Twitter has a BIG audience.

And that means BIG business for those that know how to work it.

It’s a powerful platform that can really integrate well to build a strong email list for your business.

But to maximise Twitter’s potential and get leads that convert – you’ve got to know how to use it effectively.

...Because even though you may think you have a ‘successful’ Twitter presence (i.e. you have a larger number of followers) how well is it really working for your business?

Sadly the situation many businesses find themselves in is that Twitter simply becomes a time suck and a drain on their resources without giving them much payback.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are easily actionable tips you can use to leverage your Twitter profile to grow your email list with the right kind of valuable, qualified leads.

So sit tight and take note while I share with you 5 major tactics to energize your email lists with Twitter:

• Use opt-Ins

A link to a direct call to action is a potent conversion tool, so take advantage of this with your Twitter profile. Link directly to your website landing pages in your Twitter bio and make it easy for your followers to opt-in straightaway. Wherever possible use a customized link as using your name or company identity will carry more authority and it is easily shareable with just one click giving you great exposure and creating more signups.

Important: create a custom landing page on your website for just for your Twitter followers.  This not only makes tracking easier and improves user experience – it also builds trust by demonstrating you have used time and resources to create a page just for them.

• Keep it short and sweet

Encourage retweets by reducing your tweets to minimum size (under 120 characters is best). They will have more impact that way and it will leave your followers more room to add their own response when they retweet. Having your followers be able to include their reaction to your tweet in their retweet can be a powerful endorsement that grabs people’s attention, gives your tweet more authority and encourages sharing and signups.

• Host a party

It’s easy to host a Twitter party, and it can be especially useful if you have a new product or service to launch - the idea is to get people together and get a buzz going. Essentially a Twitter party is a set period of time where followers will tweet about a certain topic a win prizes. A good party should last around 30 minutes to an hour. You need to choose a short, relevant #hashtag that your partygoers can use to communicate with you and you must moderate the party to ensure it stays on topic. Twitter parties are a cool, fun way to increase awareness about you, boost your social media visibility and grow your email lists – you might even get on the top of Twitter trending topic lists, and that means HUGE exposure.

• Reward your followers

Invite your followers to tweet about you and use Twitter tools to give them a reward. As soon as they share your provided link they can access their reward for free. Use this for giving away free content like ebooks or guides and cheatsheets, or free access to an online webinar.

You can use this even more powerfully by targeting it towards followers who have already opted in to your mailing list.

Important: Make sure what you are giving away is of genuine value – it will not only grow your lists but nurture your image too!

• Stay on trend

You won’t be able to target your tweets and stay current if you don’t know what relevant stuff is trending. It can be hard to keep up with the hectic social whirl of Twitter, but by monitoring carefully selected relevant hashtags and staying in touch with your followers through consistent communication and response will ensure you stay in the loop.

Important: Reference the current buzz in your tweets and offer comments, advice and guidance. Be sure to include occasional relevant call to actions!

Use these Twitter tactics to your advantage. Boost the entertainment factor and create a new level of engagement for your followers. Rotate your Twitter profile picture, bio and design to keep content fresh and interesting and help your followers get to know you better.  Tweet sign-up alerts for email only deals and exclusive content but remember to be balanced with your tweets and not overly promotional. You can’t fail to incentivise your followers and grow your email lists with quality leads.

Author Bio:
James T Noble makes small businesses bigger. He's worked with some of the world's largest brands and companies to market their products and services online - including Disney, Microsoft, 20th Century Fox, Virgin, Coca Cola, MTV and many others. Find out more and read business growth tips at http://www.JamesTNoble.com