Over the last few weeks there has been a lot of movement on the live video front. The selling point of all of them, is the ease to broadcast by pushing one button. They also, all involve Twitter in some aspect. Since the launch of Meerkat, in February, many have been chomping at the bit on its uses. We want to look more at what blew it up and why it may now be dying a slow death.
On the plus side, it was first to the playground. Anyone else would be playing catchup. Secondly, tech journalist loved the little scrappy company, and they were all in. But wait! Twitter bought a untested competitor, Periscope.
After all the media had planted their flags in Meerkat being the future, they were blown away by the launch of Periscope. The people decided it was their new go to app for live events and fridge views (inside joke). Over the course of four days, Meerkat moved from 140 to 523 in the App Store, while Periscope jumped to number 30.
But, wait, another player entered the field at SXSW, called Stre.am. They launched on both Android and iOS, unlike Periscope and Meerkat. The only problem is they received zero traction. ZERO. I, being an android user, did a couple of streams on Stre.am, and only received 25 viewers at most.
The other downside to the service was the video never saved to your phone, as it said it could. Finally, there was no way to title videos, so people could at least have an idea of what they would be viewing.
So, the question is, which reflects your marketing? Are you the media darling going down in flames? The one, with the giant behind you, so you don't really need to market, or the one no one is paying any attention to because you failed to do any relevant marketing.

Live Video· Meerkat· Periscope· Stream· Twitter

Is Your Marketing Like Meerkat, Periscope, or Stre.am

Over the last few weeks there has been a lot of movement on the live video front. The selling point of all of them, is the ease to broadcast by pushing one button. They also, all involve Twitter in some aspect. Since the launch of Meerkat, in February, many have been chomping at the bit on its uses. We want to look more at what blew it up and why it may now be dying a slow death.
On the plus side, it was first to the playground. Anyone else would be playing catchup. Secondly, tech journalist loved the little scrappy company, and they were all in. But wait! Twitter bought a untested competitor, Periscope.
After all the media had planted their flags in Meerkat being the future, they were blown away by the launch of Periscope. The people decided it was their new go to app for live events and fridge views (inside joke). Over the course of four days, Meerkat moved from 140 to 523 in the App Store, while Periscope jumped to number 30.
But, wait, another player entered the field at SXSW, called Stre.am. They launched on both Android and iOS, unlike Periscope and Meerkat. The only problem is they received zero traction. ZERO. I, being an android user, did a couple of streams on Stre.am, and only received 25 viewers at most.
The other downside to the service was the video never saved to your phone, as it said it could. Finally, there was no way to title videos, so people could at least have an idea of what they would be viewing.
So, the question is, which reflects your marketing? Are you the media darling going down in flames? The one, with the giant behind you, so you don't really need to market, or the one no one is paying any attention to because you failed to do any relevant marketing.

Twitter

How to Opt Out of Auto DM

"Understanding Twitter for Marketing’ has been incorporated as a new
module for Online Digital PR Training, the one-day course in digital PR
techniques from The PR Training Centre, to be held on Friday 24th April in
Covent Garden, London. The course content has been updated to cover the
latest developments in both Twitter and Blogging.

The practical one-day workshop is designed for PR and marketing
professionals who are keen to get up to speed in using Twitter, social
networking and Blogging for online marketing and PR campaigns.

According to principal presenter Jacqui Green, ‘We cover in detail the
crucially important new aspects of social networking such as how to
identify influential Bloggers – and, more importantly, how to devise
engagement strategies for connecting with Bloggers – as well as
developments in Twitter and how Tweeting can form a key part of your PR
campaigns.’

The workshop has attracted rave reviews from both in-house PR people and
from PR agencies. Agency personnel who have attended the workshop have
heaped praise on the course and its joint presenters. Says Scott Clarke
of Whiteoaks Communications, ‘Both Richard and Jacqui presented the
course well and really explained to the room how digital marketing can
benefit PR. Also useful info about social networks. This course has opened
up a number of possibilities which I will implement for my clients.
Fantastic!’

According to Chloe Handy of Fleishman-Hillard, ‘Learning about raising
profile on Google was very useful! Will be bumping my clients up as of
Monday’

Says Fiona Reece of Fiona Reece PR,’ Good day and lots of great
information - especially on blogging and digital press releases’.

Says Jacqui Green, ‘Now more than ever, PR people have to be competitive
and in the online world competitiveness means using the internet
effectively. The organisations who get this right are the ones who are
still growing their businesses, while those who ignore the challenges and
opportunities of the digital world are the ones who are being rapidly left
behind.’

The PR Training Centre provides practical one-day courses for PR and
Marketing professionals tasked with responsibility for PR and marketing
communications, media, press and public relations, web marketing and other
marketing functions. The Centre runs regular monthly courses in London's
Covent Garden. Its most popular course is the one-day Masterclass ‘PR
Skills Workshop’ designed for anyone who finds themselves responsible for
raising the profile of their organisation and gaining favourable media
coverage.

blogging· blogosphere· social networks· Twitter· viral PR

‘How to use Twitter for Marketing’ - new module added to Online Digital PR training course

"Understanding Twitter for Marketing’ has been incorporated as a new
module for Online Digital PR Training, the one-day course in digital PR
techniques from The PR Training Centre, to be held on Friday 24th April in
Covent Garden, London. The course content has been updated to cover the
latest developments in both Twitter and Blogging.

The practical one-day workshop is designed for PR and marketing
professionals who are keen to get up to speed in using Twitter, social
networking and Blogging for online marketing and PR campaigns.

According to principal presenter Jacqui Green, ‘We cover in detail the
crucially important new aspects of social networking such as how to
identify influential Bloggers – and, more importantly, how to devise
engagement strategies for connecting with Bloggers – as well as
developments in Twitter and how Tweeting can form a key part of your PR
campaigns.’

The workshop has attracted rave reviews from both in-house PR people and
from PR agencies. Agency personnel who have attended the workshop have
heaped praise on the course and its joint presenters. Says Scott Clarke
of Whiteoaks Communications, ‘Both Richard and Jacqui presented the
course well and really explained to the room how digital marketing can
benefit PR. Also useful info about social networks. This course has opened
up a number of possibilities which I will implement for my clients.
Fantastic!’

According to Chloe Handy of Fleishman-Hillard, ‘Learning about raising
profile on Google was very useful! Will be bumping my clients up as of
Monday’

Says Fiona Reece of Fiona Reece PR,’ Good day and lots of great
information - especially on blogging and digital press releases’.

Says Jacqui Green, ‘Now more than ever, PR people have to be competitive
and in the online world competitiveness means using the internet
effectively. The organisations who get this right are the ones who are
still growing their businesses, while those who ignore the challenges and
opportunities of the digital world are the ones who are being rapidly left
behind.’

The PR Training Centre provides practical one-day courses for PR and
Marketing professionals tasked with responsibility for PR and marketing
communications, media, press and public relations, web marketing and other
marketing functions. The Centre runs regular monthly courses in London's
Covent Garden. Its most popular course is the one-day Masterclass ‘PR
Skills Workshop’ designed for anyone who finds themselves responsible for
raising the profile of their organisation and gaining favourable media
coverage.

I found an article on Shine written by a person who was comparing Twitter to 7th grade popularity. Her points seemed to be that none of the “cool” people talked to her except in secret (DM).

When I went to the profile, I found it interesting for several reasons.

1. Logo, No picture
2. First name only
3. Bio points to Website for online task journal
4. Tweets seem to be promoting other articles
5. Website was pretty much a wash.
6. Following 780 more than being followed
7. High following of celebrities

In other words, I found absolutely NO reason to want to follow this person, if it is a person, which from the blog posts; it seemed to indicate multiple writers. No names are provided. I could see if she was writing something horrid, but the reality is that she was writing stuff that was untrue, about a service that she has yet to figure out. That is like asking a ten year old for driving lessons. In other words, the novice should seek to learn, so they can act, and then get the results they want.

Another pet peeve, is that after she finishes her metaphor, is she then asks you to follow her on Twitter. Granted it looked like an afterthought, but it seemed hypocritical in my opinion.

So, my advice for the woman who thinks of herself in 7th grade is to:
1. Start engaging with people.
2. If you need to know something, ask.
3. Eliminate celebrities off following list unless she really thinks mrskutcher / Demi Moore or johncmayer / John Mayer are really going to respond to her tweets.

Twitter

Twitter is Not a Popularity Contest

I found an article on Shine written by a person who was comparing Twitter to 7th grade popularity. Her points seemed to be that none of the “cool” people talked to her except in secret (DM).

When I went to the profile, I found it interesting for several reasons.

1. Logo, No picture
2. First name only
3. Bio points to Website for online task journal
4. Tweets seem to be promoting other articles
5. Website was pretty much a wash.
6. Following 780 more than being followed
7. High following of celebrities

In other words, I found absolutely NO reason to want to follow this person, if it is a person, which from the blog posts; it seemed to indicate multiple writers. No names are provided. I could see if she was writing something horrid, but the reality is that she was writing stuff that was untrue, about a service that she has yet to figure out. That is like asking a ten year old for driving lessons. In other words, the novice should seek to learn, so they can act, and then get the results they want.

Another pet peeve, is that after she finishes her metaphor, is she then asks you to follow her on Twitter. Granted it looked like an afterthought, but it seemed hypocritical in my opinion.

So, my advice for the woman who thinks of herself in 7th grade is to:
1. Start engaging with people.
2. If you need to know something, ask.
3. Eliminate celebrities off following list unless she really thinks mrskutcher / Demi Moore or johncmayer / John Mayer are really going to respond to her tweets.

Everyone knows Twitter.com is a great tool for people that have an online or offline business and there are third-party web services that enhance its usefulness. Twitter is fast, free and very effective - perfect for the online or offline business owner. You can sign up for a free Twitter account and get going in no time and with not too much effort. All of the third-party websites listed below are offered free as well. People of all ages, incomes and locations are signing up for Twitter - and they can easily become your customers.

Here are 7 cool Twitter tools that will make your twittering faster, better and more profitable:

1. Grouptweet.com: Do you have a team of people who are all on Twitter, but you don't want the info you tweet to be sent out for all to see? Grouptweet.com lets you send a tweet to a select group of people and keeps it from prying eyes.

2. Twittermoms.com: This site lets you connect with thousands of moms on Twitter. This is great if you are a mom, but it can also be great if you have a product or service that benefits moms (but just make sure your Tweets aren't spammy, or you will quickly get the boot).

3. Tweetbeep.com: This tool is like having Google Alerts for Twitter. You can have alerts set up for your name, company, product, service, or anything else. If someone tweets about it, you get notified. (Kind of like how your earn burn when someone talks about you, but high-tech and a lot better!)

4. Twitzer (Firefox addon): Normally, Twitter tweets are limited to only 140 characters. This nifty little gizmo lets you post more than that.

5. Twitterfeed.com: This gadget will feed your blog posts to your Twitter account. You can choose the frequency of the tweets.

6. Strawpollnow.com: Create a poll on Twitter with this fun tool. It appears to allow comments, as well. It is great for getting your followers to interact with a tweet of yours.

7. Twitturly.com: This tool lets you keep track of what URL's are talked about on Twitter.

These cool tools can help you bring your business to the next level by keeping you informed, connected and up-to-date. Of course, the key to any Twitter success is to acquire as many quality followers as you can. Without very many Twitter followers, all of your marketing efforts and tweets won't have much impact on your bottom line. Go signup now at Twitter.com.

Daryl Daughtry is the founder and CEO of a marketing membership service for solo independent professionals, entrepreneurs, and small business owners located online at http://www.SoloBusinessProfessional.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daryl_Daughtry

Social Media· Social Networking· Twitter

7 "Must Have" Twitter Tools

Everyone knows Twitter.com is a great tool for people that have an online or offline business and there are third-party web services that enhance its usefulness. Twitter is fast, free and very effective - perfect for the online or offline business owner. You can sign up for a free Twitter account and get going in no time and with not too much effort. All of the third-party websites listed below are offered free as well. People of all ages, incomes and locations are signing up for Twitter - and they can easily become your customers.

Here are 7 cool Twitter tools that will make your twittering faster, better and more profitable:

1. Grouptweet.com: Do you have a team of people who are all on Twitter, but you don't want the info you tweet to be sent out for all to see? Grouptweet.com lets you send a tweet to a select group of people and keeps it from prying eyes.

2. Twittermoms.com: This site lets you connect with thousands of moms on Twitter. This is great if you are a mom, but it can also be great if you have a product or service that benefits moms (but just make sure your Tweets aren't spammy, or you will quickly get the boot).

3. Tweetbeep.com: This tool is like having Google Alerts for Twitter. You can have alerts set up for your name, company, product, service, or anything else. If someone tweets about it, you get notified. (Kind of like how your earn burn when someone talks about you, but high-tech and a lot better!)

4. Twitzer (Firefox addon): Normally, Twitter tweets are limited to only 140 characters. This nifty little gizmo lets you post more than that.

5. Twitterfeed.com: This gadget will feed your blog posts to your Twitter account. You can choose the frequency of the tweets.

6. Strawpollnow.com: Create a poll on Twitter with this fun tool. It appears to allow comments, as well. It is great for getting your followers to interact with a tweet of yours.

7. Twitturly.com: This tool lets you keep track of what URL's are talked about on Twitter.

These cool tools can help you bring your business to the next level by keeping you informed, connected and up-to-date. Of course, the key to any Twitter success is to acquire as many quality followers as you can. Without very many Twitter followers, all of your marketing efforts and tweets won't have much impact on your bottom line. Go signup now at Twitter.com.

Daryl Daughtry is the founder and CEO of a marketing membership service for solo independent professionals, entrepreneurs, and small business owners located online at http://www.SoloBusinessProfessional.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daryl_Daughtry

A couple of days ago I posed a question on Twitter about whether a person can be mentored on Twitter. The responses were mixed.

First, What is mentoring:
According to debworks it is "showing/teaching a willing participant the wonderful things you know."

While jberkowitz thinks mentoring is "the process of guiding people through a process that let's them successfully realize their goal."

According to the dictionary it is both a noun (position) and a verb (action). One definition is "To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher to (another person)."

By most of the definitions the burden seems to be on the mentor, as opposed to the mentee (person being mentored).I would beg to differ, in that I think the mentee is essential to the equation, because their action or inaction is reflective of the mentor. A mentor can "suggest," but the person has to make the decision of whether to take action or not.

With Twitter, you only have 140 characters to say something, but considering it has been used to convey information on wars, news, blogs, and the like, I don't think there is a limitation in terms of being used for mentoring.
I put the following questions on Twitter, can a person be mentored online? What is your definition of mentoring? These are the responses I received.

• Alan W. Silberberg of You2Gov says "In a way we are being mentored. We can read leader's thoughts, interact w/ them, learn from others experience. Group Mentoring?"
  
  
• CoachIyabo agrees. "I think you can be mentored on twitter. If you are willing to put your stuff out there as to where you are and take in info."
  
  
• JeanieMarshall "Mentoring on Twitter can be very effective. It's quick. But not everything can be said in 140 strokes. Must know when to switch."
  

But one voice of cautious descent stands out with some good points:
cobwebcorner You can receive support and some inspiration on Twitter and you may develop a relationship that can extend further, but true mentoring involves a lot of interaction and support that I'm not sure you could really get in 140 character snippet.

I consider mentoring to be a person that shows you how to do things that has earned the right to give advice to the recipient. It is not just anyone who has an opinion about how you should do something. We all know that we read snippets from people all the time about how to do things, and that may make them a teacher, but it does not make them a mentor. Further, just because someone is good at their job does not mean they would be good as mentors. There are some who only mentor people if they are paid to do so, and some who just naturally draw people to them in that way. people want to learn from them.

Mentoring can be just the snippets and materials that people put online or their books, but I think that action is required. As Debworks points out there was to be a willingness to learn. I would add that learning is good, but action is better. We all know people who just want to be around people, so they can flaunt it, but the true mentee is active in putting what they are being taught into action. At that level, it does not matter how few or short snippets there are. There is so much that can be said around mentoring on Twitter, but suffice it to say that the naturals have no problems getting a prodigy.

It would seem that mentoring can be different for different people. Some consider it a person, while others think it is an action. It can be online, by phone, E-mail, or in person. But all seem to agree that mentors are needed. The main question that has to be answered is what the person wants out of the relationship and if the mentor can and is willing to give it.

Mentor· Twitter

Can You Be Mentored On Twitter

A couple of days ago I posed a question on Twitter about whether a person can be mentored on Twitter. The responses were mixed.

First, What is mentoring:
According to debworks it is "showing/teaching a willing participant the wonderful things you know."

While jberkowitz thinks mentoring is "the process of guiding people through a process that let's them successfully realize their goal."

According to the dictionary it is both a noun (position) and a verb (action). One definition is "To serve as a trusted counselor or teacher to (another person)."

By most of the definitions the burden seems to be on the mentor, as opposed to the mentee (person being mentored).I would beg to differ, in that I think the mentee is essential to the equation, because their action or inaction is reflective of the mentor. A mentor can "suggest," but the person has to make the decision of whether to take action or not.

With Twitter, you only have 140 characters to say something, but considering it has been used to convey information on wars, news, blogs, and the like, I don't think there is a limitation in terms of being used for mentoring.
I put the following questions on Twitter, can a person be mentored online? What is your definition of mentoring? These are the responses I received.

• Alan W. Silberberg of You2Gov says "In a way we are being mentored. We can read leader's thoughts, interact w/ them, learn from others experience. Group Mentoring?"
  
  
• CoachIyabo agrees. "I think you can be mentored on twitter. If you are willing to put your stuff out there as to where you are and take in info."
  
  
• JeanieMarshall "Mentoring on Twitter can be very effective. It's quick. But not everything can be said in 140 strokes. Must know when to switch."
  

But one voice of cautious descent stands out with some good points:
cobwebcorner You can receive support and some inspiration on Twitter and you may develop a relationship that can extend further, but true mentoring involves a lot of interaction and support that I'm not sure you could really get in 140 character snippet.

I consider mentoring to be a person that shows you how to do things that has earned the right to give advice to the recipient. It is not just anyone who has an opinion about how you should do something. We all know that we read snippets from people all the time about how to do things, and that may make them a teacher, but it does not make them a mentor. Further, just because someone is good at their job does not mean they would be good as mentors. There are some who only mentor people if they are paid to do so, and some who just naturally draw people to them in that way. people want to learn from them.

Mentoring can be just the snippets and materials that people put online or their books, but I think that action is required. As Debworks points out there was to be a willingness to learn. I would add that learning is good, but action is better. We all know people who just want to be around people, so they can flaunt it, but the true mentee is active in putting what they are being taught into action. At that level, it does not matter how few or short snippets there are. There is so much that can be said around mentoring on Twitter, but suffice it to say that the naturals have no problems getting a prodigy.

It would seem that mentoring can be different for different people. Some consider it a person, while others think it is an action. It can be online, by phone, E-mail, or in person. But all seem to agree that mentors are needed. The main question that has to be answered is what the person wants out of the relationship and if the mentor can and is willing to give it.

The decision of who to follow on Twitter can be a complex decision. It depends on why you are following people. We discussed that last time, so I will not deal with that issue. What I will deal with is that some people who own businesses or are involved in affiliate marketing are not as good on the pr game.

Twitter allows you to share who you are in 140 characters. That is not a lot of space, so it forces people to really get to the point. What I have found is that what you say on that line can make the difference of whether or not you get followed.

Here are some tips that I use in determining who I follow on Twitter.

1. They have to have a picture: If there is no picture at all, then I automatically assume it is a spam account that is just following me because I used a specific keyword.

2. They have a bio line: Can you really not come up with one thing to say about yourself that someone might find interesting enough to want to hear more about?

3. Have a website or blog: Sorry, but in 2008 very few people have nothing online to point someone to. Considering that Twitter is sort of a relationship building hub, why would you not have a place for people to go to read your articles or blogs? I generally will look at a blog or website to see what I think about that person or company.

4. Engages in conversation with others: Previous tweets that only point to something to buy, affiliate program or seem like spam is an automatic no.

5. Has to follow people. Accounts that have lots of followers, but is not following anyone may work for Anderson Cooper, but not so much for the regular Joe.

6. Following in proportion to followers. It is the first clue that a person is using a program, when they have an account that has been open 5 minutes, and is following 600 people, but has no followers. Nope, that makes it seem like spam would be the only thing that would come from following.

7. Positive attitude. This may be wrong on a certain level, but there are some that just depress me, and never have ANYTHING nice to say. I weed them out by watching them for a week or two, then going over their stream. A bad night is one thing, but constant negativity is another.

8. Recommendation and Introductions: Sometimes I just see who people are talking to, and look to see what they are contributing to the stream. Some on Twitter have introduced me to others. I have met some of my greatest twitter friends and mentors that way.

You may have your own methods for deciding who to follow, so please feel free to share.

Twitter

8 Tips to Help You Pick People to Follow on Twitter

The decision of who to follow on Twitter can be a complex decision. It depends on why you are following people. We discussed that last time, so I will not deal with that issue. What I will deal with is that some people who own businesses or are involved in affiliate marketing are not as good on the pr game.

Twitter allows you to share who you are in 140 characters. That is not a lot of space, so it forces people to really get to the point. What I have found is that what you say on that line can make the difference of whether or not you get followed.

Here are some tips that I use in determining who I follow on Twitter.

1. They have to have a picture: If there is no picture at all, then I automatically assume it is a spam account that is just following me because I used a specific keyword.

2. They have a bio line: Can you really not come up with one thing to say about yourself that someone might find interesting enough to want to hear more about?

3. Have a website or blog: Sorry, but in 2008 very few people have nothing online to point someone to. Considering that Twitter is sort of a relationship building hub, why would you not have a place for people to go to read your articles or blogs? I generally will look at a blog or website to see what I think about that person or company.

4. Engages in conversation with others: Previous tweets that only point to something to buy, affiliate program or seem like spam is an automatic no.

5. Has to follow people. Accounts that have lots of followers, but is not following anyone may work for Anderson Cooper, but not so much for the regular Joe.

6. Following in proportion to followers. It is the first clue that a person is using a program, when they have an account that has been open 5 minutes, and is following 600 people, but has no followers. Nope, that makes it seem like spam would be the only thing that would come from following.

7. Positive attitude. This may be wrong on a certain level, but there are some that just depress me, and never have ANYTHING nice to say. I weed them out by watching them for a week or two, then going over their stream. A bad night is one thing, but constant negativity is another.

8. Recommendation and Introductions: Sometimes I just see who people are talking to, and look to see what they are contributing to the stream. Some on Twitter have introduced me to others. I have met some of my greatest twitter friends and mentors that way.

You may have your own methods for deciding who to follow, so please feel free to share.

There are debates about how to use Twitter. Whole books have been written on the subject by actual users like Joel Comm and Warren Whitlockand Deborah Micek.

The debate is whether Twitter is for relationship building or business. Put simply, it is for both. We all know that for the most part we could care less if someone is eating a grilled cheese sandwich, but maybe that is how a conversation gets started. It is sometimes the "little" things that make way for other things. Maybe that person needs to feel heard at that moment. It can be intimidating to see alot of replies to other people, and no one is talking to them. At least, that was my experience in the beginning.


By engaging in the small conversations you do build up a certain credibility. If they need advice on writing articles, joining a mastermind, or whatever. They are going to go to the people they trust. That is the key word. Credibility is built with trust. Trust that concerns are taken seriously, judgment is withheld when a boneheaded thing is done, and that a person is going to send them to someone that is going to help not try to sell to them.

Twitter runs the board on the types of people on it, so it stands to reason that it also runs the board in terms of purpose. For many, it could just be about making friends or networking and for others it could be just to get business. The conversations and expectations will be different.

I tend to have both on Twitter. Though I am not trying to sell a product or service, I still like to have readers for articles or viewers of videos. There is also a virtual mentoring thing for me. I read the tweets, get the newsletters,listen to calls and look at the Websites of people who have done what I want to do. They have something to teach me, and I am willing to learn from them. People like Carrie Wilkerson, barefoot_exec, who I have adopted as a mentor because I like what she contributes to women, her honesty and straight Texas wisdom tempered with compassion. Who would not want to emulate someone like that?

In dealing with people in a business way, I find that it also includes relationship building. People want to know who you are before they put money or time on the table. The tweets that are sent tell people about the type of person that is coming across to them. An example, is one person that I follow, her tweets seemed to be negative all the time. She may be good at what she does, but I don't trust her business sense, because of her personal. That might seem judgmental, but character speaks volumes.

On the friends side, there are people I chat with, argue with, and get giddy with. No sales pitch. There are a couple of reasons for that.
1. They are not my target audience.
2. I just like meeting people.

Here is what I do on Twitter:
1. Retweet wisdom: When someone gives an idea or resource, I send it to my followers.
2. Talk to people: I might respond to a post or just say hello to people that I normally speak to.
3. Inspirational words: I do this because people need to hear that they CAN do something, especially when there are all the negative voices around trying to tell them they can't or shouldn't.
4. Introduce other people on twitter: If I think that two people might be good for each other, are in the same thing, or going through the same thing, then I try to introduce them.
5. Promote articles and videos: I go by the standard that you are not a writer if you keep it hidden in a drawer. My articles tend to run into political opinion or something similar, so I am mindful of that, but it is also a conversation starter.

The key to Twitter is to engage with people. You can't build relationships just reading tweets or sending out sales pitches. Think of it like the real world. You never know who you might meet.

Social Media· Twitter

Is Twitter for Business or Personal Use? Depends

There are debates about how to use Twitter. Whole books have been written on the subject by actual users like Joel Comm and Warren Whitlockand Deborah Micek.

The debate is whether Twitter is for relationship building or business. Put simply, it is for both. We all know that for the most part we could care less if someone is eating a grilled cheese sandwich, but maybe that is how a conversation gets started. It is sometimes the "little" things that make way for other things. Maybe that person needs to feel heard at that moment. It can be intimidating to see alot of replies to other people, and no one is talking to them. At least, that was my experience in the beginning.


By engaging in the small conversations you do build up a certain credibility. If they need advice on writing articles, joining a mastermind, or whatever. They are going to go to the people they trust. That is the key word. Credibility is built with trust. Trust that concerns are taken seriously, judgment is withheld when a boneheaded thing is done, and that a person is going to send them to someone that is going to help not try to sell to them.

Twitter runs the board on the types of people on it, so it stands to reason that it also runs the board in terms of purpose. For many, it could just be about making friends or networking and for others it could be just to get business. The conversations and expectations will be different.

I tend to have both on Twitter. Though I am not trying to sell a product or service, I still like to have readers for articles or viewers of videos. There is also a virtual mentoring thing for me. I read the tweets, get the newsletters,listen to calls and look at the Websites of people who have done what I want to do. They have something to teach me, and I am willing to learn from them. People like Carrie Wilkerson, barefoot_exec, who I have adopted as a mentor because I like what she contributes to women, her honesty and straight Texas wisdom tempered with compassion. Who would not want to emulate someone like that?

In dealing with people in a business way, I find that it also includes relationship building. People want to know who you are before they put money or time on the table. The tweets that are sent tell people about the type of person that is coming across to them. An example, is one person that I follow, her tweets seemed to be negative all the time. She may be good at what she does, but I don't trust her business sense, because of her personal. That might seem judgmental, but character speaks volumes.

On the friends side, there are people I chat with, argue with, and get giddy with. No sales pitch. There are a couple of reasons for that.
1. They are not my target audience.
2. I just like meeting people.

Here is what I do on Twitter:
1. Retweet wisdom: When someone gives an idea or resource, I send it to my followers.
2. Talk to people: I might respond to a post or just say hello to people that I normally speak to.
3. Inspirational words: I do this because people need to hear that they CAN do something, especially when there are all the negative voices around trying to tell them they can't or shouldn't.
4. Introduce other people on twitter: If I think that two people might be good for each other, are in the same thing, or going through the same thing, then I try to introduce them.
5. Promote articles and videos: I go by the standard that you are not a writer if you keep it hidden in a drawer. My articles tend to run into political opinion or something similar, so I am mindful of that, but it is also a conversation starter.

The key to Twitter is to engage with people. You can't build relationships just reading tweets or sending out sales pitches. Think of it like the real world. You never know who you might meet.

Everyone has their list of people they like on Twitter, but do they know why they are following who they are? Most don't. Some follow for the purpose of advertising their products and services, some to learn, and some just jump on bandwagons. Some of the people I follow provide me with far more than I provide them in terms of information, inspiration, and mentoring.

I tend to follow people that are active on Twitter, and actually contribute something to the conversation. They give out information that helps, and at the same time try to get to know me.

1. Barefoot_Exec She provides a wealth of information on list building. She ranks extremely high on my list because she has done it, and is not stingy with the information. You know the kind that always hint at, but never tell you anything. She is not among them. Her site Magnetic List Buildingis a must for anyone trying to get in the game.

2. FeliciaSlattery is the chief communicator. She teaches you how to communicated with the audience you are trying to reach knowing that how you talk to teens is not the same as with CEOs. She has a newsletter that is chock full of tips and guidelines. Again, an information provider, not just a hinter. You can get those tips at Communication Transformation.

3. PRsarahevansis the utmost in public relations. Need to know how to reach the media, she is your girl. She has even started a chat every Monday from 7-11 CST for journalist and pr people to connect and give tips. You can keep up with her at PR Sarah Evans

4. MariSmith is the Facebook Guru. Anything and everything you want to know about, she can tell you. She is a hoot too and loves to give tips from social media events she is attending. Get on her list at Why Facebook

5. Warren Whitlockis the coolest when it comes to book marketing. So many gems, so little time. Seriously, I want to write books that sell and he is the go to guy for that kind of information. You can even listen to his show full of information on Social Media.You can even get more info at Book Marketing Strategy

6. BobTheTeacher is the true teacher, bar none. This may be because he was a teacher just a few years ago. It comes across that he wants you to get the information that he and his guest are providing. Plus, he has found a way to let his students make money through referrals. Bob the teacher is teaching the student how to do what he does in a way that suits their personality and goals. I first came across him talking about Teleseminars, so that is the Website you should go to and get on his list. Teleseminar Formula

7. AlexMandossian is the mentor of Bob the Teacher when it comes to using Teleclasses to generate income. I met him at the Ultimate Business Seminar through Chris Howard. He gave great information on why you should do teleseminars and how to do them. He talked about how to then turn that teleclass into cash producing products such as reports, ebooks, transcripts and mp3s. You can find him at Alex Mandossian Today.

Here is the some things that makes these 7 people stand out:

1. They try to build relationships, not sell at the drop of a hat. I have some that I follow that all they do is advertise some product or service. They don't want to engage with me or find out what I'm about.

2. They all started from nothing. That is always a good place to start. These are not people that just moved millions from one business into another. They made this their full-time career, not a side job that they could walk away from if the mood struck them.

3. They all have several things going. Wow, a person could get tired looking at some of their schedules. They have more than one means to income, but the businesses seem to all tie into their skills.

4. They are genuine mentors. If you want to model success you have to find it to model. These 7 serve as a spring board of what to look for in a mentor. A mentor is not someone living a broke, uninspired life, but someone who is constantly taking chances and taking action on their ideas.

My point of writing this was to get you to follow people that are doing something and have the wisdom to help you step up your game. Further, you should know why you follow the people you do. It is cool to just kick back and have fun on Twitter, but how would your life change if you were following people that are where you want to go and are willing to teach you how to get there?

Twitter

Who You Should Follow on Twitter and Why

Everyone has their list of people they like on Twitter, but do they know why they are following who they are? Most don't. Some follow for the purpose of advertising their products and services, some to learn, and some just jump on bandwagons. Some of the people I follow provide me with far more than I provide them in terms of information, inspiration, and mentoring.

I tend to follow people that are active on Twitter, and actually contribute something to the conversation. They give out information that helps, and at the same time try to get to know me.

1. Barefoot_Exec She provides a wealth of information on list building. She ranks extremely high on my list because she has done it, and is not stingy with the information. You know the kind that always hint at, but never tell you anything. She is not among them. Her site Magnetic List Buildingis a must for anyone trying to get in the game.

2. FeliciaSlattery is the chief communicator. She teaches you how to communicated with the audience you are trying to reach knowing that how you talk to teens is not the same as with CEOs. She has a newsletter that is chock full of tips and guidelines. Again, an information provider, not just a hinter. You can get those tips at Communication Transformation.

3. PRsarahevansis the utmost in public relations. Need to know how to reach the media, she is your girl. She has even started a chat every Monday from 7-11 CST for journalist and pr people to connect and give tips. You can keep up with her at PR Sarah Evans

4. MariSmith is the Facebook Guru. Anything and everything you want to know about, she can tell you. She is a hoot too and loves to give tips from social media events she is attending. Get on her list at Why Facebook

5. Warren Whitlockis the coolest when it comes to book marketing. So many gems, so little time. Seriously, I want to write books that sell and he is the go to guy for that kind of information. You can even listen to his show full of information on Social Media.You can even get more info at Book Marketing Strategy

6. BobTheTeacher is the true teacher, bar none. This may be because he was a teacher just a few years ago. It comes across that he wants you to get the information that he and his guest are providing. Plus, he has found a way to let his students make money through referrals. Bob the teacher is teaching the student how to do what he does in a way that suits their personality and goals. I first came across him talking about Teleseminars, so that is the Website you should go to and get on his list. Teleseminar Formula

7. AlexMandossian is the mentor of Bob the Teacher when it comes to using Teleclasses to generate income. I met him at the Ultimate Business Seminar through Chris Howard. He gave great information on why you should do teleseminars and how to do them. He talked about how to then turn that teleclass into cash producing products such as reports, ebooks, transcripts and mp3s. You can find him at Alex Mandossian Today.

Here is the some things that makes these 7 people stand out:

1. They try to build relationships, not sell at the drop of a hat. I have some that I follow that all they do is advertise some product or service. They don't want to engage with me or find out what I'm about.

2. They all started from nothing. That is always a good place to start. These are not people that just moved millions from one business into another. They made this their full-time career, not a side job that they could walk away from if the mood struck them.

3. They all have several things going. Wow, a person could get tired looking at some of their schedules. They have more than one means to income, but the businesses seem to all tie into their skills.

4. They are genuine mentors. If you want to model success you have to find it to model. These 7 serve as a spring board of what to look for in a mentor. A mentor is not someone living a broke, uninspired life, but someone who is constantly taking chances and taking action on their ideas.

My point of writing this was to get you to follow people that are doing something and have the wisdom to help you step up your game. Further, you should know why you follow the people you do. It is cool to just kick back and have fun on Twitter, but how would your life change if you were following people that are where you want to go and are willing to teach you how to get there?