Getting Started on Twitter

Twitter is one of the most powerful tools right now that you can use to build a community of friends and colleagues around the world and interact with them… in real time! While “What are you doing?” seems like a simple question, it has spurred the creation of a phenomenon for businesses, celebrities, and everyday people looking for a new way to connect.

The catch is you’ve got 140 characters to answer that simple yet limitless question.

With Twitter, you can become a leading voice in your field. You can promote yourself to potential clients, and build networks of other consultants who can help you find your next job. And if you meet someone who might want to join MBO, refer them and grab your referral bonus! (Who can say they got $500 in only 140 characters before?)

So how can Twitter benefit you and your business? Read this article from Forbes to find out how industry leaders are using twitter to build their brands and solve customer concerns.

Ready to get tweeting? First things first, go to Twitter.com and create an account. Then, learn about tweeting by checking out this video called “Twitter in Plain English”. You can also get the whole story on Twitter's Wikipedia page.

We have some guidelines you can follow to get the most out of the twitterverse. Here are some golden rules to go by. Remember, setting up your profile correctly before starting is critical:

1. Pick a username that is intuitive so people can find you. Think of this as the same as grabbing the best domain name for your business. If you want to set up twitter to go to your phone, that’s ok – but make sure you use an application rather than SMS alerts if your phone or PDA allows it. Try Tweetie for iPhone, or search for an app for your phone. Set up a program on your home computer, too, to better track your tweets, follows, and replies.

2. Upload a photo icon to your profile right away. This makes the whole twitter relationship much more personal (it’s one of Twitters own top tips). This is where people decide whether you are trustworthy and worth following or not. A closely cropped face photo may be best, and one that is already cropped into a square will the best option. Your bio is short but important. This is what people will look at after your photo in deciding if you’re interesting enough to follow. Mix professional language with fun/casual, interests, hobbies. Gives an indication of what you plan to talk about.

3. Upload a custom background. Search for “twitter backgrounds” and you’ll find great templates. Some are formatted for Photoshop but others are available in PowerPoint or more widely used software if you’re not a Photoshop user.

4. Get tweeting! Type in a few starting tweets. Remember- 140 characters or less. This is what your first potential followers will see, so put in some effort to make them interesting. (That being said – once you get rolling, feel free to let the tweets just flow. The goal is a really open dynamic between you and your followers. You want them to WANT to follow you, so be interesting, but be yourself!)

5. Use the twitter search to find interesting people to follow based on keywords related to your interests. Try search.twitter.com or search.twitter.com/advanced for even more options.

6. Tell everyone in your social and professional network you’re on twitter so you can connect with them! You’ll be surprised who else is tweeting.

7. If you get stuck, just ask the twitterverse for twitter advice in one of your tweets!

Don't forget to follow @MBOpartners and our leadership team: @GeneZaino, @DavePutt, @David_North, @SteveArhancet, and @lgreene93.

Good luck in the Twittersphere!