Last Updated on July 20, 2020 by Carolyn McRae
Our industry loves to talk about Twitter.
(Ironic how this article is yet another example.)
But the opinions of REAL users have been hard to find. Until now.
Last month I set out to find out what real, human users in the financial industry think about Twitter – Is it worth using? Would you encourage a non-user to join? If yes, what would be your advice be when they start? I personally emailed 281 Twitter users involved in our industry and, well, I asked.
Their feedback was priceless. Here’s what folks said…
“What would you say to someone who’s on the fence about using Twitter?”
It’s a party
“To someone on the fence about using Twitter I say that it’s a little like walking into a loud party when don’t know anyone there. At first it is overwhelming, scary even, but you soon learn who is there just to talk and once you find one real person to listen and provide feedback doors begin to open. Just like a loud party, if you look like you are having fun people will want to be around you.” -Erik Hughes, @in2StocksHRA
…and all the biggest thought-leaders are there
“Twitter is the best social media platform for following thought leaders, so every advisor should at least create an account and start listening. Also, it’s so easy to manage multiple social media outlets by using HootSuite (or similar tools), that you minimally need to include the Big 3… Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.” -Bobby Cremins, @BobbyCremins
“Twitter is a key part of our communications strategy. It keeps us in touch with the issues that industry opinion leaders believe are worth sharing. It allows us to participate in those conversations, and in so doing we advance both our strategic understanding and our tactical intent. It’s also intellectually challenging, and often emotionally rewarding.” -Paul Resnik, @paulresnik
…so are other Financial Advisors
“I think Twitter is one of the easiest ways to keep in touch with other advisors and it helps me keep up on the news and changes happening in our industry. By using Twitter’s “List” feature, I can create customized streams that I can access whenever I have a few extra minutes that would otherwise be unproductive.” -Tyler Gray, @_TylerGray
“Twitter is an easy way to initially connect with other professionals locally. If you see a common interest you can follow up via Linkedin or a direct message through Twitter to get together for breakfast or lunch. I have many professionals in a new city simply and easily through Twitter and it’s starting to open new avenues for me.” -William Bissett, @wbbissett
“Twitter allows us to be more involved with other financial planners while at conferences. Use the conference’s hashtag to keep up on what’s happening in other sessions, and tweet important quotes and ideas from the sessions that you attend.” -Sunit Bhalla, @SunitBhalla
…and your clients.
“Twitter provides a great way to get your message out to clients while also providing a great way to get the message out quickly if needed. Many clients of advisors are also on Twitter, particularly younger clients, so it is a great way to connect and engage with them. More and more client of advisors will be on Twitter in the future. You need to engage clients where they are active on social media.”-Reid Stone, @AdvisoryQuest
Prospects will check if you’re at this party
“It used to be a prospective client would ask their friends about you, soon after they began googling you, and now we are rapidly entering a world in which they want to know more about you than a simple website offers. Today, advisers need a blog coupled with a strong social media presence to drive prospects to high quality adviser-created content. Great content helps generate and close more leads and social media is the most trafficked avenue to distribute that content. The challenge is that this doesn’t happen overnight and requires a long-term time investment by the adviser. The good news is that we are seeing advisers who put in the time are now yielding a tremendous return on that time. However, by time, we are talking years and not a few months.” -Michelle Akhtar, @RIAinaBox
“Over time, I believe my twitter network has helped me hone my professional skills and knowledge. Any prospective client could, in a matter of minutes, could go through my tweets and know what I am about. In this respect, twitter allows a level of transparency that naturally attracts potential clients who are a fit for my practice.” -Rob Schulz, @robschulztx
…so, show them how great you are
“Twitter can be a great way to establish your brand, build an audience within your niche, and maybe most importantly, show people who you really are. Your personality and your interests can easily be shared through Twitter. It is more than just pushing content … it involves engaging with your community (however you define your community).” -Josh Womack, @WomackFinancial
“Twitter is the only social media platform that has the ability to touch thousands of people within seconds… I wouldn’t say that there is a direct relation to gaining clients but it is another source that will allow you to show and display your personality. With so many advisors it can be hard to differentiate yourself. Twitter can definitely help.” -Michael Solari, @SolariFinancial
…basically, it’s a big way to compete.
“I would say that it’s another form of visibility and credibility building that will give you exposure to different audiences. If you’re looking to appeal to a new generation of clients or the beneficiaries of existing clients you need to be there! Your competition is!” -Aquiles Larrea Jr., @LarreaWealth
“While there are challenges to social media policy, those challenges need to be addressed because social media isn’t going away, and can be a great equalizer for small firms in a competitive and noisy market.” -Richard Dee, @richardpdee
“Social media is a very cheap way to get a very loud voice.” -Rick Dude, @Quant_Advisor
It will amplify everything you already do.
“For advisors on the fence, Twitter is a great venue to do 3 things:
1-have a broadcast channel for your original content, including blog posts, feature stories, web videos, and events/seminars.
2-connect with people that may be hard to reach via traditional channels. There is a lot of instruction out there about how to connect with potential clients via twitter. It’s easier to connect on twitter than it is cold calling.
3-create new ideas to better yourself and your practice. Following other industry leaders on twitter has given me the opportunity to see things they are doing in their own practice or get ideas on different industry trends that I may not have found otherwise.” -Joshua Duvall, @DuvallJoshua
“Twitter looks like a frivolous medium, at first glance. But this is a medium that can get you noticed, drive traffic to one’s blog, website and also allows one to establish oneself as an expert in a field. I would say to all advisors out there who are not using twitter to take it pretty seriously. You may be left behind if you don’t.” -Suresh Sadagopan, @SureshSadagopan
“We at Artifex Financial Group primarily use Twitter to send out blog post updates, etc. We have integrated Twitter, Facebook and our RSS feed into our mobile application, which we believe is enabling a more efficient way to communicate with our clients.” -Doug Kinsey, @artifexfg
“There are so many ways to use Twitter for a useful purpose – customer service dealings (especially with airlines during inclement weather), optimizing news + content intake, crafting your own brand if you’re a business, and last but not least – SEO. HL comes up in search result for portfolio stress testing way higher than big public companies. Why? SEO – and you better believe Twitter helps that along. Every tweet is another little tentacle of HiddenLevers out there on the interwebs. And those little tentacles bring people back to HiddenLevers. The search engine gods watch that – and we come up higher on searches.” -Raj Udeshi, with @HiddenLevers
It will keep you current, in an efficient way.
“Keeping attuned to the most current information and topics of discussion is absolutely vital in the Financial Services industry. These days, clients often initiate communications with their Advisors about evolving market conditions, and they fully expect the Advisor to be up to speed. The delivery methods for information has evolved to the point where participation in social media is no longer optional. Advisors who previously shied away from Twitter are now discovering it’s the quickest and most efficient method to date of delivering information, and keeping in the loop on trending financial and related topics. It’s now a lifeline for those in the industry.” -Mary Ferguson, @ConcenterServ
“Twitter has been a Trojan Horse vs. the opacity of the Old Wall and its content-starved media. In the dark ages of Wall Street research (pre-Twitter), there was a game-within-the-game. There was an information arbitrage where the CNBC’s of the world could trot out who was saying what, and when, and people would have to react to it, but reactions were always on a lag. Today, that “newsy” stuff is a commodity. Information by itself doesn’t give the client an edge anymore; timely synthesis of information is where the Edge is today. So, at a bare minimum, Twitter has really become an enlightening voice for what Old Wall calls “the little guy.” And, at a maximum, it’s going to provide for the ultimate meritocracy – where only the transparent and accountable have any credibility.” -Keith McCullough, @KeithMcCullough
“As a manager at family office we do not actively solicit business so we don’t use Twitter as a marketing tool. However, I do find a tremendous amount of value in Twitter. I personally use it primarily as news filter. I have carefully selected the people I follow in order to quickly access the information that I find valuable. I rarely use mainstream media sites to consume information anymore and my productivity has increased tremendously. Also, I see it as a good way to build a personal brand. Someone that visits my Twitter page will quickly learn a lot about me and the things that I am interested in. So, for someone that is on the fence about Twitter I would encourage them to view it as a way to improve productivity and easily stay informed rather than worry about using it to market your business. Chances are that eventually you will build a presence and as you add value to the platform by contributing your unique ideas you will promote your brand or business.” -Brian Hyde, @Brian_Hyde
It’s moving from nice-to-have to “need to do”.
“In today’s fast-paced and always-connected world, financial advisors need to be savvy about using social media. While many advisors have mastered the use of LinkedIn and have set up Facebook Business pages, Twitter should not be overlooked as a way to listen, learn, connect and share with a network that may ultimately be comprised of your peers, professional journalists, industry and community influencers, strategic partners, and current/prospective clients.” -Marie Swift, @marieswift
“It’s an incredible pulse on the leading edge of the profession and as a NexGen adviser, if you’re not here you’re simply not part of the conversation.” -Brandon Moss, @brandonlmoss
“For advisors who are ‘on the fence’ with twitter: Start by following industry influencers and organizations. This will create a mini newsfeed for you to listen and observe. Then, engage in conversations, share others tweets and integrate your own voice; your content. You can only sit on the fence for a short while or you will be left behind. In order to communicate effectively, position yourself as a thought leader, and stay top of mind to your clients and prospects, you need to keep up with technology and meet the next generation of your clients and prospects on their turf. Remember, it’s about quality and not quantity. Provide relevant and helpful information to meet the challenges of your clients. If you don’t, they will move on to an advisor that does.” -Michelle Mosher, @IronstoneHQ
(Good news: Compliance shouldn’t hold you back.)
“If you are on the fence about Twitter, you need to jump over and embrace it. Think of Twitter as another networking group. You are building a network of contacts that will help grow your business. And, due to the recent SEC ruling, Twitter is becoming more valuable for advisors, as they can now use Twitter to increase credibility with clients, prospects and referral sources.” -Jack Waymire, @InvestWatchdog
“If you’re worried about compliance, “Make sure you have a reliable archiving process and that anything you are posting is (1) true/accurate (2) falls within your compliance rules. We’ve found it to be a great way to reach our audience on a variety of topics. Mine is set up to automatically post my LinkedIn articles to twitter, as well.” -Maria Amado, @mariaamado3
“While we were concerned about compliance monitoring, there are many aspects of twitter that can be done that do not need constant monitoring, such as using an RSS feed. This is redistribution through an automated basis and does not require advisors to monitor and keep track. Also, having one person responsible for administering the firm account allows for tighter control and storage of posts along with times.” -Bob Fuest, @LandorFuest
It’s cool if you want to “just listen”.
“If you’re on the fence, I would say join, start following people that are of interest to you, and then just listen. Much like a conversation you’d have in person, people need to know that you care before they care what you have to say. Get comfortable with the conversation and then look for opportunities to help.” -Brian Plain, @OakParkPlanner
You’ll get more on this “just listen” point later.
Finally, just do it.
“I was initially on the fence about Twitter myself. For an advisor who still is, I’d say there’s no harm in checking it out. If you don’t know how to use it or what to do, find a young person at a conference or ask one of your kids/grandkids to help you set it up, show you how to tweet, how to use hash tags, how to follow someone, how to search for content, and how to follow a hashtag. Also ask how to tag someone in a tweet versus sending them a direct message. Go find some of the vendors you use and follow them. Go find some friends and family and follow them. You can import your contacts into Twitter on your mobile device to see who is on Twitter and then select those you want to follow. It’s easy. You’ll find over time that you might only use it sporadically or you may not tweet anything (maybe compliance doesn’t want you to), but you may find value in following others’ content and ideas.” -Jessica Maldonado, @JMaldonadoKS
“I was reluctant at first and sat on the proverbial fence for a while. I saw my friends and other advisors actively tweeting and I was curious. It was hashtag this and hashtag that. I laugh now, because I was like, what is a hashtag? I was encouraged to test the waters and open an account, observe, and follow other advisors and those that interest me. I realize social media is here to stay and it’s one way to stay relevant in an ever changing environment. Stop contemplating and just do it.” -Audry Batiste, @PreciseAdvisor
“It doesn’t hurt to try! And you don’t have to be active or have followers to benefit from it. When I first signed up for twitter I didn’t use it because it seemed too overwhelming – so much information all the time. Then I made a concerted effort to check it a few times a day and realized how much I could learn from it! I followed a lot of people in the industry and started using it as my news source. Now I feel like I never read anything that doesn’t come from a link on twitter anymore. I barely ever open the WSJ now and just casually skim through other pubs because all the most interesting articles have already been tweeted out and I’ve already read them. All the time I used to spend reading newspapers and other articles are now spent reading twitter where I know the best of the best will be curated for me… To start, just set up an account, go to Michael Kitces’ list of advisors to follow and start following people. Don’t be overwhelmed and don’t try to read every single tweet that’s sent out. Start sharing articles that you find relevant to yourself and your clients and start dialogue with the people who write them. If you are like me you’ll be addicted in no time!” -Chris Benson, @ChrisBensonCPA
→ Want to join the Twitter party?
Sign up today. Make your first weeks incredibly easy and “un-scary” with this free guide How To Get Started on Twitter, created for financial advisors.
“What would you say to someone starting out on Twitter?”
First, welcome to the party.
“I think the most important thing about Twitter, is that you should think of it as a cocktail party. Everybody’s just there, chatting about things, having fun. You don’t want to be the guy at the cocktail party handing out flyers, so just go there and jump into the conversation about things you’re interested in. I follow people in New Orleans primarily, and look for ways to connect with them about restaurants, events, anything where there is a shared interest…
“If you have something interesting from a business standpoint to share, you can do it, it just can’t be the only thing you share. My rule of thumb comes from Chris Brogan’s excellent book Trust Agents. For every 1 thing you share about you, you have to have 19 other interactions, whether that’s responding to somebody else’s tweet, sharing news unrelated to your business, etc. It just can’t be all about you.” -Jude Boudreaux, @HJudeBoudreaux
Be smart about your Twitter handle (a.k.a. @username)
“Create a twitter handle that will resonate with your audience.” -Peter McGratty, @EmergingAdvisor
“Our financial planning firm specializes in helping people in grief, loss, and transition. Most often this includes the death of a spouse or divorce situations. On Twitter, @LegacyWealthMn actively engages with like minded groups by using specific, researched hash tags. We’ve found that using hash tags helps us to join a desired community much faster. In doing so, this has brought us various speaking opportunities at events across the country and we are becoming more known for what we do.” -Aaron Britz, @LegacyWealthMn
Be thoughtful when you ‘Follow’ others
“Search for your clients and follow them, but don’t stop there: read what they are posting to get a deeper understanding of who they are and what they are most interested in. Also, tweet any original content you generate: this can set you apart from others on Twitter who only offer opinions or links to others’ content.” -Dan Callahan, @beyondalpha
“When starting out on Twitter: (1.) DO start by following people and organizations you know in real life. (2.) DON’T follow too many people. If you have significantly fewer followers than those you follow, you’ll look like a networker running into a meeting who throws his business cards up in the air and says “Call me. I can help!” before running out of the room. (3.) Engage by replying to others tweets and retweeting those that you find interesting.” -Caleb Huftalin, @CalebHuftalin
“Follow people outside of your wheelhouse. My feed is quite eclectic because I’m a voracious reader on a variety of topics; I follow people from many walks of life. You might find one morning that, after viewing a photographer’s images and reading an interview with a recently published book author, you find inspiration for a personal finance blog posting.” -Sheri Cupo, @sage_cupo
“Follow accounts you actually want to. Unfortunately, like most, early on I started following everyone who followed me and as a result the ‘management of content’ became a challenge.” -Mark Kane, @markkane37
Just listen at first, if you want.
“Listen before you leap into Twitter. Start by following people that influence you and focus on just listening. Gradually you will discover opportunities to reach out and engage with them. Also, don’t underestimate Twitter: it is a highly social online network. Treat it like you would a networking event: show interest in others and go out of your way to be helpful. You’ll get the most out of Twitter by giving the most.” -Jay Palter, @jaypalter
“Create an interesting profile with pictures! (the best Twitter bio’s are compelling & make you want to follow someone – we see the same boring, bland, descriptions all too often). Do a little research. Find thought leaders in your niche (that are active Tweeters) and listen in. Walk before you run – in other words, just observe until you’re comfortable speaking up. Twitter can be a little overwhelming (because it’s so fast) so just take it in for a little while. Look into subscribing to Twitter lists that make this part really easy. The higher-quality content you share on Twitter (& the more often), the more followers you get.” -Maggie Crowley, @advisorwebsite
Or use it to collect interesting content.
“I find Twitter useful as a ‘bookmark’ for articles and topics of importance for client awareness. If a client asks, ‘Dave, what’s on your mind?’ with respect to markets, I can simply point them to our twitter and/or other social media feeds (Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest mainly) for current issues and topics we think are relevant in managing their portfolios.” -David Gratke, @GratkeWealth
“Among many things, I use Twitter as a makeshift storage place for interesting content. I can easily retweet something interesting that I find and then when needed, I can mine my feed for topics, quotes and commentary for meetings and presentations. It’s an eclectic mix of topics but always interesting.” -Brian Doe, @My95
When you’re ready to tweet, add value.
“Offer value first. Don’t start by asking for favors or complaining. Actually, offer value 3 times before asking for something from your followers. See it as a place to help others and give encouragement. Secondly, be yourself and be real. Let them know you’re a real person with real circumstances that they can relate to.” -Tim Meisenheimer, @streamlinefin
“Make it about them. Add value for them. Don’t make your tweets about you. Offer info that your Ideal Clients can relate to.” -Janet Tyler Johnson, @JanetTylerJohns
“Don’t make the mistake of treating this platform as an opportunity to sell your services directly. Rather, focus on providing value and displaying your expertise. Many people, myself included, also post links to news articles, blog posts and other content we find interesting and relevant to our industry. This practice, sometimes referred to as curation, takes minimal effort but can pay off handsomely. Just concentrate on meaningful content and and genuine relationships will grow naturally over time.” -Patrick Allossery, @pallossery
Share content you like and think followers will like, too.
“Focus on sharing quality content. If you continue to provide thoughtful insights, your impact and visibility will increase over time.” -Phil Swisher, @P_Swish
“Try to find interesting topics to share that are more strategic in nature or that relate to the twittersphere on a more personal note. Although I’m sure some people find a “top down sector rotating” investment strategy fascinating, I believe a human element to our business is still important even in the new digital world. Twitter allows you to show your personality and connect with people of like mind.” -Gerald Graves, @GeraldGraves34
“Most of my posts are of articles that I’ve read and think are worthwhile. Hootsuite makes creating a link to those articles easy, introduced by my own comments. It’s relatively rare that I’m posting new, original thoughts or ideas. More often I’m passing along those that I’ve come across in my readings. If I find it interesting, presumably there are others out there that will as well.” -Norman Boone, @normsf
“Twitter is one part of a total communications strategy today. It addresses the way people like to communicate in an electronic world. Twitter is a powerful resource for an advisor to deliver content, direct listeners and readers to what they want to see and not clog people with unwanted information. Advisers need to understand the future of the industry and how dialogue will be carried on.” -Mark S. Germain, @mark_germain
“My advice is to consistently post (2 -4/Day) and to monitor the posts that are re-tweeted so you have a feel for what content is popular (I’m often pleasantly surprised!).” -Jeff Spears, @sanctuarywealth
But always be cautious…
“Be cautious. Follow the first rule you learned in kindergarten: don’t say something that’s untrue, mean spirited or that you’ll regret because there is no delete button on the Internet.” -Tom Duffy, @FamilyFiduciary
“Take a look at what more established advisory firms/advisors are tweeting about, what they are trying to accomplish, and see if that fits into what you’d like to do to further your reputation and business. And of course, be smart about what you post – everyone can see your tweets so think twice before you write something that could be misconstrued.” -Martin Federici, @mfadvisers
Remember there’s a person behind each account.
“Remember there’s a person behind the account. There are many automated tools for Twitter and they can be great to share your website posts and other marketing. However, don’t be tempted to use automated tools all the time. The magic of Twitter is being able to connect to real people, from all walks of life, potential clients, and industry peers. Share your own experiences with them and contribute to discussions where you might be able to add value.” -Adam Piplica, @BeaufortFPYorks
“Treat your audience on Twitter like you’d treat someone you’re actually having a conversation with. Don’t waste their time bragging about your accomplishments or simply repeating things they probably already heard. If you think the goal of a Twitter account is to show how smart you are…you’re missing the point. If you know the goal of your Twitter account is to make your followers smarter, you’re well on you’re way.” -Randy Cass, @randy_cass
…So engage with them!
“My advice would be to engage, not just post. I’ve found I pick up more followers and get more attention when interacting with others on twitter, so I almost always try to address or respond to specific people or organizations or use a hash tag that is being actively used. And don’t be afraid to engage well known people or organizations.” -Dan Flannery, @BalancedRockIA
“Start engaging your followers to get them involved. Quick Tip: Twitter has direct messaging extension which is effective because itt is private and underutilized also more uncluttered than email inbox.” -Brad Bergeron, @Babergeron
And chat with other advisors.
“Don’t be afraid to ask successful financial advisor twitter users for their tips and tricks. We’re fortunate now to have a larger group of active users who can help you to understand compliance logistics and success stories so that you won’t feel like a guinea pig.” -Melissa Joy, @MelissaCenterFP
“Interact with fellow financial planners. There’s a great twitter advisory community who bounce ideas off each other and I’ve got to know a number of people I would never have met otherwise.” -David Gibson, @DavidGibsonCFP
“I’ve found twitter is most effective for communicating with other professionals and, therefore, my twitter content is 20% personal and 80% professional.” -Greg Skidmore, @gregskidmore
Be focused on a strategy.
“Have a plan with Twitter when you embrace it. What do you want it to do? Do you want it to be a way for you to disseminate information on your company? Do you want it to be a way to get your personality out there? Do you want it to be a PR machine for you as it pertains to giving updates on what your firm or you are doing? Is it going to be a combination of those things.” -Adam Cmejla, @acmejla
“Create a strategy first, then create your profile. Twitter can easily become a distraction, however if you know what you are trying to accomplish, you are better prepared to focus on your goals and minimize the risk of wasting time doing unproductive things.” -Todd Greider, @toddgreider
“My Twitter advice is to always be specific. If you are using Twitter for business, make sure your Tweets are reflective of your goals and your focus. We are a financial services training company, so we look for the latest financial news, personal finance tips and articles that are relevant to financial advisors. We try to offer something of value to our followers, while keeping true to the passionate yet down-to-earth vibe of our company. I often hear people who don’t like Twitter saying things like, “Why should I care about what someone had for breakfast!” but those people are clearly not following the right Twitter accounts ! (or maybe they’re only following Kelloggs…)” -Christina Flemming, @themoneyfinder
Use #hashtags to your strategic advantage.
“Use hashtag symbols to call out your niche target market, for me it’s #womenintech. The Twitter universe doesn’t need thousands of financial advisors sending general messages on investments and economics to the universe, it’s best to send tweets that will be beneficial to your specific target audience. I work with women in technology and I like to tweet about cool tech gadgets, career and professional advice, and financial topics that I think women in tech want to hear about.” -Kim Gaxiola, @TechGirlFinancl
“Use hashtags consistently, and you’ll be found. Include authors’ Twitter names, and they’re likely to follow you. Even better, link your twitter stream to a page you set up on Twylah, an application that categorizes your tweets using the hashtags in them. Your Twylah page, which is updated frequently, reinforces your brand by differentiating your service emphasis and demonstrating your influence. Twitter also taps into a lively, responsive network that’s rewarding and brings daily proof your time wasn’t wasted.” -Susan Becker, @SKBeckerCoach
“Hashtags (#) are your friend. Use them whenever possible, as they provide an SEO type boost on twitter. People interestes in various subjects (like early retirement or entrepreneurship) will actually search for these words. If you have tagged one (i.e. #entrepreneurship) then your post may come up on their screen and lead them right to you. If she likes what she sees, she may begin to follow you. And you never know where it can lead.” -Eric Roberge, @beyondfinances
Leverage social media tools for monitoring and scheduling.
“Definitely use a software like Buffer or Hootsuite to organize and schedule your tweets. Just don’t let it become robotic and lose the “human side” of your content. I tend to read blogs and news sources in chunks of time, so I may schedule out a weeks worth of tweets during a morning or evening of reading.” -Phillip Christenson, @InvestPJF
“Use HootSuite. Hootsuite allows you to monitor all of your social media as well as schedule future posts to all or any of your social media accounts. It is a big timesaver when it comes to managing all the social media accounts we have today.” -Chad Centorbi, @CentorbiFG
“Use auto-posting apps like buffer. I’ve been posting for two weeks while out of the country with limited access to the web.” -Rich Feight, @RFeight
“1) Organize followers and use smart tools like Cloze to filter and focus. 2) Spend 15 minutes a day across social media -including LinkedIn and Twitter.” -John Stone, @jcstone3
In the end, remember it takes time.
“In short, I would tell people starting out to be patient. You don’t have to ‘get it’ right away. Don’t expect instant results. Simply make it one tool in your communication tool box.” -Matt Pixa, @PortfolioGuide
“For someone just starting out, my advice would be to learn as much as you can about the platforms you are using and search out those who seem to be doing it well. The other thing that is hard is that it definitely takes time and effort, it’s not something that just happens overnight and works without any effort.” -Joshua Farmer, @joshua_farmer
“Twitter is a great way to connect with current clients, share your thoughts in more real-time to clients & the community, and connect with reporters and industry experts. Like most things, it takes quite a bit of time in the beginning.” -Nick Olesen, @NicholasOlesen
“To someone starting out on Twitter I’d say that it takes time, content and engagement. Unlike celebrities, financial advisors don’t get a million followers overnight. You actually need to go on Twitter and find people that are interesting to you and follow them. Engage with them. When they send out something interesting, favorite it and/or re-tweet it. If it is something you’d like to learn more about, ask them a question about it. Beyonce probably won’t answer your question, but most other financial advisors will.” -Mike Garry, @MichaelJGarry
Image source.
