Social Media

The Care and Feeding of Twitter

phylliskhare.com(and yes – cleaning the twitter-litter, too) You can listen to this post here –> Care and Feeding of Twitter

I taught several New to Twitter Workshops last year. Small business owners mostly, ranging from solopreneuers, to mid-size nationally reaching publishing companies. Everyone is always so excited to finally be taking flight in the Twitterverse – and I always wish them well as they go their merry way – making the point very clearly as they leave,  “There is a Care and Feeding of Twitter – stay engaged – stay in the conversation!”

A few have really taken to Twitter – like a bird to the air (goofiness intended)- and some have given up all hope that they will ever find meaningful connections. To everyone I offer this advice:

You have to take “care” of Twitter. Otherwise it just lies there – like a dead blue parrot (“helloooo Polly” Monty Python on you tube…). It only has the life you give it. You are the wind beneath it’s wings (hey – how about that 80′s reference). You have to schedule time for it. Period.

Twitter needs feeding. Feeding is the attitude of giving; giving advice, giving found links, giving news, giving friendship. One of the main tenants of attraction-based marketing is giving. You naturally give good advice and information – people see what you have to say and you gain their respect – respect turns into referrals – referrals turn into sales (delving into the attraction-based business model is another post for another day).

As with all pets, there is usually a litter-box. Twitter has one, too. Because of the extreme attraction spammers have to this new flashy thing – they have taken up roost. They really make a mess of things, and you do have to clean them out. Otherwise one day you’ll look and the only people following you are 10 thousand spam-bots all called Tiffany.

    Nov 28, 2009 | Categories: Social Media, Twitter | Tags: , , | View Comments

    Pulling a Rabbit out of My (social media) Hat

    Listen to this post – here –> MagicTricks

    Asking the question: Why do I have to do magic tricks to get a client?

    You would think by now, with all the main-stream media around the marketing power of Twitter and Facebook, that I wouldn’t have to resort to magic tricks to get a new clients, but occasionally I do.

    Recently, I was on a phone consultation with a potential client and his very nice, but unimpressed partner (who btw made a lot of money marketing old-school in the 80′s). After explaining all the benefits of social media – the traffic, the conversation, the attraction-based marketing model, and did I mention the traffic, he was still unconvinced that he and his partner should risk money on fluffy things such as Twitter.

    That’s when I said, “OK, watch this!” (Taking the wand in my hand) I took his URL over to bit.ly and created a track-able link, crafted a lovely little tweet on the fly and sent it out to my (very responsive) followers on Twitter.

    Then we watched as 5 – 10 – 15 people clicked over to his website – now you have to realize No One was visiting his site – then 25 – then 40 – and all told 101 in just a few minutes. Voila – another ‘wabbit’ out of my hat and a new client for the month!

    He said, “Wow – Twitter really does drive traffic to your website!” and I said, “Yes, and that was with one tweet - imagine the possibilities!” I couldn’t help but smile inside, but also wonder, when will marketers using social media get enough credibility without relying on magic tricks?

    Nov 28, 2009 | Categories: Social Media, Twitter | Tags: , , | View Comments

    State of the Internet by Jesse

    JESS3 / The State of The Internet from Jesse Thomas on Vimeo.

    JESS3 designed and animated this for the JESS3 lecture at AIGA Baltimore in Feb 2010.

    Nov 28, 2009 | Categories: Social Media, Twitter | Tags: , , | View Comments

    Social Media as Only Bill (billtvmacon) Can Do

    I love Bill. He is my touchstone for sanity. I turn to him on YouTube almost daily. In this episode he discusses social media and old people – two of my favorite subjects (being I’m paid by it and am one…).  Here you go.

    Nov 28, 2009 | Categories: Social Media, Twitter | Tags: , , | View Comments

    What Will I Find Here? How-to Tutorials!

    I love technology. I am a geeky girl and a technology cheerleader. I’ve been this way all my life. Over the last 30 years, even when I made a living singing, performing and teaching, I used the most advanced and accessible recording and presentation technologies of the time. Some call me a “technology cheerleader,” as I sing the praises of all the new and exciting ways to promote a business online through my popular Web site and tutorials. I was an award-wining educator for many years, teaching thousands of children in state-arts-funded residencies. Now I teach adults how to reap the benefits of online technology.

    I’ve spent the last few years connecting to a large online community and audience. I am very active on Twitter,  Facebook, and LinkedIn.  I actively comment on technology blogs all over the country and Twitter chats on the topic of blogging. I have located and developed many key players in the world of social media and can count on them to be very enthusiastic joint-marketing partners. The very nature of social media is a great boon to any marketing effort.

    I taught and spoke in front of large audiences (400 – 1000) for over 12 years as an educator and performer, and now I speak to large groups in two tracks:

    1. Technology 101 audiences – to inspire and inform small business owners on the power of online marketing
    2. Tech Savvy audiences – to showcase new systems to use in marketing

    Enjoy the video tutorials on this site. If you want to know when new ones are up – join the mailing list, or subscribe to the RSS feed, or follow me on any of my social media accounts. If you want to join my Inner Marketing Circle – where we discuss how to use these systems for marketing – go to the page on Inner Marketing Circle.

    Learn more about me – Recent Interview with Richard Marti

    Nov 28, 2009 | Categories: Social Media, Twitter | Tags: , , | View Comments