Over the past few years, Twitter has been unfairly portrayed as an antagonistic platform, filled with virtual trolls just waiting to start an argument. However, despite its reputation, Twitter can actually provide small business owners with a safe space to grow and cultivate their professional network. You simply need to implement the right strategies. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks along with special guest, Samantha Kelly, discuss how small business owners can foster their professional connections on Twitter, while also avoiding any unnecessary conflicts.

Executive Summary
1:23—Today's Topic: How Can My Small Business Benefit from Twitter?

2:35—Small business owners should view Twitter as a platform where they can share knowledge; add value; build relationships and help others.

4:36—Regardless of your industry, all small business owners can benefit from networking on Twitter.

6:06—The more willing you are to help others, the more likely those individuals are to take interest in your business. People who focus exclusively on forcing product sales will not do as well.

9:27—When creating a Twitter profile for your small business, try to humanize your brand with a professional photo of yourself or a humorous tag line in your bio. Readers will respond better to an actual person rather than an abstract concept.

11:31—Don't connect your other social media platforms to your Twitter account.

12:17—Twitter lists are a great way to organize and promote your professional contacts.

16:42—Take advantage of all the tools that Twitter has to offer, like videos or Twitter chat. Also, don't afraid to post other positive, non-business posts on your feed.

19:24—To avoid offending anyone, small business owners should not provide any controversial or political commentary on their Twitter page.
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Transcript
Gene: Hi everybody and welcome to the Small Biz Ahead podcast. This is Gene Marks and I'm here with Jon Aidukonis from The Hartford. I'm with the Marks Group as well. And we have a lot planned for the next, I don't know, Jon, 20 - 25 minutes of talking. And I was going to ask you this before we even started this podcast is whether or not you wanted to have a little bit of chit chat beforehand and I'm thinking like we have such a great guests. I mean ... we're going to talk about Twitter. Nobody wants to hear about what you and I have to say, right? They want to hear about Twitter. Right?

Jon: No. Yeah. I'm an extremely boring person. I say let's jump into the social-palooza.

Gene: Yeah, that's what I think as well. So we are lucky to have Samantha or Sam, right? We're going to call you Sam. Correct, Sam?

Sam: Yes.

Gene: Okay, great. Sam Kelly, Sam's an award-winning Twitter expert. She's a social media strategist. She's a speaker. She's an author. She's the founder of the Women's Inspire Network. Tell us, Sam, where do you make the most money at? Are you a Twitter influencer or are you a social media marketer? Where does your income come from and how do you help out small businesses?

Sam: First of all, thank you for having me. Great technology, isn't it? That we can actually do this. I'm based in Ireland and I suppose most of my income would be the training of people on social media, Twitter and LinkedIn in particular.