Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

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  1

  tj14

  08/17/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  If you define B2B selling as selling how to ebooks and coaching to other solopreneurs, then yes, Twitter is a great sales tool.

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  2

  josephk@...

  08/17/09 | Report as spam

  Joseph

  Geoffrey - as expected, "40% pointless babble" is what's showing up in all the media headlines but if you consider dialogue among people valuable (or at least not totally pointless) and ?pass-along value? means people found something interesting enough to share with other people, then more than 46% of all posts on Twitter were actually ?not pointless babble.? That?s a different view of the same data in the Pear Analytics report you referenced.
  
  I agree with you that Twitter is overhyped in some respects. But for driving sales specifically, the real value isn?t in spamming people but using Twitter (or whatever microblogging service emerges next) as one of many social media tools to identify and build relationships with people that are dealing with challenges you can address. That?s not spam; that?s being in the right place at the right time with (ideally) the right solution.
  
  So I'd respectfully disagree because while we?re in the early stages of that trend, to categorically call Twitter?s potential for sales ?hype, plain and simple? is probably oversimplified and one-dimensional, in my opinion.
  
  Joseph Kingsbury, Text 100
  
  http://text100.com/hypertext/2009/08/is-twitter-just-pointless-babble/
  
  

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  3

  amyw1978

  08/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  I agree with Stephen Fry (apologies in advance for language....)
  
  http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/18/pointless-babble/

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  4

  Lorenzo H

  08/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  It's all hype as you say. It 'was' the next big thing that everyone jumped on like lemmings. I checked it out briefly, and came to to the same conclusion as I did when I unloaded instant messaging from my computers...it is an unnecessary distraction, and a constant interruption of focus.
  
  Focus is also the reason, I insisted on an office with a door, when I was poached for my current position. Focus is one of several key reasons that I am a top producer.
  
  If we want to communicate something important, then use email, if you want to discuss something less formal, then pick up the ******* phone! Its quicker, and you are able communicate more than with just words - like humor, and emotion - through nuances, and tone.
  
  PS - Love your blogs Geoffrey. You are always on the money!

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  5

  jedwar

  08/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  If you are a business, Twitter is best used to monitor comments about your product or company. It is not a B2B sales tool. You can't move someone along the sales cycle in 140 characters.

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  6

  dabrock@...

  08/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  As a sales tool, I tend to believe it's value is still to be determined, and have a high degree of skepticism.
  
  However, as a marketing tool, customer service, competitive/market monitoring, I think it has great value currently and more potential than many of us can imagine.
  
  I question the market analysis somewhat. If you did a "random analysis" of people's/company's mail would you find a high percentage as meaningless babble? What about email? What about advertising? What about other emedia---including BNET? Also, what is one person's babble, may be another person's gold.
  
  The ESR study was a good study, I participated, but it did not test the effectiveness of Twitter as a sales tool - or the other social media tools, it only asked if you used any of them. There are some fair conclusions that can be drawn. But at the same time, I think Dave Stein would agree that while many of the customers (at least execs) are not yet leveraging social media tools, undoubtedly their utilization will increase over time. The effectiveness of these tools will increase along with that.
  
  I remain skeptical of Twitter as for sales, just as I don't consider advertising, direct marketing, emarketing, etc as sales approaches but marketing tools. However, I have seen companies get value from Twitter in other dimensions.

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  7

  ingoodcompany

  08/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  Those who forget history are doomed to forget it again. Remember the guy who turned rocks into revenues by calling them "Pet"? Twitter is no doubt a solution looking for a problem. Though problems have been solved using Twitter, few have truly monetized it. But I remember wondering how a free search engine could make money. That's why I'm sitting here writing in someone else's blog instead of my own. I'd bet Twitter turns into serious $$$ for someone soon, if it hasn't already.

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  8

  julia meecham

  08/18/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  Quite good for generating traffic until Twitter decide to suspend you. Not going to bother with it now.

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  9

  hdennen

  08/19/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  dabrock has a point.
  
  Sales tool? Not in the conventional sense. Marketing tool? mostly by spammers, but Moonfruit did it right. Listening tool? YES.
  
  I like how only a few people seem to get twitter. It's not about getting your direct message out there, it's about hearing what everyone else is saying, both individually and in aggregate. People are talking where you can hear them. You don't have to be Don Draper to see why that is a huge deal.
  
  Think information dissemination. old school print and online posts put info out without discourse. True, there are comments, but that's just structured dialogue pertaining to a specific point. It's not brand feedback.
  
  Twitter is a constant public discourse that you can directly influence. How is that not obvious? How are the benefits of that not obvious?
  
  Isn't marketing all about getting your product into public discourse? Promoting brand awareness by creating social objects that connect with people?
  
  PS the only reason we're seeing so much spam is because it's easy and it works (Julia knows what I'm talking about here). But that doesn't make the medium illegitimate.
  

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  rictownsend

  08/19/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  I just believe most people don't get it and sure for some it may be "pointless babble" however it doesn't need to be.
  
  I have found that it has improved my blog and site visits dramatically. I have also found that if you provide value you will gain readers and followers and a great way to broadcast (in a similar fashion as the news stand headline posters did in the past) an attention getting message. I do not broadcast personal stuff which I state in my profile, I pretty much stick to my niche (career advice) and and only tweet 1 to 3 times a day. Seems to work for me.
  
  I think the "secret" is to combine your twitter activities with your other sales processes. If the old buying steps of Attention, Interest, Conviction, Desire and Close are correct you need to see tweeting as "Attention" only or if you're really lucky (or smart) you my get the reader to the "Interest" step in the process.
  
  By the way if you are serious about tweeting I recommend you go easy on the sales pitches if you want to maintain your following. I currently have a few over twenty four thousand followers... how many readers or potential buyers... well that's another matter... however I have made some sales.
  
  Ric http://twitter.com/rictownsend

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  11

  adamqureshi

  08/19/09 | Report as spam

  adam

  twitter is a tool , like a telephone that is all. You can use the telephone to reach prospects/clients and you can do the same with twitter . Some people are better then others at using the tool. That's all i have to say about that , now it's time for a run !

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  12

  conlad

  08/19/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  Twitter... yeah, way over hyped because the tool itself is not polished or finished enough. There are tons of mini apps out there patching it up because it is not offering all the functionality that it could, and that in turn would make it a better overall tool.
  
  Now, as a sales tool? No way, specially B2B. It can only help you provide quicker service and have a direct 'ear' into what is being talked about you, not drive ahead a real sales process.
  
  So, Twitter is an upgrade over company/product forums, comment sections, and an add to facebook company pages, but it all boils down to how well you can attend these resources and act upon the comments and requests of the people.

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  13

  Sid Herron

  08/19/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  As a sales tool? No. But as a way to repetitively touch my customers and prospects with information of value? You bet. Think of it as a micro-newsletter for important pieces of information you'd like to put in their hands immediately.

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  14

  plevering

  08/20/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  I am relatively new to Twitter but have set up a personal account and an account for our business (FeatureTel). So far, I see Twitter as a huge room full of people having conversations. Yes - it's loud; there is a lot of babble about nothing. The room, as a whole, is not very targeted or specific. But if you start to filter the conversations (like walking through the crowd listening for groups of folks talking about something that interests you) then you can participate in those conversations.
  
  For example: our company provides hosted PBX service mainly to local businesses. So I set up a filter that looks for keywords like 'phone'; 'VoIP'; 'hosted'; being tweeted by folks 'near me'; etc... Within 2 days I saw a tweet from a local business owner ranting about how he wanted to throw his old phone system out of the window... I tweeted back... we have an appointment this week...

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  15

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  08/20/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  Re Note 14:
  That's actually very interesting and creative. Maybe I'm wrong about this...

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  16

  KMcG

  08/20/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Twitter as a Sales Tool? Uhhh... No.

  The jury might still be out on Twitter, but the people ARE here commenting , so it is generating interest and dialogue. It's definitely a marketing tool. The words used in the above posts ,micro blogging/newsletter, advertising, Listening device, customer service monitor, product review by peers, communication device,advertising vehicle, etc. I agree with J Kingsbury that it's just starting and I disagree with the post that says 140 characters can't drive sales ,advertising and brand does drive sales, think a cool new way of saying , We Try Harder, Coke the Real Thing, Diamonds are Forever,etc. or See you at The Trade Show today.. . etc

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  17

  Dj.Azevedo

  08/21/09 | Report as spam

  Re: Twitter as... Note 14 and... note 15!

  Yeah, Geoffrey! Now you're on to a less generic approach and view to how Twitter can be useful, thanks to "Plevering" comments. As with anything new, people take time to find good use especially if it comes in an unusual or unheard of format while a few creative, sharp observers come up with great money making solutions.
  
  Sure let'a wait, see and learn throughout the journey!