Hi Ladies,I know it's a holiday, but hubby took the kids to the pool (I'm sure they are freezing right about now) and so I had a few minutes. I've been wondering if any of you know about Twitter. If you don't, here's a Twitter tutorial.Twitter is at http://www.twitter.comTwitter is sort of like blogging for dummies. Once you register for your free Twitter account, you are assigned a page of your own, where you can "Tweet" about whatever you want. That's as in, "chat" about what's on your mind -- which if you are reading this is probably your business, right?!!You can post up to 140 characters about whatever you want. It's sometimes a challenge to pare your thoughts down to 140 characters, but when you are sharing your business with others, you really shouldn't need to use too many words, right?I first used Twitter back in April to keep my clients up to date on my activities at a networking conference. Now, a month later, I love using Twitter not only to keep people up to date on what I'm doing, but also to meet new and exciting people like the ones I've met here, and keep up to date on what they are doing.If you have a business, you can't afford to overlook Twitter. Here are just a few ways you can use Twitter:1. When you publish a new blog post, podcast, newsletter or video, Tweet about it so people can enjoy it. If they like it, they just might use Twitter's efficiency to tell others.2. If you are featured in the media, Tweet about it so people can see that you are relevant and that the media thought enough of your work to feature it.3. When you meet someone new and exciting and want to share their work with others, Tweet about it by linking to their website, blog or other social media location.4. Sign up to follow people whose activities interest you, and always be in the know without having to read paragraph after paragraph.5. Put a Twitter feed on your blog so you automatically cross post your Tweets to your blog readers.The possibilities are endless.Here's how to follow me on Twitter.1. Visit my Twitter page at http://twitter.com/indiebusiness, and then choose "Join Today" to open your free Twitter account. If you have a business, consider using your brand name as your username since your Twitter page will correspond to that. Plus, by registering your brand name, you'll be able to prevent other people from registering it for their business.2. Once you have an account, go back to my Twitter link at http://twitter.com/indiebusiness and sign up to follow me. (Use the "Follow" link under my picture.) Also, leave a comment below and let me know your username so I can visit your Twitter page and maybe sign up to follow you. (I'll follow you if you use Twitter regularly, say interesting things and also put a picture of you in your profile.)3. When you meet a Twitterer you think I or other Indie Business owners would be interested in following (including you), share their Twitter link in the comments section here so we can all see.How fun is that?dM
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During a consultation this morning, my client who sells bath and body products told me that she did not want to include her photo at her website. She said she had spoken with numerous African American woman business owners who said she should omit her photo from her website because it would hurt sales.Based on my experience working with thousand of businesses, and my own for a decade, I feel strongly that anyone with an online business must include their photo at their website. Not only that, they should include audio, video and anything else that informs and entertains their customers and potential customers. The only exception is when such photos would be too personal or would compromise the safety of the entrepreneur and her family.My opinion is based on the simple fact that people want to know who they are doing business with. Otherwise, why not just go to Wal-Mart?If I can buy sugar scrub from 50 million companies online, then what do I have to base my purchasing decision on? Price? Maybe, but most sugar scrubs of equal amount and quality are priced similarly.What about quality? Sure, but how can I judge quality from a website? A clear, attractive product photo and inviting product description and marketing copy are helpful, but at the end of the day, I still don't know what I'm getting until it arrives in my mailbox.Now, consider that I can buy sugar scrub from someone who has a little bit of a higher price point and good quality ingredients with nice product photos -- plus a photo of her bright smile with beautiful dimples and lovely natural locs. She is a naturalist who plants herbs and vegetables in her back yard. Her blog teaches me about natural living and she includes recipes for freshly made organic salads in her monthly newsletter. She also includes pictures of her and her 5-year old home schooled daughter picking lavender in the back yard and harvesting it for the organic lavender sugar scrub they sell in the family business.Every now and then, her husband holds the video camera while she makes a healthful vegetarian pasta salad. She puts these videos at her blog with the recipe.She's not just selling me sugar scrub. She's enhancing my life. I will buy sugar scrub from her.I know this is an oversimplification, but it's true. You can't just sell sugar scrub. You have to sell yourself, a way of life and everything informative and brilliant about who you are. You interest me far more than sugar, almond oil, shea butter and fragrance -- which I can buy everywhere and even make myself.I challenge you to put a nice photo of you at your website and start marketing your products using the single most valuable asset you have -- Y-O-U.
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