Twitter is one of the most popular and powerful social media platforms for startup development. It can help you connect with potential customers, partners, investors, mentors, and influencers in your industry. But how do you use it effectively for networking and building professional relationships? Here are some tips to help you get started.
Your profile is your first impression on Twitter, so make sure it reflects your personal brand and your startup's value proposition. Use a clear and professional photo, a catchy and relevant bio, a link to your website or landing page, and a pinned tweet that showcases your latest achievement or offer. You can also use keywords, hashtags, and emojis to make your profile more searchable and engaging.
Stand out. Get a professional headshot from a photographer that will bring out your personality. People buy from people so the photo is important. Put 3 key things in your bio that make you stand out from your competitors. For example I put 'nice people collector' in mine to show my personality but also put my stamp of authority as a TEDxSpeaker and Author.
Twitter is a great way to discover and learn from people who share your interests, goals, or challenges. You can use tools like Twitter Lists, Advanced Search, or Hashtagify to find and follow accounts that are relevant to your startup development. These could be industry leaders, influencers, peers, competitors, media outlets, or potential customers. Once you follow them, you can start engaging with them by liking, retweeting, commenting, or mentioning them in your tweets. This will help you build rapport, credibility, and visibility.
One of the best ways to use Twitter for networking is to share valuable and authentic content that showcases your expertise, insights, or personality. You can share your own blog posts, podcasts, videos, or newsletters, or curate content from other sources that you find useful or inspiring. You can also share your startup's story, milestones, challenges, or feedback requests. The key is to provide value to your audience and spark conversations that can lead to deeper connections.
Show behind the scenes particularly if you want to attract good people and people who are like minded. Most of my most popular tweets have nothing to do with my business!
Twitter chats are live discussions that take place on Twitter around a specific topic or hashtag. They are a great way to network with people who have similar interests, questions, or opinions as you. You can join existing Twitter chats that are relevant to your startup development, or host your own to showcase your thought leadership and attract new followers. To join or host a Twitter chat, you need to find or create a unique hashtag, set a date and time, invite participants, and moderate the discussion.
Direct messages (DMs) are a powerful way to communicate privately with your Twitter contacts. You can use them to follow up on a conversation, ask for advice, offer help, request feedback, or pitch your startup. However, you should use DMs wisely and respectfully. Don't spam people with unsolicited messages, don't be too pushy or salesy, and don't send the same message to multiple recipients. Instead, personalize your messages, be polite and friendly, and provide value or context.
Twitter can be a valuable tool for networking in startup development, if you use it strategically and authentically. By following these tips, you can leverage Twitter to grow your network, build your brand, and advance your startup goals.
I never use DMs unless I have built a relationship first and only in emergency eg if I see a tweet where the link isn't working I will DM the person to let them know rather than say it in public as it's kinder.