Looking to tweet your way into the hearts and minds of consumers? Consider taking them to dinner first.

Around 22 percent of Twitter users have purchased a product or service after tweeting, retweeting, or favoriting it on Twitter, according to a recent study by Vision Critical, an international online market research firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia. So naturally, you’re thinking: More followers breed more sales, right? Not exactly.

Simply collecting followers doesn’t guarantee financial gains. To use the network to drive traffic to your website and generate sales, you must first build a relationship with your followers. “On Twitter, the relationships, conversations and engagements you make are what determine your success,” says Jure Klepic, a business-marketing consultant who specializes in social media based in New York City.

While familiarity with social networks gives young entrepreneurs an advantage, there’s an art to using Twitter for business. Click here for pointers on how to build your company’s image on Twitter, cull valuable followers and engage prospective customers: