Contributed Article…

Everyone online seems to be talking about Twitter these days! But what exactly is Twitter?
This is Twitter.com’s official definition:
“Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages. People write short updates, often called “tweets” of 140 characters or fewer. These messages are posted to your profile or your blog, sent to your followers, and are searchable on Twitter search.”
It’s pretty simple really. Twitter is a site where you toss out short notes on the web that tell people what you are doing, feeling, thinking right now. It’s a great way for busy people to keep in touch with friends and quickly broadcast information about where you are and what you’re up to. Twitter is like an instant messaging blog that posts your conversations to the world (although you can also have private conversations.) You only have 140 spaces to write something– so you have to keep it short.
With Twitter you have the option to link it to your mobile phone or to your instant messenger. This turns Twitter into a powerful mobile communication tool, since you can both send and receive updates on your phone, and stay in touch wherever you are.
What is the point? Well, if you’ve ever been hooked on Facebook, MySpace, email, blogging, one of the instant messaging clients, or even just spent a lot of time texting on your cell phone, you probably get the idea. It is a quick way to stay in touch, meet new people, and have some fun. It is like a mini blog.
Twitter isn’t just for personal use, it also has many applications for business use. It can be used to broadcast your company’s latest news and blog posts. Twitter is good for interacting with your customers and employees. It can also enable easy internal group communication, feedback and collaboration.
For the entrepreneur and home worker, Twitter is becoming an important part of business promotion, web marketing, personal branding, and the social networking scene. It can be a great tool to get your messages out to a targeted audience and find new business leads.
There are some great twitter resources and tool out there on the web. One of my favorites is Tweetdeck.com. It organizes your Twitter information and gives your Twitter account an instant messenger style format. Firefox has some great Twitter add-ons. Another good Twitter tool is Tweetlater.com. You can send postdated tweets and auto reply tweets with this. There is also a Twitter download that you can add to your Apple/Mac Dashboard. You can also add twitter feed and wigets to your Facebook, Wordpress and Blogger blogs.
If you are going to be using Twitter to promote your business, here are a few important Twitter Business Tips:
1. Don’t blatantly promote. This is more of a passive promotion media. Blatant promotions turn your audience off.
2. Don’t let it take over and distract you from other important tasks. It’s easy to get too caught up in Twittering and lose track of time.
3. Don’t let it take the place of real communication in your life. Twitter is a communication tool not a communication replacement.
4. Do have fun! Share interesting non-business as well as business related tidbits of information that others might enjoy learning.
So, are you ready? Let’s Twitter!
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By Dianne Ronnow © 2009 Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved. This article may be freely copied as long as it is not modified and this resource box below accompanies the article, together with working hyperlinks.

Contributed Article…

It seems that many people can’t get enough of Twitter. They are always talking about it, online and offline. Through Twitter, you can build a large network of friends, clients, associates, and customers. This is a must read for those who are new in this social network website.When you use twitter, you can create your personal brand or dominate a certain niche. How can you achieve this?Once you create your own profile page, the very first thing that you need to do is get ‘followers’. If you have friends or relatives who are already in Twitter, invite them. This may not be of great help to you especially if you’re trying to promote your business but if you’re simply making new friends and want to stay connected, this is a good start. For business persons, you need to follow ‘gurus’ or the powerful users of Twitter. You must know what they’re doing in order to ensure success in Twitter marketing. The second thing that you need to do is to meet more people. ‘ReTweets’ are great for making new friends. In this tool, the original message is repeated. Whenever you receive a message or tweet, reply as soon as you receive them. So even if you receive dozens of tweets from your followers, you need to reply to them patiently. You will never go tired of using Twitter and as what other users claim – Twitter is addicting.Once you use the social site, you can’t get enough of it. When you sit down to answer the tweets or messages, you will hardly notice how time pass by. Some individuals spend hours and hours online twittering. You can also do the same but you must have a fast internet connection. Look for helpful tools that you can use to create memorable Twitter experiences. The profile page is very important to attract more followers. A dull profile will not be fruitful. You must make your profile as interesting as possible. It should also suit your purpose for using the site. If it’s for business purposes, you must create a powerful and intriguing page. It must tell something about the product or service you’re marketing. Even if you want to make friends, your page should still be interesting.Use the Twitter tools available so that you can have one of the most attractive pages; that way, when someone visits your profile page, they will want to be friends with you. When you get their attention, they will continue to follow you. Appreciate all your followers so that you can develop stronger relationships. Having friends from different parts of the world is truly exciting. If you can’t stay online often, you should set the settings properly so that you can receive the tweets on your mobile device. You can now reply to the tweets using your mobile device. So you see, twittering is possible anywhere at any time. You can enjoy twittering during your coffee or lunch breaks or when you’re out shopping. You can tell others what you’re doing and where you are if you want to. Always stay connected and don’t forget to post tweets regularly. If you want others to feel your presence, Twitter everyday; soon you will be one of the twitter addicts out there. Read this and you won’t regret it.

Contributed Article…

Who haven’t heard about Twitter? Well, perhaps if you’re not using the internet, you’re probably not aware that this social network existed or other related sites. Why don’t you surf the web now and see what Twitter can offer you.You need to sign up first before you can use the site to meet different kinds of people. Most of the individuals you can find on Twitter want to meet other people. They want to stay connected 24/7 and they want to gain new friends. Is your reason the same? Of course, there are those who simply want to take their business to a different level. Twitter marketing is also possible these days but to ensure success, you must follow certain rules. Many businesses have experienced growth and expansion through various internet and social media resources. Consider the following rules to twitter success:1.) Visibility – you must ensure your visibility on Twitter. Spend a few of hours everyday by posting tweets and responding to the tweets you receive. This is an excellent way of getting to know more people. Use the tool “Twitter Blueprint”. You must first determine your Twitter routine. Designate particular hours for tweeting everyday. You must also follow a certain number of people every week and check which ones follow you back. Try to make direct replies. A good thing about Twitter is that you can reply from your mobile device. If you’re always seen and heard on Twitter, you can increase your visibility. 2.) Powerful Profile – when you join Twitter, you will first create your profile page. Make the page interesting and powerful. What does your profile say about you? Your personality? Your interests? Can your profile bring out the curiosity of others? A powerful profile makes other people think and smile. Once they see your profile, they are immediately moved and they want to get to know you better. A powerful profile can generate immediate reaction towards you.3.) Twittering – you should always make it a point to share what you’re doing. You must tell everyone about your life and experiences. When there are messages for you, try to answer them accordingly. When someone tweets you, thank him or her. Try to look at Twitter as a billboard where you’re free to post anything that you want others to know. By using it often and wisely, you can enhance your presence on Twitter. 4.) Twitter Networking – aside from making friends, you can also make business partners through Twitter. Millions of people use the site everyday. Connect with your target market and befriend them. You must strive to build good relationships. When you have lots of friends already, you can now introduce your business. It will be easier to talk them into patronizing your business because they trust you. 5.) Direct Messages – sending direct messages is already part of the system. There you will find the list of people who are always talking, connecting, and thinking about you. Read the messages and let the people know how much you appreciate them. You can even use the list as valuable leads. 6.) Videos and photos – it is very important to share videos and photos through Twitter. It establishes a more intimate relationship because others can get a glimpse of your life. It can also be used for exposure. These are the rules to Twitter success.

Contributed Article…

The business world has recently been inundated with the buzz about Twitter, a web-based social networking application assisting those who wish to keep in touch with customers, clients and friends.  Remarkably, it’s already allowed some entrepreneurs to double their clientele while efficiently enhancing their word of mouth marketing.  The following will provide a thumb-nail sketch of the most important steps and tips for effectively using Twitter.

Getting Started

I highly suggest making your username, your business name.  This will add a branding element in addition to Google ranking your Twitter account for your company searches, thus increases your prospects’ chances of finding you online.

For your profile image, use a picture of yourself so that followers can associate your image with the company name.  This is especially true if you as the owner are doing the tweeting.

When designing your profile background, use one of the templates provided by sites like Twitterbacks or FreeTwitterDesign.

Customize your account as much as possible by creating relevant a username, image and background to convey your brand.

Using Tweetdeck

After creating your account and customizing your profile, it’s vital to supplement your account with a management tool or application.  Tweetdeck is probably the most used site for this which allows you to update and use Twitter more efficiently.  Having thousands of followers necessitates the ability to filter the multitude of conversations.  For example, it can allow you to just see a handful of your friends’ tweets even though you may be following 5,000 people.

It also lets your search for a group of people based on keywords specific to a given business.  The possibilities are virtually endless with this capability when you consider a local business seeking to track a certain town or zip code.

Personality

So many businesses fail because their customers do not know, like, and trust them.  Today in 2009 it has never been easier for small business owners to integrate their personal touch with their product by using the internet and social media sites like Twitter.

The less personable you seem, the less likely consumers will believe you.  Consequently, you should also feel free to tweet non-business updates that allow your customers to acclimate themselves with your true character and interests.

Building Value

Don’t expect to have thousands of followers from week one.  Rather, focus on building true customer loyalty and satisfaction by what they take away from your updates.  Your goal is to garner a core group of fans who end up telling their friends about who you are and what you have to offer.

One example of this is by you giving free advice, tutorials or samples to consumers that need your product or service.  It strengthens your reputations and integrity if done with sincere honesty.  In the long run these customers will remember you when their need arises, thus equating to more sales and greater revenue.

Summary

Twitter offers businesses a new way to connect with consumers and build customer loyalty. It’s important to take the right steps to make your profile and workflow receptive to new customers. Properly fill out your profile, use a Twitter application like Tweetdeck, and create a strategy for your business to make the best use of this new social platform.

Contributed Article…

Thanks to the internet, you can now access the world market to promote various products and services. Many individuals now maintain their own websites to market their business. There are also lots of online tools that you can use to increase traffic and one is through Twitter. If you don’t have an account in Twitter, it’s time to create now.Twitter marketing is now possible. The site has millions of subscribers worldwide and so you can easily find prospects there. By building relationships, you can increase your site traffic and at the same time, increase the sales. In marketing your products or services, you must be able to penetrate your target market. You can use Twitter to build relationships with your prospects. Making new friends is quite easy with the help of social networks. You must study the behavior of customers. You must ensure that your prospects know you. Introduce yourself to them and make friends. By building relationships, your prospects will eventually like you. Once you earn their trust, you can now offer your products/services.  Upload pictures to your account so that everyone who follows you will know who you are. Talking to them can also lead to more intimate relationships that can go a long way. Interaction is also very important. If someone sends you a comment or a tweet, you must respond immediately. Building conversations is one way to make friends. If you have lots of followers, don’t ignore them; try to send them comments as well. Twitter marketing should not be done all the time. Just limit your marketing campaigns and communicate more. You see, when you communicate often with your followers, you can make more friends. The more friends you have, the more you can market your business effectively. Since you’re going to promote your business, your ID should be related to your business. That way, your followers can easily identify you. It is not a good idea to market your business during your initial conversations. Again, the importance of building relationships should not be overlooked. Twitter is a social network website so you need to socialize with others. You must make them feel important. Talk to them by responding to their tweets. Don’t forget to post tweets regularly. Make your tweets interesting and helpful. You can also put links on your account that lead to your business site and to other helpful resources. If you have gained friends through Twitter, it will be easier to pool more prospects. Your business will become well known by word of mouth. If some of your friends in Twitter like your product or service, they will surely recommend you to their followers. So you see, even if you’re not marketing your business all the time, prospects will come to you. You must take care of the relationships you’ve built online. Taking care of your regular customers is vital and don’t stop looking for new ones. Sign up with Twitter and use it as an effective marketing tool. Choose your ID carefully and make it catchy. You must learn how to use Twitter properly to maximize results. Join groups that offer similar products or services and learn from the experts. Even if you’re asking help from others, you should educate yourself further. By knowing the different Twitter tools, you effectively market your business.