but my guess is you’re mildly crazy and perhaps on the verge of going stark raving mad.
I would suggest you take a long vacation and remember the most important thing you can do in life is BE HAPPY.
Cheers,
Terence
Your Man in South America
Comment by melissa — August 17, 2009 @ 5:23 pm
Good article!
Nevetheless, I have not found success when I have:
asked people to write me back about issues that affect them (in my case, job searching and career assistance)
-asked people to email me the above
-offered teleseminars and group coaching sessions without response
-signed up on jobangels and posted comments that I am willing to help complete strangers
Why am I not getting response?
I hear all the time that by asking, you can grow your following on Twitter.
Thanks kindly in advance.
Melissa
Comment by Shaqir Hussyin — December 5, 2009 @ 7:53 pm
Another awesome piece of content…i have generated thousands of dollars in a very short period of time for one of my home based businesses, signed up a ton of reps-
got nearly 20,000 Followers -TARGETED!!! Kenneth’s courses are awesome, thanks kenneth - i guess i should give you a proper testimonial sometime lol =)
Follow me on http://twitter.com/ShaqirHussyin