Mediocrity - The Point, In Other’s Words …..
Disaster/Emergency Planning for Businesses - Are you flirting with disaster?
I’m travelin’ down the road,
I’m flirtin’ with disaster.
I’ve got the pedal to the floor,
My life is running faster.
……
Been flirtin’ with disaster,
Ya’ll know what I mean.
And the way we run our lives,
It makes no sense to me.
I don’t know about yourself or,
What you want to be - yeah.
When we gamble with our time,
We choose our destiny.
Are you, flirting with disaster? Have you made previsions for yourself, your family or your business if you are suddenly faced with the inability to attend to your affairs? Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ with Disaster” keeps playing in mind as I give thought to this subject.
This very situation has brought reality to the forefront within our circle of friends. Our friend Alan is solo-entrepreneur; runs a small retail store. Alan is just like you and me, building a business and achieving his dreams. An avid cyclist, Alan regularly rides late in the evenings to prepare for race events. He takes all the necessary precautions that are available to him to keep safe from harm. His bike is equipped with various lights, both rear and front. He wears protective head gear and reflective clothing.
Return on Investment (ROI) - The Point, In Other’s Words …..
Outlook Shortcuts - Time Savers
Entrepreneurs today seem to always be seeking new devices and the latest softwares to quickly accomplish more. We seek the trendy self-help books that are to lead us out of chaos and show us how to save time, manage effort and get more out of our day.
Start by looking at what you already have in place. An easy way to reduce time wasted is utilizing Outlook shortcuts. While it seems taxing in the beginning, once implemented, shortcuts become a thoughtless habit.
Just Tweet It - Find Followers and Promote Your Business
Are you new to Twitter and not getting the quality of followers that you would like to have? Not finding those that have like-minded interests? Tired of scrolling through what someone is eating for breakfast and lunch? Just Tweet It will help you find those that want to network with the same intent and with quality information to share. As stated on Just Tweet It’s website:
“Add your name to the directory and get found or find others like you!”
Just Tweet It is a directory listing for Twitter users. There are over three dozen categories, both business and personal. Create a listing with your name, twitter url and a brief bio. This is a great resource to promote your business and interests.
I discovered this tool from none other than a tweet from @GrantGriffiths , a self-described Home Office Warrior who gives information freely and who I follow. Grant tweeted his latest blog post Twitter Tool – Just Tweet It. The Twitter caveat is that Grant found out about Just Tweet It from a tweet made by someone he was following.
The Point
Finding Just Tweet It is a perfect example of how Twitter works; tweets become viral and spread rapidly. Information is shared and passed on to others. Incorporate Twitter into your daily routine. Create a Twitter profile, list yourself on the Just Tweet It directory and then find others that share your interests and start following them. See how far you can spread yourself around Twitter World.
Photo by Jacob Whittaker
How Do You Say - It’s a Pleasure to Meet You!
In my previous post, I shared Tweet Later; a Twitter tool that sends auto-responses to new followers either publically or through direct message. While I don’t subscribe to all “twitter etiquette” that many feel businesses should adhere to, there are a few common sense “rules” that should not have to be explained but it seems more often than not, it does.
So, how do you welcome your new followers on Twitter? Or, do you even acknowledge them?
When you set-up an auto-response to acknowledge a new follower, it should be just that. Links to your products or services should not be included. It is just simply not proper etiquette; it’s spam! If you have set-up your profile properly, then your website is listed. More times than not, a new follower has already checked out your website; unless they are the ones that have 1200 followings and only 100 followers; their intent then is to spam you.
Put it into perspective as it relates to your physical surroundings. If you are meeting someone for the first time, you wouldn’t be shaking their hand and asking them to buy your product. Would you?
The Point
Twitter is to socially connect with those that you have common interests in, whether it is personal or business. Yes, it is a great tool for internet marketing and promoting your blog; just not in a spammy way. Treat that your followers the same as you would if you were meeting and chatting face to face. Great them openhanded; a warm friendly thank you note is simple and genuine! It doesn’t mean you have to follow them, just be polite and say hello.
Photo by rumpleteaser
Do You Tweet? 9 Tools to Enhance Your Twitter Experience
Despite its critics, Twitter is a useful micro-blogging tool entrepreneurs can utilize in a social networking setting to build relationships, promote their blog and market their business. This post is not to debate the pros and cons of Twitter; whether it’s viewed as professional or otherwise; nor is it to cover proper tweeting etiquette or what is and is not considered spamming your followers. My intent is to provide you with nine tools that will simply enhance your Twitter experience.
Ping.FM
Do you have multiple social network profiles that you want to keep a daily presence without spending all day doing it? Ping.fm saves you the time and effort. Ping.fm will send a single post across 26 social networking platforms at one time. It utilizes the same 140 character limit as Twitter. Sites in addition to Twitter include: Facebook, Plurk, LinkedIn, MySpace, Google Talk, Delicious, and many more.
Tweet Later
Tweet Later works for you while you are away; whether you’re traveling, focusing on a project or simply living life. Tweet Later can be set-up to welcome new followers automatically either publically or by direct message. It will, at your election, automatically follow those that follow you. You can also schedule pre-scripted Tweets to broadcast while you’re away. Scheduled tweet is a great tool to alert followers of a new post on your blog.
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