I've been using Twitter, a social networking site, for six months now and have met so many terrific, interesting and business savvy people.
It's easy to not understand what Twitter is when you happen upon someone's personal page.
The micro posts are a potpourri of replies that don't quite make sense to the visitor, but that's okay because you're not connecting with your visitors, you are connecting with your followers.
Twitter tweets allowance is 140 characters.
It may seem short, but you can get in quite a mouthful.
No one ever said networking had to be a long drawn out novel.
Don't underestimate the power of short and quick replies because with the right words they can add a lot of punch.
What I have observed over the months is everyone uses Twitter for different reasons, but the majority of people who use it for networking don't always know how to network properly.
These 8 tips will show exactly how you can get the most out of your networking efforts on Twitter.
1.
Start by using your real name on your profile, upload a real photo of you and fill out your bio.
Your bio is about you and not your business.
Your website link will take care of that.
2.
Follow people that interest you and who can help grow your business.
Follow quality people.
Quantity is not important.
3.
People want knowledge, information and resources.
It's always better to give first and then receive.
I'm not saying you shouldn't self-promote, but if the whole time you're on Twitter and you're just self-promoting, people aren't going to care and will most likely un-follow you.
Networking is about sharing and connecting with others.
A person who only has self-promotion on their mind is looked upon and labeled a spammer.
4.
People like freebies and tips.
Offer your best tips on working from home, on direct sales, web designing, and marketing and even Twitter tips.
There are tips for everything so find something in your niche that you think would be valuable information.
Throw in a few freebies as everyone loves something for free.
5.
It's important to engage in conversations with your new found "friends".
Don't ignore their tweets.
Use it to strike up conversations as you will never know where these will lead.
6.
If you read an interesting or newsworthy tweet, retweet it.
This is a great way to say something if you can't find anything to say.
When you help to promote others, others will help to promote you.
7.
Don't abuse direct messaging (similar to private messaging) or use it as a means to spam your followers.
Many will not hesitate to use the block feature.
8.
Expect to spend some quality time and be consistent in your networking.
Try to visit daily.
Enjoy and be yourself on Twitter and be respectful.
Your reputation should always be guarded.
Not enough people take networking seriously because they don't know how to do it properly.
There are many people who do know and can show you the ropes or better yet take the time to learn and observe what others are doing.
When you learn networking is not about sell, sell, sell and me, me, me, you will soon find more people are attracted to you and what you have to offer.