Social media & micro-blogging sites like Twitter have changed how many companies market themselves on the internet. They are looking for cutting-edge ideas to win over new friends and followers to convert into potential customers. The dilemma is striking the right balance of friendly conversation and product pitch.

In February of 2009 @AlexKaris posted the following question ion Twitter: What is the NUMBER 1 reason you unfollow people? The winning response with 42% of the votes was “tired of watching them self promote with links and no interaction.”

The problem for me as a businesswoman on Twitter is the more I interacted and became part of the Twitter community the more reluctant I was to make a full sales pitch to my followers. By the second month on Twitter I noticed the followers who only sent out a barrage of sales Tweets with no interaction were very annoying. How would I keep from becoming “that guy/gal” with constant stream of 140 character Twitfomercials filling up the screen?

There are several questions I asked myself. If I interact too much, too little, give an occasional sales pitch or lay low will I be unfollowed? How do I communicate about my website its content and customer service without alienating potential customers? How do I avoid sabotaging the positive reputation I was building on Twitter?

One of the best Twitter examples of social vs. selling balance on Twitter was @ricklondon. Rick London Group, LLC CEO Rick London takes a personal path putting himself forward as the face of his company on Twitter. He freely interacts with the Twitter community and provides links to his humorous cartoons and promotes his celebrity clients.

Take proactive steps to market yourself and your brand to the Twitter community. Grow your following first by tweeting with those in your immediate network. Tweet music famous quotations, and jokes if you do not want to participate in friendly banter. Finally use your tweets to attract and coax your base to your internet site.

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