You should never be complacent in your marketing approach. Afterall, with the way technology has advanced today, a small slip up in your marketing can become global news in mere seconds. Social media is the new medium which delivers news across the internet – so having the correct marketing plan is key to delivering the correct and accurate message for your business.

At the heart of any businesses growth strategy should be their marketing plan. If you have a business but no marketing strategy you’ll soon find yourself in trouble. With no idea who your customers are how can you promote and improve your products to a wider market?

For my own company, Diva Cosmetics, we achieved a £1 million turnover in one year, and I believe that this phenomenal success has a lot to do with how I marketed my business. Knowing who my customers were meant I could really market to them in a way that made my product essential for them.

Here is my 4 step process to creating an effective marketing plan:

1. Define Your Goal

Do you know the overall outcome that you want to achieve? Making money is a given, but how about raising your company’s profile, increasing your mailing list, data capturing? Marketing can lead to all these things and more, so make sure you know your goal and then you can set about working towards achieving it.

2. Define Your Strategy

Identify your target audience before taking another step. You cannot devise any marketing strategy before knowing exactly who your customers are. Create personas of your typical customers – from who they are, to how you can connect with them. Discovering everything about your target audience will produce results that are exciting and promote customer loyalty.

3. Define Your Tactics

Now you know who your typical customers are you can devise the most effective way to market to them. How familiar are you with the various marketing tactics? Online advertising, networking, search-engine-optimisation, direct mail, offline advertising and PR campaigns are but a few ways which you can reach out to your potential customers, but which one will yield the best results for your target market? If this part really is the highest hurdle for you, don’t struggle alone, take guidance from a marketing agency or consultant.

4. Define Your Budget

Ensure that in your business plan you have allocated for annual marketing. Keep a close eye on this as it is easy to get carried away. It is a very good idea to closely monitor each campaign so you can identify the most cost effective form of marketing and put more energy and time into it.

Consider and identify what you are able to do with little or no expenditure. Social media was mentioned earlier, harnessing this medium can reap dividends, and is mostly free to participate in. Also consider joint ventures – other companies are in the same situation as you – creating trusting, working relationships with these companies may also be extremely beneficial.

Marketing really doesn’t have to be expensive – but it does require a lot of planning to be effective. Don’t let this idea of planning put you off, as once you see a campaign being extremely successful, raising your company’s profile as well as bringing in more business, you will be extremely glad you became methodical and organised in your approach to marketing.

The title for this post stemmed from a conversation overheard in a group of supposedly forward thinking individuals who were discussing their business plans.  When success stories of contacts made and leads gained were used as examples of social media success these were dismissed as being irrelevant as there was no cash being made.

This created a question to the “social media sucks” brigade;

What avenues were you using?

This elicited the right answer. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and blogging. Well so far, so good.  But then the next question identified where the problem was;

How long have you been doing it for?

We stopped after a few weeks, we weren’t making any headway.

And therein lies the issue. It amazed me that business people were still thinking that they are going to elicit an immediate response to their social media campaigning and that they will start making money straight away.

Those of us who are actively engaged in social media as part of our marketing strategies know this. We know how much time and effort it takes to generate meaningful contacts which, in turn, will generate revenues – either directly from the contacts we make or 2nd/3rd hand from our contacts links.

I understand the frustration felt by small business owners. They are trying to do a million things at once and if something does not seem to be having an immediate effect, it tends to get dropped in favour of things that give an immediate satisfaction or benefit to the business. However, social media cannot be ignored and the time it takes is well spent.

A contact I know has made over Stg100K directly as a result of blogging and using Twitter.  80% of the sign-ups for our beta testing have come from social media connections (including this site – so thanks for that!).  These are tangible results for the success of social media. These examples alone show the benefits of a social media marketing strategy.

Social media marketing requires a strategy, it’s no good doing it “willy-nilly”, and time. The former can be created with a bit of research, the latter just needs to be planned into the working day. Blogs can be created in advance. There are ways out there to be used to help you post automatically on Twitter (though make sure to interact as well), along with a host of other tools.

There is no excuse or reason for not engaging with social media in your business. It is too powerful an opportunity to ignore. But no, you won’t see a result in two weeks! (unless you are very lucky!).

Any helpful hints on engaging with social media for the unconverted?

In order to communicate effectively with our target market, we need to know them. Too often we make marketing decisions based on what’s important to us rather than what’s important to our customers. For example many promotions are based on excess stock or a need to increase sales of a particular product or service. If we’re offering customers something based on what we value instead of what they value it’s no surprise that we won’t get a good return. Infact there’s no better way to alienate a customer than to demonstrate that you’re not paying attention to their needs. How do you meet your customers’ needs? It’s pretty simple; you need to know them to make your communication relevant. There are 10 things that you absolutely must know about your customers-know these things and it will intelligently inform your communications leading to better ROI everytime.

1. Who are they?
2. What do they do?
3. Why do they buy?
4. When do they buy?
5. How do they make buying decisions?
6. What is important to them?
7. What do they expect from you?
8. How much money do they have?
9. What do they think of you?
10. What are they interested in?

Of course to find this information you need to ask for it. Ask your database for reports, ask your customers to answer questions and always ask yourself is what I’m saying relevant to who I’m speaking to?

Paddytech

Paddytech is a new group on that aims to connect Irish ICT executives within Ireland and those overseas interested in keeping abreast of the Irish marketplace

Owner: Frank Brown

Ireland Business and Professional Network

Ireland Business and Professional Network is the leading business and professional network in Ireland, bringing together experienced, sophisticated private investors and professionals with exciting, early-stage, high growth companies. You are invited to join our Group on LinkedIn.

Owner: Calin Rus

Irish Executives

Networking group for Irish business people. The aim of the group is to share business connections, ideas, job or consulting opportunities among Irish folks. It is also aimed at promoting Irish based business abroad and Irish owned companies overseas. HEADHUNTERS ARE VERY WELCOME

Owner: John G. Keogh

Irish American Business Network

The IABN is founded on the cultural and historical contributions of Irish descendents throughout North America. Using a light hearted, satirical approach, we seek to use our collective experiences and insights to further our social, professional, and individual pursuits.

Owner: John Richards

Ireland: Bio/Pharm & Medical Device

A group set up for the free echange of ideas for the Biotechnology, Pharma and Medical Device Community in the UK and Ireland. irish, pharmaceutical, biotech, med dev, qa, qc, quality assurance, validation, engineer, process, manufacture, production, regulatory, clinical, r&d, gmp, gcp, qp, iso

Owner: Neil Walker

121 Marketing Network Ireland (First Wednesday Club)

This is a group for Ireland-based Marketing professionals to discuss marketing ideas, industry trends and help people find other marketing experts. Connect with friends, colleagues, alumni, and develop new marketing contacts. You are invited to join the 121 Marketing Network Ireland!

Owner: Karina Rose Heavey

Regulatory Affairs Professionals

A group specifically for Regulatory Affairs personnel who are interested in discussing career opportunities, both contracting and permanent in Medical Device, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies. Regional Sub-Groups include a group specifically for those in the Irish marketplace.

Owner: Jenny Navan Jenny.Navan@cpl.ie

OpenCoffee Ireland

Self-organising business meet-up group with members in major Irish cities such as Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford.

Owner: Bernard Goldbach

Irish Recruiters

This network was set up to try get the collective community of Irish recruiters to congregate in one area so we can from time to time learn from each other, debate and make better connections helping us get better at our day to day jobs!

Owner: Declan Fitzgerald

Freelance Ireland

Resource for any freelancer in Ireland.

Owner: Shane Devane

Chartered Accountants Ireland

Chartered Accountants (CAs) are members of Chartered Accountants Ireland, the premier body of accountants which promotes the highest professional services delivered with integrity. NB: Chartered Accountants Ireland LinkedIn Group is exclusive to members and staff only.

Owner: Stephen Molloy

Innovation Ireland

Innovation has never been more important for sustainable competitive advantage – for companies and countries. This group is for people interested in helping Ireland continue to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) by building the innovation island.

Owner: Richard Delevan

IT Ireland

Group of IT Irish professionals and people working in IT in Ireland.

Owner: Mariusz J. Handke [LION] [PGP:0x6098BC0F]

MBA Association of Ireland

This network is for members of the MBA Association of Ireland (MBAAI) and MBA’s in Ireland or with a strong connection to Ireland (including MBA students). For faster approval, please ensure your MBA appears on your profile (and connection to Ireland if you are not based in Ireland).

Owner: Andrew Harbourne-Thomas

Dublin Chamber of Commerce

Dublin Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of businesses, both large and small, in Ireland’s capital. This group is for members of the Chamber.

Owner: Patrick King

SOCIAL MEDIA IRELAND

For anyone that is interested in learning about using social media tools to effectively and organically grow business – Blogging, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn etc Also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/socialmediaireland Twitter: http://twitter.com/SocialMediaIRE

Owner: Niall Devitt

Engineers Ireland Official Group

With over 23,000 members, Engineers Ireland is one of the country’s oldest and largest professional bodies. Our primary role is to be the representative voice of the engineering profession in Ireland.

Owner: Engineers Ireland

Irish Technology Leadership Group

The ITLG is a group of Irish & Irish American senior execs, based mainly in Silicon Valley, committed to ensuring Ireland remains a strategic area of investment & opportunity for US technology companies & committed to supporting the global growth & development of Irish based technology companies.

Owner: Cian Hughes

IT Recruitment & Jobs in Ireland

This is a group for IT Professionals and IT Recruiters who are based in Ireland or are considering relocating to Ireland and would like to know what is happening in the IT Jobs market through a network of people that share common affinities.

Owner: Fabien Peyaud

SME Links Ireland

This Group is for Owner-managers / Senior managers of Irish SMEs and specialist consultants working within the SME space. Its intention is to allow members to share ideas, gather information, express opinions and concerns, and to make contacts.

Owner: Jackie Prendergast

Digital Tonic

“Digital Tonic” is a free-to-attend monthly networking night in Dublin, for digital media professionals in Ireland. The night is modeled on a similar event that ran in the UK called “Boob Night”. Its aim is to give the digital media community a networking opportunity to meet up once a month.

Owner: John Dunne

SALES LEADERSHIP IRELAND

Sales Leadership Ireland is a new group that aims to help Irish sales people network and discuss all things related to selling in and from Ireland.

Owner: Niall Devitt

Irish Business Association

The Irish Business Association is a group of professionals and business owners committed to promoting business relationships and personal interaction within the Irish-American business community based upon a shared heritage.

Owner: Al Nunan

Lean Enterprise Ireland

Lean Enterprise Ireland is a networking group for Irish practitioners (not consultants) and is run by Shingo Prize winner Professor Peter Hines of LERC, Cardiff University. It is for those interested in taking lean beyond the shop floor tool stage to full Lean Enterprise implementation.

Owner: Professor Peter Hines

121 Business Network Ireland

This group is for Ireland-based business professionals to discuss ideas, industry trends & help people find other experts. Connect with friends, colleagues, alumni & develop new business contacts. This is a platform to interact with your peers. You are invited to join, 121 Business Network Ireland.

Owner: Karina Rose Heavey

Online Marketing Ireland

Online Marketing Ireland is a group dedicated to the growth of the online marketing industry, particularly with regards to Digital Media channels; and we hope you’ll join our group. Sponsored by Radical, an Online Marketing Agency located in Dublin, Ireland.

Owner: InteractiveReturn Dublin

HR Ireland – 100+ Members – Ireland’s largest Human Resources Network

HR Ireland – 400+ Members – Ireland’s largest HR Network HR Ireland – HR Network Group run by HR Professionals for HR Professionals in Ireland and Europe. Network of HR Professionals in Ireland and Europe to share and discuss people topics.

Owner: Hugh O’Brien

Rebuilding Ireland Inc.

This group seeks to bring together Irelands “grey haired revolutionaries”, as Gary Hamel calls us, to use our combined expertise to help Ireland Inc regain its status as one of the most dynamic economies in Europe.

Owner: Alex McDonnell

Web & Creative Ireland

Welcome to the Web & Creative Ireland Group. This group is primarily dedicated to people who are responsible for designing, developing, or maintaining websites. Let’s connect so we can keep in touch and stay up-to-date with the latest web technologies.

Owner: Gus Laios

iGaming & Gambling Professionals Networking & Career Group

A specialist group for professionals from the iGaming & Gambling arena to network, share ideas and gain access to latest worldwide career opportunities in Gaming including London, Gibraltar, Malta, Isle of Man & the Republic of Ireland. Online Bingo, Casino, Poker, Sportsbook and much much more

Owner: Stuart Roe

If there is a group that you are a member of and believe deserves a mention, please let me know in the comments section below.

Yet every business has a story and this story is the most compelling part of your business, the hook that will capture your customers’ interest. In order to create effective marketing materials, it’s important to take a step back and ask yourself: what’s the story of my business?

There are numerous elements to that story. The first is the idea, the spark that propelled you into business. Maybe you spotted a niche that you knew you could fulfil, or decided to leave the rat-race and fulfil a lifelong passion. Or you wanted work that would ensure you could spend more time with your children.

Then there’s the story of how you set up your business: the goals you hope to achieve, the obstacles you overcame and the highlights. Finally, there’s the meaning the business has brought to your life, whether it’s the ability to provide for your family, the freedom to be your own boss, or creative fulfilment.

In a previous post, I mentioned the importance of finding an angle when creating a press release. Putting the elements of your business story together will help you find that angle. It will help you figure out what makes your business unique, what you do differently to everyone else in the market.

Once you have written your business story, it will then be easier to create effective marketing materials. Your story can form the basis for a compelling mission statement on your website, a press release for the media or marketing emails for your customers.

You’ll discover that creating marketing materials is quite a linear process. First you tell the story, then you sell the story.

PS: To find out how to tell your story through blogs, why not drop along to WordCamp, a camp for business bloggers being held in Kilkenny  on March 6^th and 7^th. It features talks from international blogging experts. Log on to www.wordcampireland.ie for further details.

“Corporate identity and image aren’t a priority for them.”

This was January 2010 in Dublin. I was having a meeting with a very nice man who was to be my coordinator at the Mentor Network that works with Enterprise Ireland to assist companies in their development. I should hasten to add that he thought they were a priority, but ‘they’ didn’t and he was just passing it on for my information. Enterprise Ireland represents part of the Irish government’s efforts to re-boot the economy. Of course, all political parties, when they are trying to get elected, are acutely aware of the importance of image and identity in their campaign, yet it doesn’t seem to be a priority for fledgling companies.

Since when has making a good first impression not been important to anyone? And when has it not been important to develop a strong relationship based on good impressions supported by positive values? The truth is that we have always been hugely influenced by images and messages. They form the bulk of our guidance system through life, but they are often subliminal. If we look back at old advertising, we may find some of it funny, distasteful and even ridiculous – but we may not have questioned it at the time. The factors involved in our acceptance of images and messages are far too extensive to discuss in a short blog like this, but they are very real, and companies ignore them at their peril. As they say, change is the only thing that we can be certain of, so we would benefit from seeing all our business communications as a constantly evolving process and paying close attention to them.

Take a look at the images here, and imagine where these companies would be now, if they hadn’t changed their imagery and messaging!

I wonder if the copywriter who came up with ‘Blow in her face, and she’ll follow you anywhere’ still has a job! It amazes and saddens me that, even today, governments all over the world still support the deadly tobacco industry by using it as a tax collector – but drive without a seatbelt and you’re nicked! However, the anti-smoking lobby, once it gained some traction in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, started coming up with some arresting images of their own, that needed few words to communicate their message with the appropriate impact:

I also found a wonderful ‘have your cake and eat it’ advertisement (below) suggesting that you could eat as much as you like and not get fat by taking sanitized tape worms as part of your diet. ‘FAT – the ENEMY that is shortening Your Life – BANISHED!’ Don’t worry, apparently they are ‘easy to swallow’ and have ‘no ill effects’.

It seems laughable now that such an advertisement could even exist. I wonder if we will feel the same about tobacco advertising in our lifetime.

The right corporate identity and image are key to success. Gaffes are frequently made, but those who take them seriously can get them right and they help them to prosper. Apart from many other valuable considerations, they clear the pathway to meaningful relationships by accurately and authentically letting people know who they are. One of the challenges is to make the identity future-proof. If a company relies too heavily on focus groups and existing research to define the message they want to put over, they run the risk of being absolutely right for now, but quickly becoming obsolete. If they go too far into the future and unknown territory with advanced thinking, they can alienate current customers and find it very difficult to get board approval.

BP had to manage a lot of criticism when, in 2000, they changed from their familiar shield logo to the sunflower. The criticism that erupted covered a vast gamut of snipes. Marcello Minale, a top corporate identity man in London at the time, famously described it as an infantile spirograph drawing (I guess his pitch was one that failed). It was likened to the Flora margarine logo, it was panned as a disingenuous attempt to make the business of burning oil appear to be green and clean; but the logo stood and became accepted. Many companies would be just too scared to go there, but good planning and clear thinking paid dividends in their case.

Back to my meeting.  Along with the comment about corporate identity and image came a folder. The first thing I noticed when I opened it was the picture (below).

An idealized start-up situation. It looks very much like a stock shot to me, and the symbolism is really laid on thick. The mentor is suitably older but not doddery with a touch of grey to show experience and an informal posture to suggest connection and involvement. He’s wearing a blue shirt – the colour of safety and security. The young, clean-shaven bright-eyed businessman-to-be is leaning earnestly in to eagerly catch every last drop of wisdom as they both sit in an unfinished yet pristine office. Nothing wrong with any of that, but you can’t deny it’s there, and it’s meant to impress the reader and give them confidence in the organization. In other words, the very organization that was side-lining the issue of image and message was trying to use it for themselves. Of course they were.

The rest of the design and text was clean, neat and uneventful. It was depressing in that it was exactly as I expected it would be. I didn’t really want to read it, and felt it would be a chore to search through it for any relevant, important or exciting information. When I did read it, the parts that impressed me were the impassioned testimonials of people who had benefitted from the mentoring process.

I greatly enjoyed my meeting with a charming, professional and very likeable person, but in summing it up, I had a realization. Ironically, the stumbling block in the whole process was the printed material that was supposed to be designed to give me a good impression of the organization. I guess the reasons that it didn’t are clear from the comment I opened with, but this is something that happens a lot. So often our interactions with people are confused by clumsy or uninspired material that adds nothing to the experience, and can even get in the way. Having said that, the fact they are produced at all reveals some truths about the organization or business that creates them. The messages may be as subliminal to the producer as they are to the recipient, but they are not without effect.

Do you know what your business is telling the world?

Yes, you guessed it! the HEADLINE is without doubt the single most important piece of any blog post that you create….

That’s why you should give it lots and lots of attention and come up with one, that works really well and grabs the potential reader as soon as he or she sees it.

The funny thing however is that we (me included) are often guilty of spending a lots of time researching and constructing a post – but only investing a few minutes (or sometimes even seconds) coming up with the headline. Are you guilty?.. I know I am.

With just a little effort and some additional time, it’s definitely an area where most business bloggers could improve significantly.

Here are some super resources to help you craft incredible headlines:

How to Write Magnetic Headlines

The Sexy Art of Writing Headlines that Kill

How to Write Compelling Social News Headlines

How The Huffington Post uses real-time testing to write better headlines

And these are some recent examples of headlines that grabbed my attention here on Bloggertone:

MR. Topsy Turvy’s Job Rant

Blog, blog, blah, blah – bland, bland?

Oops – Where Did The Money Go!

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Is Anybody Listening?

Now over to you!

Do you agree that headlines are really important?

How much time do you spend on headlines?

And have you come across any great examples of headlines at work?

Pic: seobook

Blogs did indeed start off as diaries, but they have evolved to become hubs of opinion on topics ranging from politics to philosphy to literature. And in the business world, they can provide snapshopts of a business, its day to day activities and inner workings.

Blogging is not a replacement for a website or other promotional materials, but it does bring practical benefits to your business. If you have a website, it will increase your level of traffic. When you write a blog, you’re adding fresh content all the time, which in turns makes it easier for Google to pick up your site and place it higher in the rankings. If you don’t have a website, a blog is an inexpensive way to launch yourself onto the Internet.

The other big benefit of a blog is that it allows you to develop a direct relationship with your customers. It’s a chance for you to tell them how using your products or services will benefit their lives, whether this means saving them money, boosting their wellbeing, or simply helping your special occasions go off with a bang. You can keep them up-to-date with developments in your business as they happen, rather than waiting until you do a website revamp.

Blogging creates a viral effect. Customers will appreciate your great tips for choosing a perfect wine or making the most out of Facebook. They’ll also discuss your business amongst their friends, which enables you to tap into the power of word of mouth. And they’ll use your blog as part of their decision-making process. In my case, Shiro Media decided to use my copywriting services after reading some blog posts I had written about the nuts and bolts of the English language.

People worry that a blog will suck up all their time. But three or four paragraphs is the very longest that a blog is likely to be. Depending on your business, a paragraph with a picture could be all you need to attract readers. Blogs suit businesses with a creative bent and service-orientated businesses. including wine merchants, life coaches and clothing designers.

The Internet is full of places to host your blog: Wordpress and Blogspot are among the most commonly used. You should be able to create a facility for a blog within your website, so that all a customer needs to do is click on a Blog button to avail of your wisdom. And of course, if you have expertise in the world of business or marketing that you want to share, Bloggertone is a pretty safe bet!

But those days are gone. Today’s world, where news and views cross continents at the click of a mouse, is stuffed with messages. We suffer from information overload and don’t know who to listen to first. If you’re in business, getting potential customers to hear your message is becoming more and more of a challenge. If that’s not daunting enough, the “customer” has been transformed from spendaholic to skinflint practically overnight. Having wallowed comfortably in consumerism for many years and suddenly been battered by the effects of the global economic crisis, today’s customers are much more savvy about spending.

What this all calls for is a greater focus on marketing planning

Review your product/service, know who you’re aiming at, be driven by results and stand out from the crowd. Build your marketing on the uniqueness of your business then through conventional and more unusual methods create a great-value brand to tempt truly discerning customers. In spite of the recession don’t be tempted to trim back, shelve, or conveniently forget marketing. Right now that would be short-sighted. Experience tells us that, in the past, when businesses have cut back too much they have paid the price. Instead you need to implement a solid marketing plan.

From the outset with my start-up, Diva Cosmetics, I relied on my industry background and marketing toolset knowledge to do just this. I reviewed all my options to promote and determine a well considered and practical plan. I evaluated it consistently and the result was marketing success. Since selling Diva Cosmetics, I’ve consulted many entrepreneurs and SMEs using my proven methods, helping them to achieve success. Where marketing is concerned, you need to start by analysing the competition, reviewing your product/service offering, identifying your target market and allocating resources to activities that are likely to bring maximum return.

Whether you opt for traditional advertising or buy into the technological advances that now shape the way we live and work, when it comes to the basics of business marketing, things haven’t changed.

1. When setting your objectives consider what you want to achieve. Build a profile of your typical customers: who they are, what they do and how you could connect with them. Do your research carefully and figure out how you can make approaches to this group. Remember to be specific because blanket marketing, with no particular customer in mind, isn’t a good idea.

2. Now you know what you want and who you’re after, how are you going to make it happen? Let’s talk strategy. Thoroughly investigate your activity options. Cost up your proposed activities. Once finalised, plot them on a calendar and stick to it. Don’t be tempted to try reactive, unplanned, or poorly considered marketing – it doesn’t work.

3. Brainstorm what you can do for free. Marketing doesn’t need to be an expensive exercise and it always pays to think creatively about solutions. Once you have a customer base, be up front about asking them to tell their friends about your business because viral marketing is simply the best.

4. What are your tactics? Take a long, hard look at the competition: learn from what they are doing. Work out the specifics of your strategy to include a review of each marketing activity. Measuring your return on marketing investment is one of the greatest challenges but continuous review and assessment is essential

Once your marketing activities begin, ensure you track results on a database. This will allow you to see what particular aspect is most valuable either in terms of increasing your business profile, attracting customers or increasing sales. In my book BOOM! 7 disciplines to CONTROL, GROW and ADD IMPACT to your business, I cover in depth how to develop a successful marketing strategy for any business – from management to spreadsheets – and it has proven to be a huge benefit to all my clients. My advice to you is sort out a solid marketing plan; understand what your customer wants to hear so when you send your message they’re ready to listen.

I created the account as @whatswhat_sian so that every time I tweet someone sees the business name. My bio explained the business and gave a link to Whatswhat too.

I didn’t know a soul on Twitter but as it was for the business I looked through names in Ireland. So I followed them and also lots of their followers as I reckoned they’d mostly be based in Ireland. The majority followed me back and then it grew from there.

From the start I just chatted. I can’t remember those conversations now but they developed and people asked me about Whatswhat – which was perfect as I could answer and lots would see it.

Twitter and other online social media sites suit me perfectly. All my work is done via my laptop so it is almost always on. I can multitask well so I can be on hold on the telephone, or doing admin and be tweeting at the same time. Most importantly I am no good at the normal networking in a group of people. Luckily my business partner, Barbara Gordon, could be called the Queen of Networking so she takes care of that side of the business and I can do the online stuff.

Over the past year we have had on average 3 signups to the directory a week with the referrer as Twitter. They are free listings.  We have had several companies take advantage of our €5 a month premium listings and have sold a few Top Ten spots too – all via seeing me on Twitter.

Sometimes I see someone on Twitter looking for a service and I am normally able to give them a link to a list on the directory or suggest a business listed with us.  I have also received advice on Twitter regarding SEO, IT support, broadband connections, marketing, Facebook, and lots more.

We have found a sales person via Twitter and we are still on the look out for more plus I have made contact with someone who could be very important for our business through Twitter. Unfortunately I cannot say more about that at the moment.

Meanwhile I now have over 2,200 followers so they have all seen the name Whatswhat and hopefully will think to use the directory to find a company or service in Ireland or possibly sign up with us.

I’d highly recommend Twitter for your business. There is excellent advice in Niall Devitts blog – 50 Tips to get you started on Twitter for Business

Well that’s how Twitter has helped Whatswhat.ie – has it helped your business too?