Anora McGaha’s Top 12 Reasons Why She is on Twitter

Martin Brossman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:03:05 +0000

I still remember the firm line I drew when social media and small business coach, educator and advocate extraordinaire, Martin Brossman, told me I needed to get on Twitter. I said a flat out no. I was stretched enough. It was a waste of time. Absolutely not. Don’t even bother talking to me about it.

A year later, with four twitter accounts, (and HootSuite) for four different streams in my life – a general one, a publicity one, a creative writer one and a massage therapy one – it’s been more fun than any of the other social media sites combined.

Here are my top reasons, in order of priority to me.

Reason before all Reasons: Martin Brossman told me I had to be. (Truth be told.)

Reason 1: I get more access to more interesting, dynamic, intelligent, creative and cutting-edge people on Twitter than anywhere else. Authors and well-known people have responded more to me on Twitter than on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Reason 2: I get to participate in streams of conversation with people from around the world if I want. I can post my views, my frustrations, my inspirations and my humor. I get to participate in a pretty real time environment. During the Hope for Haiti Telethon, tweeters I did not know answered my questions about the singers and songs!

Reason 3: I get to learn a lot. While some tweets are mundane, and others are outright spam, many tweets are links to fascinating articles, often the tweet itself informs me of a new trend or development or news. I get to choose the areas of news I want to get by choosing the people to follow. Each of us becomes our own news feed – that’s amazing.

Reason 4: I get to find out what is brand new and what people think about products, trends and companies. I like to search for trends. When I learn of new products or companies, I first search Twitter to see if it’s made it there or not, and if so, what people are saying.

Reason 5: I want to be found. If people are looking for someone like me, a creative writer, an internet publicist, a massage therapist, or an American who speaks Mandarin Chinese, French, pidgeon Italian and less Spanish, I want them to be able to find me on Twitter.

Reason 6: I like to share what I find with others. Followers really value getting the latest scoop from others, short cuts, heads up, new information… I want people to save me time and point out important things, so I try to do that for others.

Reason 7: Did I already say I get access to more interesting people on Twitter than anywhere else? Oh yes, that was Reason 1.

Reason 8: I get to study different ways that businesses are using twitter to give me new ideas for my own Twitter communications, as well as that of my clients.

Reason 9: It’s FUN! It’s like talking to strangers in line at a concert, as just one example.

Reason 10: I like the challenge of fitting communications in the constraint of 140 characters. It’s like playing a game, and good practice for poets too.

Reason 11: I get to create lists and help organize the Twittersphere, making it easier for people to find each other.

Reason 12: I am a writer. I like to write. I like to respond. I like to engage. It’s like sport-writing. It’s like a game of Racketball compared to Facebook which is like Baseball, compared to LinkedIn which is like Fencing. (Oh and yes, inSideNetworX (919) which is like playing Frisbee, where everyone has one.

Does any of this mean you have to be on Twitter? Not at all, it’s just exposing the value that I’ve found for me.

Guest contributor Anora McGaha

Anora McGaha

Follow her on Twiter at: http://www.twitter.com/clearsightpr

Her website: http://www.clearsightcreativeresources.com

On Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/anoramcgaha

Thanks Anora for both writing this and the kind mention. - Martin

Posted on Professional Business Networking On the blog by Martin Brossman

http://www.ProNetworkingOnLine.com

Connect to Martin Brossman at:

Professional Networking On The Web By Anora McGaha

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 04:06:20 +0000

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. By Anora McGaha
There’s a new group in town, for online networking; one that really helps people apply the tools of online social networking to daily business. Professional Networking on the Web. What do you know about that?
A few of you have been doing this for years, and this may or may not appeal. Maybe you like to share what you know, then you might like to participate. But for most of us, even signing up into LinkedIn, THE professional registry online, is a major leap of faith. It takes anywhere from two to ten people inviting us in before we sign on, and then, once we’re in, then what? If we have a business that is ready to go, ready to network, ready for new clients, the “Then What?” question is very important; it is the core focus of this group.
The biweekly breakfast meetings are led by Coach, Martin Brossman, and Web Consultant, Whitney Hill. They start with introductions, and a quick round of progress and successes since the last meeting. Then, down to business: choosing a person to review on LinkedIn and to help with networking. Step up to the laptop. Type in your password, and let’s go over your profile! Questions and comments come in from around the table. Suggestions are made; praise given. Then… Then, it’s time to find someone you want to meet to further your business opportunities. Who do you want to meet? CIOs in biotech? Project managers in consulting firms? Recruiters based in the Triangle?
Martin coaches the person through the search features in LinkedIn and someone is chosen from the search. Their profile is reviewed to see what they have in common. Their degree of connection is evaluated, and the people known in common looked over. Then the team offers suggestions about how to approach this person. “One of the most valuable aspects of this group is that we explore what are valid and authentic ways to approach a new contact, respecting their priorities and their time,” says Martin Brossman. “We work as a team using both in-person and on-line resources.” With that, time’s up, and one more person has gotten suggestions on their profile, and methods of finding and approaching people from LinkedIn. In the process, everyone has gained.
One of the group members, Athena Delmontie writes this: “The unique focus of using our internet connections as well as our off-line contacts is a valuable resource to my business. We not only help each other with new introductions to business but also etiquette in the on-line networking world and sharing proper application of social media for business.”
The Professional Networking on the Web group meets at the Capital Club in the Progress Energy Building in Raleigh. On the 21st floor in a spacious room with a view of the rising sun (yes, it meets early, at 7:30 am), there are breakfast choices, both continental breakfast and five cooked breakfast options for a nominal fee. The group is by invitation only, but you’re invited to request consideration to participate. Write to Martin Brossman at martin@coachingsupport.com or call 919-847-4757 to request consideration.

Republished from: http://wake.mync.com/site/wake/community/story/11074/

To see more about the group go to: http://www.coachingsupport.com/network/PNOTW.html

Connect to Martin Brossman at:

Professional Business Networking On and Off the Web » Anora McGaha

Anora McGaha’s Top 12 Reasons Why She is on Twitter

Professional Networking On The Web By Anora McGaha