Monday, August 31, 2009

Using twitter for your business

Twitter is a social media site. The idea behind social media is to develop relationships with others, so that trust is built. Using a social media approach to marketing steers away from "in your face" advertising and relies upon revealing your business, as you would to a friend, by interacting and exchanging ideas and information.

There is a protocol on Twitter and you can learn a lot by joining, laying back and watching, and then gradually starting conversations. You can pick out who you wish to "follow" so that you can learn more about the person and his/her business. There are plenty of links, videos, and podcasts to visit (posted by members) which will give you even more info.

Read others posts and blogs to see how they interact with other members. Watch how they present their ideas and events and build interest in their particular businesses. This is really a slow process. It does not happen overnight, but it can have a big payoff.

This social media craze is all new to me. I have a business and I have to do my own marketing, but I am not an expert. My expertize is as a writer and an innkeeper (one-woman operation). It’s a small operation, so I can’t afford to pay for marketing. I rely on research, reading, and the internet for ideas.

I joined Twitter, a popular social media site, a couple of months ago when I began building my blogs. I frequently multi-task and, since I was also interested in learning about social media, I figured I would do/learn everything at the same time. I love learning new stuff!

I have asked many questions on Twitter, to which I never got an answer. Occasionally someone will respond. However, where I feel I get the most value out of it is by reading other chats and comments by other members, some of whom are experts in marketing and social media and other related fields. I’ve gone to the links they suggest, to their blogs and to their sites. I think focusing on utilizing the tremendous amount of info that is put out on Twitter and not on whether or not one get’s a response reaps the most benefits. Check out the following videos about twitter:

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6961929

2 comments:

  1. Dear Nancy,

    this is a lovely, inspiring and highgly useful blog. I just added you to my RSS feed. I am in the process of signing a book contract for my first book Naked in Eden, about my life in the Australian Rainforest and feel that this site will be very helpful to me in that it is full-on inspiring. I REALLY like that as it is how I feel about life. No matter how many setbacks I've had in my life, I STILL feel (and KNOW) that anything is possible.

    I agree with youa bout Twitter, it really is about the amount of info I've found there on marketing and social media and so many related things for business, for authors, as well as some of the inspiring things I've read and seen.

    I'm so glad we are connecting. I've read someone of your posts here and just feel uplifted and excited. A great way to start my morning.

    Thank you SO much, Nancy.
    Hugs,
    Robin

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  2. Dear Robin,

    Thank you so much for the wonderful comments. I can't tell you enough how fulfilling it is to have someone recognize what I mean to say and what I'm trying to create here. Knowing I have inspired someone is a really good feeling. And to share this connection is so special.

    Hugs back to you, Nancy

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