How to Get Over 70% of Your Business from Twitter: Interview with Patty Farmer
Think twitter is just for celebrities?
This interview is about to bust that myth wide open . . .
Patty Farmer gets over 70% of her business from Twitter (she reveals exactly how much of her business in the interview).
Listen to the Full Interview with Patty Farmer (23 min)
Bite-sized clips are below, each about 5 minutes in length. Click on the link to listen:
- How Patty Gets Over 70% of Her Business from Twitter (7 min)
- How Patty Uses Social Media to Generate Leads (7 min)
- How Patty Applies the 80/20 Rule to Her Business (7 min)
00:03:02 MARIA: Welcome everyone this is Maria Peagler founder of Socialmediaonlineclasses.com and today I have with me Patty Farmer of Patty Farmer International. She is a marketing and business growth strategist and international speaker who will be going to Barcelona and Belize in the coming weeks. She’s an author and radio show host and, she has been awarded the “International Collaborator of the Year 2014″so, welcome Patty:
00:03:41 PATTY: It’s so great to be here.
00:03 43 MARIA: Patty, I heard you speak at a social media conference this past summer. It was a DFW rock social media and I was really fascinated by the combination that you use of social media and email marketing and, one of the things that you mention was that you get 70% of your business from twitter so, tell me what that looks like how do you turn a twitter follower into a client?
00:04:14 PATTY: That’s a good question! I love it. So, it’s 74% right now last year with 68 then its 71 and now its 74 so that’s kind of good there but here’s what I’m going to tell you. It’s really not about me. It’s really about them so, I would have to say that whenever I have twitter followers, which really interesting about twitter is unlike any of the other social media platforms it don’t have to follow your back. It’s not like one more friends we’re friends they don’t have to follow your back. So, it’s kind of like you earn your followers and I love that that’s the thing that I love about twitter so, it’s really about having great engagement not good engagement but great engagement and then, really building on that relationship and then, it’s really asking questions like you really want to have a conversation and you ask questions and then, you find their pain points and you offer solutions if it’s applicable but sometimes it’s really not applicable and then, I really tried to make myself via resource and whether that for a referral or to do an introduction for them just at least want people to know that I’m a resource for them and I think that when they see that it really isn’t about me that really serving not selling organically it actually instrument itself.
00:05:40 MARIA: For you really are focusing on not just getting twitter followers or numbers but in turning those followers into relationships in true relationships where like you said you’re serving them.
00:05:54 PATTY: Absolutely. I don’t think it’s about the number in any type of social media at all. It’s really not about the number and for me, I actually vet my followers twice a week so i actually go through I want to make sure that the people that are my followers and a way followed back are truly my specific audience which your target audience and your target market may or may not be the same thing but it really is important for people to really realize that if you’re not talking to right people at the right time it’s just noise.
00:06:34 MARIA: The other thing that I’m interested in Patty that I’m going to follow up on is you know exactly how much of your business twitter is bringing you from last year to mid-year to now so you are doing a lot of measurements.
00:06:49 PATTY: Absolutely, numbers are sexy.
00:06:51 MARIA:*laugh*
00:06:52 PATTY: Numbers really are sexy and I have to tell you I didn’t used to think so before the only number I really wanted to know about was if it had a dollar sign in front of it. I mean not to say that it was about the money don’t get me wrong but if I was looking at numbers the numbers that I was looking at was this is working and what I was tracking I was deciding whether or not it work was really about did it make me money but now I believe that you have to be thinking so much more than that it is so much more than that and I think part of that is because when you’re tracking because of the way social medial is so twine with everything that we do its not only going to show up in one place so it’s really really important to pay attention and do your insights and to really track and I have to tell you it’s exciting. It’s very very exciting so really numbers are very very sexy.
00:07:51 MARIA: That might be the quote of the year numbers are sexy. I love that.*laugh*.Now, the other thing that I remember you mentioning at the DFW Rocks social media conference was that you built a very large email list in the course of 1 year I mean it was in the hundreds of thousands of subscribers so, how important is your email list to your business and how does that work with your social media marketing?
00:08:21 PATTY: I love that so, it works very very well and one of the things that I think I may have even said it at that conference we we’re at which just they change their names. Now it’s called Rocks Digital so that’s kind of exciting but imagine if you have all Facebook friends and your fans all your twitter followers your LinkedIn connections and your google plus circles all in your email list so that change your bottom line because really google can change your search engine rankings and Facebook and Twitter can both suspend your account but no one can take away your email list and for me, that is why I truly truly believe that the money isn’t always will be in building a good responsive list and the most important work I said there is responsive again, just like we we’re talking a few minutes ago, in the numbers it isn’t really about the numbers just have to remember that behind everyone one of those numbers is a person so whether your B to B or whether your B to C really honestly, your P to P which is people to people so, we do business with people and even though a lot of times people will talk about no like trust factor and the no like trust factor is very very important but when you’re talking about monetizing it really become no me ,like me, trust me, pay me and there not going to do that until you built that relationship because right now in this business economy, relationship is the currency that’s being used.
00:09:50 MARIA: So, Would you say that you used social media as a lead generator into your email marketing list?
00:09:59 PATTY:I do, now here’s one of the things that I find really interesting right now, is that when I’m seeing a lot of my private clients and actually my masterminds too what I’m seeing is that people is so much into social media marketing and it is so important. I’m not saying it’s not but one of the things that I’m seeing is that a lot of people are using their websites and other things to drive people to their social media instead of using their social media to drive people to their website and I think that’s important to track as well people really need to be paying attention how their business is coming in not just where it ends but how we’re they getting so, we’re given and paying attention to those numbers that’s sexy too.
00:10:44 MARIA: So, what would you say for your own business is the best source of quality email subscribers for you?
00:10:55 PATTY:I would have to say that my best source of subscribers for me in terms of conversion would have to be opt ins and there several clients so opt ins meaning on my website when I’m doing freebies from when I’m speaking both virtually and in person so, a lot of times I’m an international speaker and a lot of times you don’t get yourself on the stage so, doing some type of a freebie where again you’re serving not selling and really making sure that you give something a value. I think people really love that the days “let me just give you a free report” I think people are kind of numb to that now. They really want something that’s a value really something that will help them so I think that for me if you give them something needy and you think of it as lead-gen and how you want to help them you want to give them something that after they get that they’re going to be like “wow I want more” and that’s going to continue the conversation so, I think whether you’re using social media or any type of lead-gen it’s not about “oh let me just give them this white report or white paper “it’s really about what is the start what’s the beginning of my entry level funnel that I can give them that’s kind of lead to what they may need the next time that I’ll may be able to provide to so, it’s always about serving them and so I think that’s really important.
00:12:25 MARIA: And so if someone was just starting out in email marketing and they had not yet decided on what kind of a freebie to give away or if they have something that’s working ok now but isn’t doing quite as well as they would like. What kinds of things would you recommend that go beyond like you said just that free report?
00:12:51 PATTY: Well, what I would say is the easiest, cheapest and the least time consuming for somebody starting out would be to go to freeconferencecall.com that won’t cost anything to record a 45 minutes to 1 hour on something that there expert in and then just go into word and create a some type of handout for it and then used that to download and then it’s kind of called a power pack right then they get an audio and they get something to download with it. It’s something they can do less than an hour and the free conference call actually gives you the recording of it so it’s something they could do very simply and then I think they should use their social media for that too, create custom tabs Facebook pages a lot of ways to utilize that in social media they get people to want to have it but I really really believe that they like to hear your voice too so I really believe that audios works very very well.
00:13:56 MARIA: I really like that suggestion Patty it’s different. It’s not something that you see everybody else doing and I think you’re right people do get numb to things in the same offers over and over again after a while they don’t even see them anymore like that, I like that. Now, once you have somebody who is a subscriber on your list, what types of emails do you send to them and how often?
00:14:26 PATTY: I love that question so the first thing I want to say when you’re talking about email is to really remember that the best type of email you can send is something that’s permission base. We want to make sure that you are using permission base marketing and one of my favorite quote “Permission base marketing is the thing that is always going to build your business” always always always going to build your business and if you build your business with service and relationship it won’t just be your bank account it will be your retirement account so, it’s really important to do that so that’s the first thing I wanted to say there I think it’s important but for me I use several types of email and send them out weekly but here’s the number one thing I do and I think this is why I have I high open rate, a high click-through rate and a very low unsubscribe rate because the most important thing is to segment your list and make sure that what you’re sending everybody is appropriate to them and I’ll give you example of that if you’d like for example: So I do event. I go to event. I’m a speaker so, whenever somebody opts in to my list and this is something that they can also do for free. They can send a survey out and I ask my list. I actually do it twice a year when I’m vetting them. I actually ask them. I want to honor you by only sending you appropriate email to the things that you are interested in click on the subject that you’d like to receive information and it may say speaking virtual events, list building, networking, marketing all the things that I do and I let them choose whatever they choose that’s the list they go in to so now they’re telling me what they’re interested in getting and I only send them those things.
00:16:38 MARIA: For you are really making sure first all that you have their permission so, these are people who have ask to be on your list you’re not just something a subscriber list and you’re making sure that what you’re sending them is relevant to them according to them. These are the things that they’re asking for.
00:17:01 PATTY: That tell you’re always giving value if every time you show up its valuable so that when they see it in there inbox. Now a days people are reading there inbox with 1 finger on their delete button and it is really important to make sure that when you show up in that email box, that everything you’re saying is relevant, resourceful and it’s a value but it’s very very important that you’re serving them and that’s why it won’t seem to fail even though that a good portion of them may do business with you and it will turn to profit but you are doing it in a way that serves them.
00:17:43 MARIA: Patty, what percentage of your income would you say come from email marketing versus social media marketing?
00:17:54 PATTY: Now that’s a really good question so just cut those things earlier how much I tract my numbers.
00:18:01 MARIA: Yeah. Numbers are sexy.*laugh*
00:18:04 PATTY: Numbers are sexy, that’s right! But here’s the thing, the number one thing that you should be doing with email marketing and social media marketing is entwining them meaning that the people you connect with online, your number one goal is to how do I continue that conversation and get it offline but the people who are opting in through your website or different freebies or whatever the best place to continue that conversation is online so, the reality really is to do both so, it’s really kind of hard after a while to really know what the percentage is because such a high percentage of mine are in both places very rarely I can’t even think of anybody else on the top of my head who isn’t in both. Now, of course there are people in social media that are not on my email list yet, but that is something I work on all the time so i think it is very very important so really social media marketing and email marketing the number one thing you will hear all the people the experts, the authorities, the influences well tell you now if they have to do it over again the number one thing they would do to be list building and growing your list is the one thing that you should do so, you should be getting the people, that your connected to on social media on your list and vice versa so, you can converse with them you could have a conversation with them and then just email them with relevant information and then have the rest of the conversation online. I think it is very very important to do both but your number one thing that you should be doing every single day and in every activity that you think about doing this is why I think list building courses after courses after course but the reason why is because that’s where people are dropping the ball and they need to do that so the number one thing they need to be thinking when they do every single activity is how was this going to grow my list. Is it going to grow my list? And if it’s not growing to grow your list in any ways perform you might want to resync it or restructure it.
00:20:20 MARIA: Ok.and what would you say Patty, the people who especially small business who say ok now I need a website and social media and now, I need email marketing, how may I supposed to do all of that?
00:20:37 PATTY: Well, the first answer would be you don’t have to do it all yourself its sounds like it’s time consuming I can see it how would I listen to say that. It sounds like its time consuming but it really isn’t so many tools out there now that can help you to automate a lot of that and, all of those things that you just talk about all should be working together list building should be working automatically with your social media and with the list building part social media should definitely be helping you to grow your list so, all of them are really entwine together in reality so it just sound like it’s not but really it is but if they need help they can either hire somebody if they don’t want to do it themselves but in reality really doesn’t take that much time although I’m the first person to say that we don’t really need to be looking at our own envelopes right. The thing is if there’s not something you like to do or no how to do then you should outsource it that’s the number one thing that for me is what separates business owners and entrepreneurs in getting results and getting massive results. You’re going to get massive results when you stop doing the things that you don’t really need to be doing and you step out and say “You know what, I need to be focusing on incoming generating activities and if you can spend the best part of your day doing that because I always tell people all the time there’s now money now and there’s more money later and a lot of times people like to focus on more money later and there not making now money now and the bottom line is you don’t get into business to for you to be on social media I hope. Right.
00:22:22 MARIA: That’s right, that’s right.Ok, Two follow up questions for you, the first one is, I’m a huge believer in the 8020 rule especially as entrepreneurs and small business owners you can’t do everything so, you’re to focus on the top 20% of the tactics that will get people 80% of their results when it comes to combining social marketing, what would be that 20% be?
00:22:55 PATTY: Oh.I love that! love, love love…ok so, the first thing everything should be list building so we already talk about that but I think that the thing that they need to be spending 20% of their time because this is going to get them 80% of their results as well, is that they need to be really focusing on engaging right and providing that value so it’s really really important that I think that they do that and I think that when there utilizing there social media, they need to realize that they don’t need to be selling, people want to be educated, they want to be entertained that’s what they’re looking for right that’s what they really looking for and there’s a way to really build relationships doing that for I think it’s very very important to spend your time building those relationships and those relationships that you build those will come around and it will organically end a little bit of help it will actually help you to grow your business so you get the profit that you’re looking for your business.
00:23:58 MARIA: In my last question is the same one to every person I interview, what is the question that I should have ask you but I didn’t?
00:24:08 PATTY: I loved that question, that’s a really great question, what is the question that you should have ask me.that’s really good! I would say that the question that you should have ask me was that if somebody was a business owner and they we’re just starting their business that’s the number one thing that they should do.
00:24:27 MARIA: Ok, and so, what would that be?
00:24:31 PATTY: So, the number one thing I think that they should do is to have a plan because it doesn’t matter what should you doing but you should have a strategy for everything you should have a strategy to your email, you should have a strategy to your social media marketing everything you do you should have a strategy so you’re not just doing this and doing this and doing this and it’s not coming together for you. I have to tell you that I see a lot of people doing that and even though we think it’s important to know how to do everything, it’s much more important to know why you should be doing it for i think that’s the most important part is to know why you’re doing what you’re doing and then, to have a strategy because I’m going to tell you hope not a strategy.
00:25:11 PATTY: Patty that is so smart..*laugh*.That is so so smart. I see so many business owner have a passion for what they do they have a vision for what they do but they don’t have a plan. They don’t have a strategy. They get in there and they dive in and there excited and then, the hard time hit and there not able to laugh at it so, I think that it just so so smart.
00:25:40 MARIA: Patty, where can people find you online?
00:25:46 PATTY: So, they can find me on my website which is pattyfarmer.com. So, pattyfarmer.com it’s pretty much everywhere you can find me on social media too. Twitter Patty Farmer and that’s where I spend most of my time is on twitter for the obvious reason and you can find me on Facebook and all the other online all the social media sites that if they just go to my website pattyfarmer.com they can see my social media places there so, I would really love to connect with them that would be fabulous and if they have many questions I’ll be more than happy to answer them.
00:26:18 MARIA: Ok, and so your twitter handle is @pattyfarmer?
00:26:21 PATTY: Correct.
00:26:23 MARIA: Oh. So simple wonderful! Patty, thank you for being with us today.
00:26:28 PATTY: You’re welcome! It was great to be here. I’ve been really looking forward to this interview and thank you so much for having me.
