Blog Archives

22
Jun 2010

Simple Tips to Be Successful in Twitter

Sabrina Gibson

Twitter Success Tips

Many times business professionals who join Twitter want it to instantly produce results for them.  A plan for long term success requires us to learn how to crawl first, then walk and eventually run.  Twitter is one of the fastest moving Social Networking sites out there.  It can be exhilarating when you first get started.  Here are some simple tips to help you build a strong foundation so you can have a springboard to prosper in Twitter.   Remember the key is to leverage Twitter long term and that means creating a step by step plan of success.  

  1. Setup Twitter Completely – This means you have put your 160 character bio, a current picture and a link to your website or blog.  I recommend a blog post that you are particularly proud of for it being a resource to others.   
  2. Be familiar with Twitter – Get in Twitter, click around, search for things, use hashtags, use the @ symbol with a username, respond to people, retweet others tweets, update your status, send messages to people, respond to direct messages others send to you, create lists, add people to your list, etc.   Make a point to do a little bit of everything so you feel comfortable.   
  3. Create relationships using Twitter – Make a list of people you would love to connect with, groups or associations that you would like to interact with, follow mentors, start conversations with people, setup virtual coffee dates with people you just meet to find out how you can refer business to each other, etc.  The idea is to feel comfortable reaching out to someone and then nurturing the relationship by communication one on one.  
  4. Create a minimum of 15 tweets – If you are just starting, your first 15 tweets become your “first impression”.  If you have already started with Twitter, you might want to review what your “first impression” looks like.  You can always add more tweets to improve your first impression.  Some things you can tweet about:  Your favorite website and why, favorite quotes, funny things you know, exciting things you have done, intriguing questions, links to blog posts (yours and others), etc.  
  5. Setup Ping.fm & Connect Twitter.  www.Ping.fm is one of my favorite tools. As the site states “Ping.fm is a free tool that makes updating your Social Networks a snap”.  How it works is you sign up for a Ping.fm account, you then connect your Social Networking sites to Ping.fm, you can then make a 140 character post and then hit Ping it.  All of your Networks will be updated at one time.  This makes it easier to share your resources and interesting tidbits with others.  
  6. Automate Twitter with www.FreeTwitterTip.com*  Another one of my favorite tools is this tool.  The PRO version allows you to bulk upload what you want to post.  Meaning you can upload multiple mini-posts (aka Tweets) at once.  You can then schedule them.  This means you don’t have to constantly update your Social Networks everyday with information.  You can schedule it.  This frees you to develop and nuture the relationships you are creating.   
  7. Be responsible and caring about Twitter.  As a rule of thumb, you will want to check your account regularly to respond to your @ Replies (any time someone mentions you using your Username), and respond to your direct messages.  In addition, make a point to be a giver and a connector.  By doing this, you will win fans and not critics. 

 *I have a marketing connection to a brand, topic or product herein. Through the use of affiliate links contained herein, I may collect fees from purchases made.


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22
Jun 2010

Protected: Setting up Facebook for Success

Sabrina Gibson

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21
Jun 2010

Protected: Setting up your Fan Page for Success

Sabrina Gibson

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21
Jun 2010

Protected: 5 Ways to Make Money with Twitter

Sabrina Gibson

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17
Jun 2010

Do you have ABUNDANCE in your life?

Sabrina Gibson

Does your cup runneth over?

In Social Networking the people who are wildly success are the ones who are constantly giving.  This is a powerful story and illustration as to why this principle works.   This is a powerful story I found with the author unknown.  I would love to give credit to whomever wrote this as I find it a brilliant illustration of abundance versus scarcity.

A young man was talking with a very wise man and said, “How would you describe the difference between abundance and scarcity?

The Wise Man led the young man to two doors.  He opened one of the doors and the young man looked in.

In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the young man’s mouth water.  The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The young man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Wise Man said, ‘You have seen scarcity. They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one.

There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the young man’s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump,   laughing and talking.   The young man said, ‘I don’t understand.  ’It is simple,’ said the Wise Man. ‘It requires but one skill to be abundant.  You see, they have learned to feed each other.

The greedy think only of themselves and therefore live in scarcity.  The giving live in abundance.’


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Category: Inspirational  Tags: ,  One Comment
14
Jun 2010

Protected: Setting up Twitter for Success

Sabrina Gibson

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14
Jun 2010

Time saver in Social Networking

Sabrina Gibson

One of the biggest questions I get about Social Networking is “How can I fit Social Networking into my busy schedule?” or “How do I make time to update all my Social Networking sites?”.  These days, having Social Networking as part of your marketing plan is a MUST.  Why? 82% of all consumers are going to the Internet to research products and services they are looking to buy.  If your company isn’t online it is going to be pretty hard to get that business. 

In terms of being able to make time I have a couple of simple suggestions:

1.  Know exactly what you are going to do in the Social Networks before you get online.  I usually have a checklist of 3-5 things I do.  Responding to people who have reached out to you is the first item on my checklist. 

2.  Find ways to automate simple tasks such as updating your Social Networks. 

One of my FAVORITE free tools is http://www.Ping.fm  They really explain what they do in a great way “Ping.fm is a simple and FREE service that makes updating your social networks a snap.” 

How it works is this:  You simply sign up for the service, you add any and all of your Social Networks.  You keep adding new networks.  Ping.fm has about 50 networks you can attach to your account.  You type in your 140 character or less message and hit Ping It and all of your networks are updated with your message. 

It is very simple to sign up and to make it really easy for you, I have listed all the steps for you in this blog post.  I would love to hear about other tools you feel are time savers.

Setting up Ping.fm

  1.  Open your browser (aka Get onto the Internet)
  2. Go to www.Ping.fm
  3. At the top towards the left center of the page, click SignUp.
  4. Fill in your email and choose a password.  Verify your password.
  5. Click the Sign Up button.
  6. Add your Social Networks.  If you are just starting the only one you will be adding is Twitter.  To do that, simply click the button next to the Twitter Logo that says “Add Network”
  7. It will ask you for your Username and Password for Twitter.  Please enter and then click Submit.
  8. Once this is complete you will come back to a screen there will be a green bar that says “Network has been added”
  9. VIOLA

If you want to continue adding networks feel free. I would recommend you secure your brand (Name, Company Name and Trademarks) with as many Social Networking sites as possible.  You can check to see if your username is available in 150 sites in a couple of minutes by using another one of my favorite free sites. http://www.CheckYourUsername.com You don’t have to be active in them just connect them to your Ping.fm account so you can send updates.


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Category: Social Networking Tips  Tags: ,  One Comment
14
Jun 2010

Get followers in Twitter FAST

Sabrina Gibson

When you are first getting started with Twitter, you want to be able to GIVE in a big way.  Most business professionals are already connected with an average of 250 people.  These days, I would guess that the majority of these people are already on Twitter.  I recommend you attempt to connect to who you know first. 

Because I know you plan to give tremendous value to everyone following you in twitter, I want you to be able to get up to 500 followers in Twitter quickly.  It is important to understand “if it sounds too good to be true….it probably is”.  I see a lot of software programs out there claiming to get followers fast.  Time and time again, I have people I have advised NOT to get these softwares come back and boo who about how all of a sudden their Twitter account is spamming everyone they know. 

I am giving you some simple ways to gain followers fast….legitimately…in Twitter.  Please be responsible with everyone you choose to follow.  When they follow you back make a point to acknowledge them and give to them in a way that makes them happy they are connected.

 To quickly gain followers in Twitter you can do the following: (Only do this one time….the rest of your followers will come from you giving great resources and being an expert at what you do.)  You will get out of Twitter what you GIVE into it.

Make it your goal to get to 500 followers in Twitter when you first get started.

  1. Log into Twitter.
  2. Click on Find People.
  3. Type in words that would identify your target market (network marketers, entrepreneurs, moms, parent, speakers, etc.)
  4. Go through the list and follow as many people as you like.  There is a limit to how many people you can follow.  The ratio is usually no more than 20% of the people following you. 
  5. Many of them will automatically follow you back.  Great!  Now you can start thanking them for following (not an auto response, a personal thank you).  Start conversations and see how you can provide value to them. 
  6. Continue doing this until you have 500 people that are following you.  You may need to wait a couple of days to see all the people that follow you and then keep going back as your Twitter numbers increase.
  7. Once you have 500 then go to www.FriendorFollow.com and type in your twitter username. 
  8. Click on Following.  This will show you who you are following who is not following you back.  Click on each name (this will bring up their profile page in a separate browser – you can click back and forth).  Click unfollow. 
  9. By unfollowing people who are not following you, you can keep your following and followers optimized. NOTE:  You may find there are several thought leaders or really cool people you love that you are following but they are not following you.  You can always send them an @ Reply (Their username with an @ sign in front of it) and let them know you would love to build the relationship and suggest you follow each other.  Let them know what you want to do for them. 
  10. Please keep in mind.  This might take a little time to do but it is a legitimate way to gain followers. 
  11. I WOULD NOT DO THIS ONGOING.  This is to boost your numbers initially and get you more exposure when you are first getting started.  PLEASE NOTE:  This is NOT my strategy for building followers.  The goal is to build quality relationships one at a time.  Initially I suggest you get a little boost.    
  12. You can also search for lists.  Find your mentors or top experts in your industry.  Many times they will have a list of people they really love, you can follow these people and start to build relationships with them.
  13. Another way to find great people is to google “Top People to Follow on Twitter”
  14. You can also search for “Top 500 people to follow”

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Category: Tips for Twitter  Tags: ,  One Comment
14
Jun 2010

Getting followers on Twitter

Sabrina Gibson

When you first get into Twitter, you will want to make a point of getting connected with the people you already know.  Let’s face it, you have already invested time and money to develop relationships offline.  Why not continue the conversation online?  Hopefully you have a list of your contacts in one place (Excel, ACT!, SalesForce, Microsoft Outlook, etc.).   Once you have your list of contacts all together in one place, I recommend you get a gmail account and add all your contacts there.  When signing up for Social Networks, it makes it a lot easier to find out who else you know is already online.  You may have already received several invitations to join Twitter from your contacts. 

Now, you will want to flash back to a time in high school or college when there seem to be this never ending “popularity contest” going on.  You will want to be popular online.  It will help you position yourself as an expert and people like to be around popular people.  Here are some basic steps for getting followers on Twitter.

Getting Followers in Twitter

Please be sure to follow these steps exactly.

  1. Sign up for Twitter.
  2. Complete your profile completely – yes…upload your picture, fill in your bio.
  3. Create and post your 15 tweets.  Creating your Twitter Impression.
  4. Now you are ready to invite your lists.  So go for it.  I have listed to steps below.

 

NOTE:  Only do this IF you have completed the steps above.

  1. Go to twitter and login to your account.
  2. Click the “Find People” link at the top right of your screen.
  3. Click on Find on Other Networks.  Choose where you have uploaded all your contacts. 
  4. Enter your email and password for that network and scroll down and hit Continue.
  5. Wait for them to load…if you have a large list this could take a few minutes.  Practice breathing in and out while you wait.  SMILE
  6. You will see a list of people you know that are already on Twitter.  Follow them if you want to…only if you want to.  Click next.
  7. Next you will see your entire database.  You can select all and then Twitter will send an email on your behalf inviting them to come follow you on Twitter.
  8. Once you are done…you will see people you know following you (Or not)  This will build onto your online network in Twitter. 

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14
Jun 2010

Getting Started with Twitter

Sabrina Gibson

You get one chance to make an impression online.  You can improve your chances of being positioned as an expert by following some simple guidelines when getting started with Twitter.  Below, are just a few ideas.  The biggest friend you will have is your common sense.  Just pretend you are attending a meeting or a cocktail party.  Ask yourself, would I be viewed as a “jerk”, a “bore”, a “pompous know it all” or “the life of the party”. 

 Be a GIVER when you go online.  When you first get started, give people a reason to want to start a conversation with you or a reason to want to be connected to you. 

Getting Started with Twitter

  1. Create a new account.  You can use an existing account just be sure to review the steps below to make sure you have followed the proper setup.  You can fix what is already created.
  2. Fill in your profile completely.
    1. CURRENT picture.
    2. 160 character bio.  What problem do you solve.  What is something interesting about you (what makes people say Hmm???) and something you LOVE to do
    3. Link.  I suggest a link to your favorite blog post.  You know the one that makes people go “WOW!  I definitely want to be connected to this person”
  3. Create 15 tweets and post (aka Update your status).  Read Do’s and Don’ts before you do this AND Tips for Tweeting.
    1. If you have a new account, you can add each tweet right after each one.
    2. If you have an existing account with followers, you will want to space the updates out.  1 or 2 per hour. 
  4. Find People – invite your contact list to join you on Twitter.  IMPORTANT!  Do not do this unless you have completed the above steps completely.

Twitter Jargon

Tweet – Refers to the 140 characters used to update your “What are you doing” or your status update.  Every time you add a comment it is called a tweet.  Your tweets will show up in the main section of the people who are following you.  All tweets are public and every person in twitter can see them.  When you follow someone it narrows down everyone’s tweet to just the tweets you want to see. 

Retweet – When you find someone else’s tweet interesting and choose to share it with your network that is called a Retweet.  You are taking someone else’s update (let’s say a quote) and sharing it with your network.  They will get credit for the tweet, you get great content….everybody wins.

DM = Direct Message.  This works much like email within Twitter.  Again, you can only send 140 characters.  To direct message someone you must be following them and they must be following you.

# signs = Hashtags.  You can find hashtags that are being used to follow conversations, groups, etc.  You can also create your own hashtags to help people follow a specific topic of discussion.  By adding a hashtag with a “group name” behind it, it will create a link.  When you click on the link, it will pull up all the other conversations that are using that hashtag. Many groups use hashtags to keep the conversations going.

You can search for groups currently using hashtags by going to http://www.TwittGroups.com   You can also search for hashtags in twitter by using the search box.  Pay attention to people using hashtags, you can connect to amazing people who share similar interests and are going to the same places.  The idea is to start conversations and keep them going by using hashtags.

There are some fun things already going on in Twitter that use Hashtags such as #FollowFriday (also used is #FF for the same thing).  Here you can recommend people to follow.  You simply put the person’s username with an @ sign in front of it and then add #followfriday.  You can see who is being recommended by clicking on the link. 

@ sign = @Replies  When you put the @ sign right in front of a Twitter Username, it will do two things.  One it will create a link to that person’s profile.  This is a nice way to toot somebody’s horn.  The second thing it will do is it will go into that person’s @Replies section in their Twitter account.  Now instead of the person having to stumble upon your nice comment, retweet or shout out, they will see it directly.  This is a fantastic way to make friends and acknowledge the people you love.

The biggest favor you can do yourself is to get started with Twitter if you haven’t already.  When getting started with Twitter you will want to make sure you are setting yourself up for success.  Be sure to complete your profile 100% and be a GIVER.

I would love to connect with you online.  You can find me on Twitter by going to http://www.Twitter.com/SabrinaGibson Please share what your biggest Ah HA! Has been with Twitter.  What is the biggest piece of advice you can give others on Twitter?


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Category: Tips for Twitter  Tags: ,  One Comment
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