At last! I have revolutionary news for you. I’ve finally found what I’ve been looking for!

My consultancy, Keystone Construction Marketing, manages the social media accounts for some of our clients and a couple of weeks ago we finally received an email that started: “We follow Mike Martin (not his real name) on Twitter…”

They went on to make an enquiry about our client’s products.

Now I know I’ve told you that social media isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when it comes to promoting our businesses. But that enquiry has indicated that regular Tweeting is helping to increase our client’s profile with the right people (or at least one right person).

I know a lot of you have been Tweeting regularly for years, but to those that are still thinking about starting, I can finally say it might actually be worth giving it a try.

I realise that ‘one swallow does not a summer make’ but I am optimistic. Hopefully more enquiries like this will provide the tangible return on investment I’ve been looking for in social media marketing for so long.

I still suggest you get your marketing basics right – like your website branding and case studies – before you launch into Twitter. But I would suggest social media has got to be worth a try if you want to raise your profile and you have the dedication to Tweet regularly.

If you want to develop a following, you will have to think of different things to say to keep people engaged. But I am sure enough happens each day to be able to write 140 characters or less on Twitter and upload a photograph or a few seconds of video. You could do it from your smartphone or tablet.

And with the Natural Stone Show coming up on 25 to 27 April at ExCeL London, you are gifted loads of interesting material to Tweet about and an established platform you can use to start developing your following. Use the hashtag #stoneshow17.

Whether you’re exhibiting or visiting, Tweeting about your experiences before, during and after the Stone Show could help to increase your reach with other Twitter users that just might want your products or services.

It was astonishing how many people entered the Stone Show in London last time (in 2015) with their phones in front of their faces, no doubt looking at the online floorplan and exhibitor list.

There was a lot of Tweeting and Facebooking last time. I’m sure there will be more this time, not to mention Pinteresting, Google Plussing, Tumblring, Instagraming… there certainly is no shortage of platforms to choose from.

But if you actually want to see the Show and not just post it on social media sites, you would probably reach the widest audience by sticking with Twitter and joining the conversation that has already started there. That hashtag again: #stoneshow17.

Alan Gayle has worked in sales and marketing roles in the construction industry since 1993. Following a successful career with some of the UK’s leading building product manufacturers, he has worked in the stone sector more than a decade. He now runs Keystone Construction Marketing, a marketing agency specialising in the construction industry. The agency works with building  contractors, subcontractors and building product suppliers to help them increase their sales and improve their margins.
alan@Keystonecm.co.uk