Tips for Using Twitter for Business

Twitter is a website that users can use to find out what their friends are doing right now... or at least the last thing they reported. People announce that they have just woken up. They tell you about their meals. They say nighty-night. And frankly, I could care less.

Twitter certainly has it's value, especially if your family lives across the miles. You can let your parents know what you are up to. You can keep tabs on your best friends. You can get updates from classmates if you are a student. For many people it is just plain fun. Personally, I like to use twitter to promote my business.

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Book Suggestion: Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time

Skipping lunch can be hazardous to your business

This is a great article from AJCjobs.com

With the struggling economy and lean corporate budgets, company leaders may be tempted to pull the plug on business lunches.

"That would be a big mistake," warns Robin Jay, a Las Vegas sales expert and motivational speaker, who wrote "The Art of the Business Lunch: Building Relationships Between 12 and 2," based on her previous experiences in media advertising sales. "I've probably hosted about 4,000 client lunches now, and it caused my sales to increase by more than 2,000 percent."

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Take Some Down, and Pass Them Around

No this is not about beer, it's about business.

In business we often get some requests that are not in our areas of expertise. As an artist, someone may want a painting in a style that is not yours. As a writer, someone may want 1000 words on a topic that you could care less about. Sure, it may be possible for you to stretch yourself and do the job, but will you be happy with it? Will the customer? Do you want to take that chance.

If you know what I know, you will pass that job on to someone who is more naturally qualified to do the job. They person you pass the job to will be pleased. The customer will be happy. You will have made two loyal contacts. One will pass a job they can't do onto you first. The other will contact you whenever they have an assignment knowing that if you can't do it, you will know someone who can.

What come around goes around.

Marketing at Christmas Parties

I went to a holiday party on Friday Night, and my kids have been to two so far. It is said that yesterday, December 15, is the biggest party night if the year.

At the party I attended the other night, I didn't bring any business cards... what was I thinking. A holiday party is an awesome networking opportunity. I spoke to people I hadn't seen in a while. I met new people too. We talked about personal stuff, and we talked about business... people asked for business cards and I did not have them!

Sigh. Maybe I will go to another party or two before the season is over.

If you are going to a holiday party, don't forget YOUR business cards.

This is an example of how Network Referrals Work

An interesting thing happened today on our Yahoo group. Maybe it is because Referral Networks was our topic of the day yesterday, maybe because one of our members did an excellent job.

One of our members is a hairdresser and the group has been buzzing about her. The women love her, and she does a fabulous job for a great price. Because everyone in our group who has used her is writing recommendations and reviews, the next time someone asks me about a hairdresser I will know exactly who to recommend. If she doesn't provide the services they need we still have another hairstylist in our group.

This is an example of how Network Referrals Work. This is however, the second step when using a network group. The first step is to reference the member list to see who provides good and services that you may need.

10 Successful Tips for Business Networking

I recently came upon this article and thought it was very relevant.

Effective business networking is the linking together of individuals who,
through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements
for one another.

1. Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic,
building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.

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What Have You Done for Your Networking Group Lately?

Over the years I have noticed a trend in new people joining networking groups. (I have belonged to several, and am a founding member of this one.) People mistakenly assume that by joining the networking group, they are going to instantly increase their business sales, and when that does not happen, they leave, or become inactive. Unfortunately they are missing the whole point of networking.

While networking groups certainly can help grow a business, or give a new business the kick start it needs, this happens as a side effect and should not be the main purpose of joining a networking group. A business networking group consists of a group of people who join forces combining strengths to simultaneously strengthen networks, and learn from each other. The most successful person in any networking group (without a doubt) is the person who contributes the most.

If I believed in Karma, I could attribute such success to it. I do however, believe in doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. It works. It really works. At this point I am going to use our beloved Darla Dixon as an example. She joined this group when it was a floundering start up. Frankly, it was not going to make it. I was struggling with a serious illness, and meetings (which at the time were in person), were inconsistent at best. But Darla knew a good idea when she saw it, picked up the ball and ran with it. This is why we are 67 active members today with over 140 people in our Yahoo Group. Darla has moderated our group, organized get togethers, recruited new members, built our websites, which includes this new and wonderful blog, and has served us all in may ways.

It is no wonder that if any of us hears the words "looking for an artist", that Darla comes to mind. She has given to us all, and none of us would hesitate to give back to her. I am not saying that any member needs to do as much as Darla does for the group. I am saying however, that lending your special talents to the group would make both it and your own business much stronger. Here are some examples of activities you could do to help grow your networking group.

Organizing functions and meetings formal and informal
Sharing Business Knowledge
Charity Coordinator
Cross advertising and promotion
Giving public reviews when pleased with anothers service (using the email list and sites like Kudzu)
Lending Your Special Talents to the group: marketing, design, etc.

by Andrea Hermitt, www.ahermitt.com