Emma Snider
Twitter is all about clarity and brevity. Want to express a thought that’s longer than 140 characters? Tough luck. The platform forces users to trim messages down to what’s absolutely essential.
You have a bit more real estate to work with for your bio, but not much. 160 characters is all the social network affords users for their profile descriptions.
For sales development reps seeking to dive into social selling, this is both a blessing and a curse. As opposed to a LinkedIn profile, a Twitter bio offers much less real estate. So while salespeople can spend hours or days trying to craft the perfect LinkedIn page, writing a Twitter profile is not nearly as time-consuming.
But on the other hand, how the heck can you give prospects the impression that you’re a trusted advisor in 160 characters? Attempting to pack as much information as possible into a tiny space can sometimes prove more challenging than filling up an entire page. As Mark Twain said, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
Here are some tips to help you juice the most social selling value out of your Twitter bio:
1) Write your positioning statement.
When prospects ask, “What is this call about, anyway,” what’s your response? Most salespeople can recite their positioning statement — a concise phrase explaining their offering’s value proposition and the results it can help buyers achieve — at the drop of a hat. Since it’s already tailored to be simultaneously informative and brief, including it in your Twitter bio is a no-brainer.
2) Offer a mini insight.
Buyers will pay attention to salespeople that can teach them something about their businesses or alert them to a trend they might not be aware of. If you have a thought-provoking statistic that grabs prospects’ attention on the phone or through email, insert it in your bio. This way, you can reinforce your status as a thought leader and helpful advisor.
3) Include hashtags that interest your buyer.
The hashtags in your bio are searchable, so why not make it easier for buyers to find you by including a few in your profile? Just be sure to use hashtags that your buyer would be interested in (for example: #technology, #business, etc.) and not those that reflect your pet topics (#sales, #closing, etc.).
4) Link to your company’s Twitter account.
Instead of “Sales rep at Company,” write “Sales rep @Company.” This makes it easy for buyers to check out your company’s profile in case they’re interested. It also enables your profile to surface if someone searches for your organization.
5) Link to your other social accounts.
Allow buyers to continue researching you by adding your LinkedIn profile and/or blog to your Twitter bio. Don’t make prospects work to find or get in touch with you — make yourself available on their network of choice.
6) Choose a professional, hi-res picture.
Despite the fact that we’re living in the age of Instagram and the selfie, your Twitter profile picture shouldn’t feature filters, duck lips, or bathroom mirrors. Select a recent professional headshot that would make a buyer feel comfortable trusting you with their business. You can also opt to choose an action shot that portrays you in a certain light. For instance, Craig Rosenberg, cofounder of TOPO Inc., deliberately chose a picture that showed him speaking and teaching clients.
As salespeople know, getting to the point quickly is better than rambling on and on, especially on social media. Keep this in mind when writing your Twitter profile. Instead of stressing about it, think of it as a fun exercise. With the right attitude, the words will come.
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