A guest post from Tim Matcham of Tim Matcham Garden Design:
Early Thoughts on Twitter
I have recently been introduced to this exciting online networking application. My initial thoughts were that it was of little importance as a business tool. Many of the postings seemed to be about walking the dog or what people were having for tea – not too inspiring! The reason for this is that Twitter is foremost a social networking forum rather than a business network.
Twitter is gaining a strong business following and a number of key businesses within 4Networking have started to use it to good effect. The beauty of the system is that it is very simple, and that, I believe, will ensure its success. The basic concept is to answer the question: What are you doing now? You can only use up to 140 characters so each post is kept short and manageable. Brilliant!
When you add to this the ability to add links to websites, blogs, or articles of interest, you have the potential for exciting possibilities.
Updating is easy and can be done from any internet connected computer or even your mobile phone, so it has great flexibility.
So what business uses can it be put to? I have started interjecting snippets of useful tips within the social chatter. I post free advice, particularly on my area of knowledge which is garden design. I am not trying to sell. I am simply demonstrating my knowledge and expertise to my followers. I link my posts to my website or blog should anyone wish to gain a greater insight.
I have had assistance in getting up and running with Twitter, in particular from Gary Gorman a fellow 4N member. There is plenty of additional functionality that can be added and Gary has been most helpful. I am still learning and am enjoying my discoveries!
Another 4N member Julian Wellings has started to explore practical uses for it e.g. embedding the feed direct into live web pages. Examples of this are for his tennis club and squash club where members can view an easily updatable information link online or by following it on their own Twitter site.
A number of 4N members have embedded it in their forum signature so it appears every time they make a posting, keeping people abreast of latest developments and boosting search engine rankings at the same time. Examples: Lesley-Anne Hornbogen Mark Beaumont-Thomas Helen Silver & Brad Burton.
On a non business front it is also fun to keep up with the likes of John Cleese, Jeremy Clarkson, Barack Obama and Stephen Fry.
I have even had online discussions with Duncan Bannatyne [Ed's note - I think DB is a fake] & Will Carling which is something I am unlikely to have done any other way.
Will it have an impact on my business? It’s too early to say but it’s free and fun so I’m going to keep going until it proves otherwise! I’m sure it will develop and more ideas will come in time. If you haven’t tried it yet why not join in?
Bio: Specialist garden designer, Tim Matcham, guarantees you peace of mind and develops your outdoor space to reflect your personality. Love the place you are in by personalising it to make you feel good.
Tim is a Passport member of the business networking organisation 4 Networking and enjoys interaction with others that he can help or be helped by.Web www.timmatchamgardendesign.co.uk
Blog http://timmatcham.wordpress.com
Twitter http://twitter.com/timgardendesign
Tim/Nikki.
Thanks for the name check Tim and posting a great article.
I’ve enjoyed working with you to get Twitter up and running for your business.
Gary
Brilliant Tim. I can’t believe how far you have come since I met you just a few months back in Bath. There is no stopping you now