I sent out this month’s newsletter and in it was an article that was inspired by my twitter activity last week. I have gotten a few good comments back on it and thought it would be fun to share my story here – especially one that can show how Twitter can be effective and fun at the same time!! Here goes… (and I apologize to readers who also receive our monthly newsletter for the duplication)

A funny thing happened the other day… I posted a Tweet online with a spelling mistake and one that greatly changed a word. I actually didn’t notice it, I will fix them if I do but sometimes in our life on Twitter small mistakes are missed and I don’t fret about them. We are all fallible and typos will happen, no big deal.

So my typo the other day really changed the meaning of the word I meant to enter. When you use an ‘i’ instead of an ‘o’ in the word hockey – you get the word hickey! Yep! I tweeted about a ‘HICKEY GAME”!

Well… you can imagine what happened next… I got back from the hockey game and had all sorts of replies, comments and tweets about my ‘Hickey Game’.

It was quite amusing, notes and comments were all over facebook and twitter:
- What’s a hickey game? Sounds interesting!
- You do mean “hockey” right?
- hickey game? shocking.
- A hickey game? That sounds a little risque doesn’t it? (giggle)
- Oh, leave it to you and @timeontaskva to provide my afternoon giggles! Thanks ladies. watch for flyin’ hickey pucks too!

The reason for my story? It’s an argument to all the people starting out on Twitter, Facebook or even blogging who have the hesitation of “No one will want to listen to what I have to say”. This tends to be one of the top stumbling block for people new to social media. My argument – Yes they will! Everyone has valuable information to share and teach others.

If you use social media properly, people will in fact be listening more than you might think. Properly, meaning stay professional yet adding in your personality, write about what you know, give value to others and don’t cross the lines of ‘Too Much Information’.

So… yes I made a big typo- but look at the afternoon chuckles people had because of it. No harm, no foul and a good example of how ‘being real and being you’ online can bring positive results!

I hope this helps you if you are one of the “No one will listen to me” doubters and make sure we are connected on Twitter and Facebook, I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the next Hickey Game when it occurs. As an added benefit you will find me posting tips to help you learn more about using social media for your business.

Technorati Tags: how to use twitter, social media training

Sometimes the simplest of things can appear more complicated.  That is what I find happens when clients start using twitter, especially when you begin directly on twitter which is what I recommend.  I start clients off this way because then they develop clear understanding of how Twitter works and how others view what you post.

The Home page and Profile page difference is usually the first lesson. Your twitter homepage is what you see when you sign into Twitter – it shows all the updates from the people you follow.

The profile page (seen here to your left) is “All about YOU” This is where you find all your own updates and information and when other users click on your twitter username this is what they see – your profile.

The confusion appears when clients ask “Where is my tweet that I just did?” Well, if you follow many people the homepage will change and update with all the new posts from those you follow.  Your own updates will get pushed farther down the list.

If you are looking to check what you posted, then it is found on your profile page.

Home = All your connections

Profile = You Only

Technorati Tags: how to use twitter, social media training

Well, I finally took the plunge and finished my first ever eBook. I wrote it, formatted it, found some people who had real-life examples, created a sales page, setup an online product to sell and now it’s ready.

It took me a while and I learned many new things and met some new people (virtually of course!) while going through this process, but I think it was definitely worth it! I even have an idea for a second book.

What I did was take many of my client-training sessions on Twitter and compiled it into an easy-to-read eBook to help beginners understand better how to talk on Twitter – the end result… Talking on Twitter!

What you will learn from this eBook is how to :

	Learn the basics of Twitter – understand what a DM, RT and Hashtag are and how to use them
	Understand what the Settings are on your Twitter profile and how and why to change them
	Know the difference between your home and profile pages and what everyone else sees about you on Twitter
	Learn the Art of Conversation on Twitter and how to engage others
	Follow a typical schedule that will help you remain efficient and effective with your time spent on Twitter
	Build up your followers and connections when you start out on Twitter and how to find people.

You can read some testimonials from others who have bought and read Talking on Twitter… it’s a good alternative to try out before investing hundreds of dollars in a training program.  Many of these programs are fabulous, but you still need to understand the basics of using Twitter and that is what this eBook is all about.

I have found with most clients, once they understand how to navigate twitter and how others view what you say,  the lightbulb goes off and they comprehend how it is possible to bring in new contacts, and ultimately business, from using Twitter.   Get your copy today and see if you notice a difference in your level of engagement on Twitter!

Technorati Tags: how to use twitter, Twitter

Twitter has a great help topic on rules regarding all sorts of automation when it comes to posting updates on your Twitter profile. Because I manage other people’s twitter accounts I am often checking any updates and notices Twitter has to their terms of service and help menu. It keeps me on top of what my client and I can and cannot do.

Using a free platform such as Twitter, you will always want to be current with their terms in order to ensure your account does not violate any policies that will put you and your profile at risk.

Not only do you learn the ‘rules’ but you also get informed as to other aspects of using their service. There are many applications out there that allow you to automate messages, posts, @ replies and following and unfollowing users; and Twitter has some very specific info on what is allowed and not allowed when doing these types of actions. They explain how Twitter OAuth approval works as well (how the system works when you allow other applications to update your twitter profile).

If you have not read this recently – or ever – you may want to take 5 minutes today and check it out.

Technorati Tags: how to use twitter, social media training, Twitter

Value… everyone wants some great value in today’s economy. Marketing companies are all about promoting value in advertising these days. It makes sense considering how these ‘tough economic times” are hitting many people.

My family had a two week vacation this summer and a good part of the planning was ensuring we received good value for the money we were spending, whether it was a hotel, attraction or restaurant.

This same principle can be applied to what you do and say on Twitter. People are looking for value with their connections on Twitter. If you add value to your tweets, you will find yourself having more conversations and connecting with more people. Ultimately it is these connections and relationships that help you succeed on Twitter.

So… how do you add value to a 140 character tweet? Simple. You make it worthwhile for others to read. You also need to realize that everything you tweet should not always about you and your business. Big value can be had from making a post about someone or something else besides you!

Here are five tips to help you think of ways to post tweets with value: (more…)

Technorati Tags: how to use twitter, Social Media, Twitter