A Twitter party is a celebration of the cool stuff you create. Whether you are creating software for small business owners or personal development ebooks you are doing something special. Helping people make their lives better. This should be celebrated!
When you throw a Twitter party you are creating an online micro-event that gathers people to learn, engage and chat about a certain subject.
There are two ways to throw a Twitter party. You can create a tele-seminar and throw a tweet chat around the call or you can just create a tweet chat.
A tweet chat is just creating a hashtag like #mktgchat, so you and everyone else can follow along. I like to follow along using Tweetchat because it auto populates the tweets for you. So as the host and guests talk about the theme on the call, people on Twitter are tweeting about the conversation going.
Why a Twitter party works so well
The object of a Twitter party is to engage with people, earn their trust and let people share you or your business with their friends. It’s a great way to sell something without the hard sell.
That’s why I like to create Twitter parties where people can learn, share, and connect with each other. It really is the perfect party. You can hang out in your underwear, drink a glass of red wine and chat with some online friends.
Sometimes having to get all dressed up to impress others is just a waste of time.
“Neuroeconomist Paul Zak has discovered, for the first time, that social networking triggers the release of the generosity-trust chemical in our brains.”
– Adam L. Penenberg of Fast Company
Every time a person Tweets, posts on Facebook or comments on any social portal, they are trying to connect with others. The brain releases oxytocin. It makes us feel loved. It’s why social media is so addictive; we can connect with people any time we want.
The idea is to harness this power and help people learn to get to know, like and trust you and your product.
7 reasons you should throw a Twitter party
- You are looking to launch a new product.
- Your business wants to create some buzz with online users.
- You need to expand your influence in social media.
- You want to connect with a targeted group of people that care about what you do.
- You prefer to encourage word of mouth advertising than use push marketing.
- Your business wants to build influence in its niche.
- You love a good party.
Click here to read the whole “7 Reasons You should Throw a Twitter Party” breakdown.
The Nitty Gritty of a Twitter Party
Let’s say you own a small business software website. You are trying to bring exposure to a software program that boosts sales through helping sales and support staff communicate more effectively. The product is called “Sales Booster 2.0”, so you create the hashtag “#SB2” for the event.
Anyone who joins in on the call can write a tweet with the hashtag “#SB2” and people can follow the conversation using Tweetchat or Twitter Search. As people are chatting on Twitter, they are putting a hashtag at the end of their tweets. Most live conferences do this too so people can connect with each other through social media. If you’ve attended a conference in that last few years, you’ve probably seen this done during a speaker’s presentation. It’s a way to create more interactivity between audience and the speaker.
The best part is that people tweeting with the hashtag are seen by their followers who might then check out the conversation. People who love cool software for small businesses hang out with other people who like cool software for small businesses, so you are reaching targeted followers who are probably familiar with your type of software. If they aren’t already familiar with it, hopefully they will be after they see all their friends tweeting about the party.
Rules
There are only two rules. You need access to a Twitter account and a phone. Actually, you don’t even need a phone to join in on the fun. You can just follow the Twitter stream as people are chatting on Twitter. The second rule is to have fun. If you are having fun people want to learn more about your offer and join in on the conversation.
Prizes
Every party needs prizes. A Twitter Party is no different. You should have cool prizes you can give away throughout the party. This can be anything from actual books, electronic eBooks, e-courses and even larger prizes like a ticket to a live event. Like I said earlier on this page, I won a $29 eBook. I walked away feeling like a winner.
The beauty of a Twitter party is that you get the audio and visual interaction (Twitter stream) that’s what gets people interested in what you have to say.
Growing Your Business
Twitter parties are one of the best uses of social media to grow your business. You build trust with the people who join in on the party and encourage them to start a conversation with you. You are building a relationship with these people that could help you for years to come.
In the end business comes down to relationships. If people love what you provide they will want to tell their friends and family. It’s why all the good restaurants are always packed: People tell their friends about positive experiences.
Word of Mouth (WoM) makes up about 65% to 75% of all sales. You have to encourage people to get together and talk about your product. The more they talk, the more they want to learn about your product and eventually buy your product. Every time someone tweets about your product or service, you are gaining trust and attention.
It’s up to you to get the connection started. Once you have a potential new customer’s attention, you can explain why they need your product or service. When they understand how awesome you are the sale is the easiest part.