RESPONSE TO FACEBOOK GROUP CONVERSATION: “HOW NOT TO USE TWITTER”

There are no rules, but there are definately best practices. Since Twitter is growing so rapidly in comparison to all other social media, the best practices are being defined by early adopter successes & lessons learned. If you are on Twitter now - congratulations! - you are an early adopter and will join us in defining and discovering Twitter’s uses and limitations.

Using Twitter, or any social media tool, is most effective when you create and work a system for integrating it into your business communication needs.

Imagine your communication needs today are:

a) Generate audience and comments on your new blog post

b) Important indusry information for inclusion in your monthly newsletter/whitepaper/email

c) A Virtual Assistant to take a little bit of the stress off your upcoming Request For Proposal

I like how Twitter use clearly defines the need for businesses to approach social media first from a social perspective, instead of our instinctual focus on advertising/results, pushing our business/promotional message or closing sales. There are a lot of examples on Twitter of people and businesses who simply use Twitter and other social media as simply free advertising, and although it may work for them to a certain extent, never as well as it could - creating stronger relationships with existing clients and getting people to talk about you (activating Word of Mouth Marketing for your business).

How do you get people to talk about and follow you?

• Share interesting, useful, valuable information - always include useful links, which can be shortened at www.Tinyurl.com
• ReTweet - give other people credit for finding and sharing the great information; you are RT (ReTweeting) to your “followers”
• “Send” influencers useful information they may RT to their large audience (giving you the @yourname credit, which may be RT again & again)
• Chat with people (using the @username in your Tweet)
• Chat in live ongoing topic-based conversations (using # hashtags and www.search.twitter.com)
• HELP people out - when you overhear someone asking for information or thoughts on a product/service/issue
• Ask questions! People will respond and send helpful links 

How would you do this at a live business networking conference?

1. scope out the room & identify groups of people who are working in or discussing topics that are interesting or an expertise that you have/need right now
2. listen in on their conversation (unless their Tweets are protected/private) and respond
3. give, help and suggest - reciprocity will do the rest

The basic principle to keep in mind is that people will do business with people they know, like and trust.

KNOW - People get to know you (or your company) through everyday real tweets about interesting meetings, announcements, blog post conversations, comments, #followfriday and your general status updates on what you are doing, thinking, why.  I’ve heard some experts suggest a 80/20 rule of Tweets 80% focused on sharing business links 20% on personal thoughts and happenings.

LIKE - They will like you, for who you are really, based on how you converse and socialize on Twitter - if they unfollow you then they’ve decided (at least for now), they aren’t interested in listening to what you have to say.

TRUST - Trust takes time to develop. If you’re on Twitter often and make strong connections with people, you can shorten how long it takes for people to trust you - to the point where they want to do business with you.

Once you’ve invested the time to develop a relationship so that your followers know, like and trust you, when the time comes they immediately need your product/service you will be one of the 1st people they consider. It’s an investment in time, not money that will grow your business.

For the moment, most of my Teach Me To Tweet, shared articles are posted to my facebook profile click here

And general marketing, media, etc conversations are on Twitter click here

Seth Godin is so excellent.  His blog is really valuable to me; it gets me regularly questioning everything I’ve thought about marketing and advertising, customer service and corporate communications.  

Here’s a quick video interview with Seth from T.E.D. conference (who wouldn’t want to be there?)

Seth is honest when he says he responds to everyone who emails him - before I knew what a big name he is in marketing I took exception to the tone I thought was inferred in an early blog post (early in my following him), and I responded!  By Email!  And he responded back personally.  I’m almost embarrassed now.  ;  )

This was a HUGE lesson for me in how I conduct business and represent myself online, that it is like having a one-on-one conversation, in the most public forum in the world.

That’s a big change of thinking for me, after years of mass media buying on behalf of top-tier brands.

Ultimately, Seth is changing the way we all think, as his message infiltrates agency folks (like me) and our clients, and eventually their advertising strategies & tactics, which in turn affects the business model & execution of all our ‘branded’ communication forms like newspapers, TV, radio, etc.

I’m on Twitter, a lot.  Why?  So that I can be the most knowledgeable on behalf of my clients & readers on how Twitter may be an effective way to start/contribute to developing your Tribe of close contacts.

Leave comments here, but talk to me publicly on Twitter, please! Click here:  @Debbie_h2o

Want help on Twitter? All the Twitter experts are there; just ask.  Want a quick, free survey for your business?  Just ask; your Twitter followers will answer.

OVERDRIVE INTERACTIVE HAS DEVELOPED A FANTASTIC SOCIAL MEDIA MAP TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY YOUR TOP OPTIONS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY BUILDING AND MARKETING

Here’s a helpful Social Media Map, developed by Overdrive Interactive - feel free to pass it on to your contacts, don’t forget to give credit (and links!) back to Overdrive Interactive.  Thank you for all the hard work (it is well done), Overdrive Interactive, and for sharing!

Click on the picture to link back to Overdrive & download a copy of the map if you’d like one for yourself.

Overdrive Interactive is an online marketing services firm that helps companies create genuine and lasting connections with their target audiences and customers using Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Marketing and Online Media.

Follow Up: I’ve been asking around Twitter and it appears there’s been some controversy over Magpie in Twitterland. While I take the time to consider what else I want to “test” on my Facebook, blog, Twitter, LinkedIn etc, I have disabled the Magpie “promote” activity and require pre-approval of any ads purchased to run in my Twitterstream. I guess I just have to decide which of the two distinct groups of internet marketers I want to be -

1. Smash & Grab - build up links & traffic for people I never know or meet or talk to & just try to earn, earn, EARN!
2. Community Builder - take my expertise (traditional advertising media planning & negotiating) and gain a better understanding of how large & small companies can take advantage of the opportunity to interact with online communities (Social Media), to improve their offerings.

Jan 26th: I’ve been trying something new recently, instead of blogging often, short posts, I’ve been wandering around Twitter and trying to figure it out - how users use it and how real small businesses can use Twitter to promote themselves.

Click on the ad above and see if you can earn money and advertise your business on Twitter.

CREATING WIN-WIN JVs & PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH HELPS SECURE CREATIVE SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR YOUR SME THROUGH HARD TIMES

What a great way to reach out to the local community and generate a personalized showcase of your best work - gives me all sorts of ideas for my soon-to-be business!

Spider host’s recent press release outlines the how the contest winner will be selected - sounds to me like the business who can demonstrate an “astounding transformation” opportunity for their selection & judging panel (and no, I’m not suggesting you trash your website just to win the contest!):

Wall Street Journal Weekend Market Watch posts Spiderhost Worst Website Press Release:

Contestants in the Orlando area can enter athttp://www.spiderhost.com/crappiestwebsite; those in the Tampa Bay area can enter at http://www.jallanstudios.com/crappiestwebsite. Spiderhost will pick one winner from the Orlando market; J Allan Studios will pick one from the Tampa market.

 [YOUR] DIRECTOR OF MARKETING BLOG

 RANKS #16 IN FACEBOOK TOP 50 SMALL BUSINESS BLOGS

The [Your] Director of Marketing Blog Network page actually ranks #16 in the Top 50 of facebook small business blogs, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.  If you’re clicking through and are a regular facebook user, please be sure to click on and join my [Your] Director of Marketing networked blog on facebook.

Currently, the Top 5 “NetworkedBlogs” in the small business category are:

1. Just For Small Business - Real life “how to” tips for small business owners
2. mirrormirror - Moving from London to Seattle. Bringing up a business and little girl. Trying to live happily ever after. I write about my design inspirations, the trials and tribulations of running my online shop, life in the US, doing up our funny old craftsman house, cooking, knitting and photography
3. The Moutray Chronicles - I created this blog to keep my friends and family updated on events and issues of relevance to Charlotte and me. As this blog has evolved, it has focused heavily on my professional activities, especially in terms of my research on small business and entrepreneurship.
4. Forever Always Events
5. Competeability Trainer and Coach - Brian Panichelle helps small businesses to compete in a big business world.

The NetworkedBlogs application makes integrating your blog and facebook activities a breeze and I’m all for efficiency in my time for the business!  Also, it’s just so easy for people to chat with their friends about your blog (good or bad), when they’re reading it from inside of facebook.

From your readers’ perspective, those who are on facebook might appreciate the ease of receiving your content in a convenient place, facebook.  (where it is almost too convenient for them to chat to their friends about your blog, good or bad)

Want to get your own blog on NetworkedBlogs on facebook?

START YOUR OWN BLOGGING BUSINESS, ENTREPRENEUR PRESS AND J.S. MACDOUGALL, 2007

I’ve read three blogging books so far and this is one of the better books - more than the others, possibly because it was published more recently, so it speaks to people who at least read a few blogs and are not entirely foreign to how they work.

Here are a few of the most valuable links I found included in the book.  For my complete list of links & recommendations, email me or grab a copy of the book for yourself here, or through your local library (I borrowed mine from Toronto Public Library).

FREE Blog Aggregators, to help build your blog’s audience:

1. Technorati
2. Blog Explosion
3. Weblogs

1. Linkshare
2. ClickBank
3. Commission Junction
4. Amazon Associates 
5. Chapters Indigo

Want to sell advertising on your blog?  It will be more difficult now given that economic downturns often mean shrinking ad budgets, so a media kit prepared to showcase your blog best (audience) features, so include in your media kit:

1. Blog overall description and details of topics, milestones , awards and honors as a business
2. Audience: Age range, gender, location, occupation, annual salary, etc. 

     To get specific info on your readers can be challenging, so you may want hire a Survey company:

• Survey Monkey
• Vanguard
• Question Pro
• Survey Gold
• Vovici
• Zoomerang

If, like me, you’re considering the scope of the current economic crisis and what the future might look like, now that we know what we know.  I’m a strong believer in a positive mental attitude, not meaning that everything is parties all the time but that there are valuable lessons to be learned in the process, wherever you are in that process.

The Blog Herald offers their thoughts on how you might be able to use blogging to survive the economy.  I see it as a resource - a great place to learn and think about using blogging to THRIVE in the near future, regardless of economies. 

1. Start a blog - it doesn’t cost much to start up and can be a productive fun way to make a little bit of extra income
2. Online Resume and Visual Presence: “If you are job hunting or want to prove your worth to a company, why not do it with a visual online presence. With a blog and active involvement in social media, you increase your odds of being found if someone searches for you or your specialty.  Create an online reputation for your expertise and skills with your blog. A blog proves job performance, reliability, consistency, and perseverance. It proves you not only can write but communicate your thoughts and ideas. A blog proves you understand that the world is about who you know who knows what you need. It shows you know how to build a community and network. A blog proves you understand how this “online thing” works, which a lot of businesses desperately need.  Consider your blog your online resume. Consider all your online activities, correspondence, and social media microblog posts and communications part of your reputation. Everything online adds to the story of “you” so make sure it represents you well.
3. Start a New Business
4. Social Networking and Support
5. A Blog Depends on You
6. FREE Entertainment

Actually, this app is like the invention of the Microwave was to heating food - it does it, at SUPER SPEED…

I’m surprised how few people have found it and are making use of it, so I’m making it my personal quest to share it with everyone.

It’s actually rediculously simple, and makes sharing web items on Facebook somthing you can do in literally 2 clicks.  Probably about 3 seconds for the entire idea of “oh, my FB friends would get a kick out of this Will Ferrell video” or “My clients will be impressed I shared this important news report with them”.

Even better, you can do it WITHOUT opening up Facebook at all.  No chance of your employees catching you “socializing” on Facebook (if only they knew!).

Click here and within two minutes you’ll be sharing real-time updates and tidbits to your valued clients and friends all day long, without it taking any time at all.

Now that I’m blogging I’m still using the Share on Facebook bookmarklet all the time!