Marketing Makeover: Twitter Profile, Part 3 – Your Location
May 27th, 2009 by Cristina Favreau
The Marketing Makeover series is designed to help virtual office professionals avoid common marketing faux pas that interfere with their success, put their professionalism in question and hinder their credibility.
If you don’t use Twitter as a marketing tool to build, grow and sustain your professional virtual online business, you can totally ignore this post!
This week’s Marketing Makeover is really simple.
Are you a Virtual Assistant who, on your Twitter profile, posts the following as your Location (yes, these are actual examples):
- Virtually Everywhere, Virtually Anywhere, Virtually Global?
- Globally, Global, Worldwide, International, Planet Earth, The World?
- The Internet, Online, Virtual?
- your phone or iPhone number?
- your URL?
- anything OTHER than a physical, geographic location?
If not, you can skip this post.
If yes, first I want you to know that, from the outside looking in, at the very least, it looks as if you’re hiding something. At worse it comes off as patronizing and it seems obnoxious. (But maybe that’s just me?)
So don’t do it anymore. Why? Remember, you’re asking potential clients to hand their business over to you so they can get productive and do what they do best. Right? Show some good faith by revealing as much as you can on your Twitter (and all social media sites’) profile. You’re giving prospects an opportunity to feel a sense of connection with you.
Ready? Follow these steps for a quick Twitter profile makeover:
- Go to Twitter.
- Sign in to your account.
- Click the Settings tab (top left of your screen).
- Scroll down to the Location area.
- Enter a geographic position (you know, somewhere we can point our finger on a world map!).
- Scroll down and click Save.
- (If you have multiple Twitter accounts, repeat for each.)
Every part of your Twitter profile is an opportunity for potential clients and referral partners to get to know, like and trust you. Even something as seemingly insignificant as your Location is part of your marketing!
If I don’t know where you live, it makes it hard for me to refer your virtual assistance services when someone asks me “Hey Cristina. Do you know someone who could help with my admin stuff who lives in [MyTown]?”
I KNOW being a VA is about being VIRTUAL — online. I get it. But not everyone does. Remember, marketing is not about you… it’s about communicating in a way that attracts your target market
Note: If you’re comfortable displaying your city, consider including your province/state and, at the very least, your country. Not everyone (me!) knows where Suffolk or Carlisle are, and not everyone lives in your country! If you’re concerned about privacy issues, at least tell us what country you’re in!
So, I want to know. Am I way off on this one? Am I splitting hairs? Do you agree or disagree? Let’s get some real conversation going on about this topic!
No, I don't think you're off base. Sure, virtual assistants are virtual by definition, but if you're using Twitter as a marketing tool for your business, then professionalism is important, and that means including your physical location. You never know who might look elsewhere for assistance just because you didn't want to give your location. Why limit yourself that way?
I 'll pipe in and say I totally agree with you. And honestly, although we work virtually, our business does have a physical, geographical location. Not sharing that has a tendency to make other business people raise an eyebrow. Another great tip!
As a side note, if you're concerned about giving exact location online, at least use the nearest city to you. I live in a small city on the outskirts of a larger one. I use the larger one as my location, not because of online concerns, but because more people are familiar with where the larger city is.
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Blog post from @Brainstormist: Marketing Makeover: Twitter Profile, Part 3 – Your Location http://bit.ly/mnQ8Q @tweetmeme
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Blog post from @Brainstormist: Marketing Makeover: Twitter Profile, Part 3 – Your Location http://bit.ly/mnQ8Q @tweetmeme
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
I understand why someone could think that adding a specific location may hurt their efforts to attract global clients. But a location has personality. It helps people get to know you more quickly. It may be something potential clients have in common with you (“I used to live near there”).
There are many ways you can turn your location into an asset. If it's a remote, rural location, stress the quality of life. Urban locations offer access to ideas and cutting edge trends.
Also, buy local is becoming a strong marketing motivation. Someone down the street may be looking for you.
How your location can boost your social media marketing: http://ow.ly/9QH4
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[...] Your Location [...]