How to: Incorporating Twitter into your business!

I know most of us have heard of Twitter but many are still asking themselves a few important questions...

Why should I use Twitter?

AND...

How can I incorporate this tool into my business?

In this blog I will share with you a few keys to maximizing Twitter and using it to create a "following"...


What is Twitter?
Twitter is another great addition to the social media "force" that has taken the world by storm. Twitter gives individuals an avenue to relay information to each other on a regular basis and in a rather timely fashion.

From my experience, there are two types of "Twitterers"...

1.The individual that will Twitter the morning "play-by-play" of how their teeth brushing is going. If a storm comes through you will be informed of the sounds, size, and direction of the rain fall.

AND...

2. Individuals that will send out numerous articles/videos/links to new information. Twitter has become a platform for professionals to share valuable information that is relevant to their industry.


My blueprint for incorporating Twitter into your business...


How to: Start "Following" Others

1. Locate as many industry contacts/experts we can and begin "following" them.

2. Once we have built up a list of individuals that we are following then begin to weed through the list by sorting out those that we would consider a "#1" (those that give you the play-by-play of their day). This "weeding out" is what will make Twitter a business tool and not a scheme to raise our text message bill!

3. (Optional) After we have identified the #1's and the #2's...then we need to set up our phone to receive Tweets as text messages. We do this so we can receive information whether we are by our computers or not (to do this just go to the Twitter homepage and click on "Devices").

- After we have set up our phones to receive "Tweets via Text" we then click on the list of who we are following. On that list we will see an "On" and "Off" next to the person. If we click "On" then we will be notified, by text message, when that individual has posted a new "Tweet". I started off by turning on about 20 people...and it became overwhelming! I was receiving text message every 20 minutes. I now have 8 people turned on and that is plenty of information for me. The key is to determine how much we, personally, want to bite off.


How to: Start Being Followed

1. Add our Twitter name to our email signature. (ex. Tweet me @ JJacobus). As simple as that sounds it can be a great way to generate a following.

2. Plain and simple...we must become a #2 ourselves! We need to post "Tweets" that bring value to others. Sorry #1's but no one is chomping at the bit to know what you are searching for in the grocery store! The people that are followed the most are the ones that are consistently sharing valuable articles and links to their community of followers.

- I post articles, my blogs, new statistics, quotes, stories, videos, etc...

3. Start following others. I don't know if it is out of respect or just an opportunistic reaction but people tend to follow us when we follow them!

4. Begin referring articles from other people and include their Twitter name in the post. (Ex. Just read a great article on vision and purpose @Champjj). This lets our followers know that "Champjj" may be someone they would like to follow. When we begin to spread the information of others then they tend to share our information as well.


These are just a few keys to start incorporating Twitter into your business! Have fun Tweeting!


Below you will find some people that I have enjoyed following...

Champjj
ScottMcKain
DonnaFisher
Steve_r_Gardner
Randy_Gage