29Jan 2012 by Bob Cargill

Twitter for Business in Five Easy Steps

Business, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
When Phil Hollows and I met for the first time over a cup of coffee in June of last year, little did we know that it would be just one of many conversations about social media that we'd be having on a regular basis. The difference between that initial meeting between us and every other since is that many others who share an interest in Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogs and the like have joined us for what we call the Sudbury Social Tweetup. At our most recent Tweetup last Thursday night at Bistro 20 in Sudbury, I had the opportunity to speak to the group about "Twitter for Business in Five Easy Steps," including... 1. Find and Be Found 2. Use a Good Dashboard like TweetDeck 3. Engage Your…
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27Nov 2011 by Bob Cargill

How I Use Twitter to Follow Boston-Area News

Boston, Media, Social Media, Twitter
I'm a news junkie. I admit it. I can't go much more than a few hours without a fix of the latest headlines. The weather forecast is important to me. If there’s been a crime committed, a notable death, an accident, a fire or any tragedy or disaster whatsoever, I like to know about it. I’m a huge sports fan. Celebrity gossip amuses me. Significant milestones and achievements impress me. I’m entertained by pop culture and fascinated by anything to do with business or politics. And if any of this news is local, I find it even more interesting. That’s why I spend so much time listening to the radio, watching TV and reading articles on such online properties as Boston.com, BostonHerald.com, Sudbury Patch and Wicked Local Sudbury. And that’s one…
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21Aug 2011 by Bob Cargill

20 Boston Media People to Follow on Twitter

Boston, Business, Media, Social Media, Twitter
This post was initially published on BostInnovation on August 16, 2011. To read the original post there, click here. From print journalists to TV news reporters, disc jockeys to talk show hosts, almost everyone on the local media scene is using Twitter nowadays to forge deeper relationships with their readers, viewers and listeners. That’s not to say they’re not promoting their own work via this increasingly popular social media platform. But they’re also winning favor among their constituency for being surprisingly approachable and responsive, giving time and attention to as many of their followers as possible. To say that this is a big change in how those in the business of mass communications interact with their fans would be an understatement. This is a monumental paradigm shift. The audience is now talking back…
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18Apr 2011 by Bob Cargill

How a Tweet Led to a Sale

Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
Even though Twitter recently celebrated its fifth birthday and there are now some 200 million users of this micro-blogging site, there's still plenty of skepticism among marketers regarding its viability as a sales channel. I understand. After all, those who are most successful on Twitter are those who are listening intently, sharing great content and engaging with others, not pitching their own products and services. And all that, well, socializing requires an investment of time and resources that many businesses have trouble justifying. But apparently not The Quaker Oats Company. Let me explain... One of the people I follow on Twitter is Dianna Huff, a very talented web marketing expert in the B2B world and someone I know quite well from my involvement in the New England Direct Marketing Association. After reading her March 27…
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20Mar 2011 by Bob Cargill

Facebook, Twitter and Sudbury

Facebook, Social Media, Twitter
The older you are, the more accustomed you are to satisfying your need for news, entertainment and conversation via newspapers, magazines, books, television, radio and good, old-fashioned face-to-face interaction with others. Imagine. Many of us even grew up looking forward to reading the mail at the end of the day.   But that was then. This is now. This is the age of the Internet and instant messaging, smart phones and even smarter notebook computers, laptops and tablets. This is the era of newfangled social media communications tools and technologies that are already well on their way to changing the way we create, share and receive information forever. Take Facebook and Twitter, for instance, two of the most popular social media sites today. If Facebook were a country, its user base…
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09Jun 2010 by Bob Cargill

50 Reasons Why I Like Twitter

Social Media, Twitter
    I joined Twitter on May 8, 2008, a little more than two years ago. And since then I have tweeted 2,680 times – and counting. For me, logging onto Twitter has become as much a part of my daily routine as checking email and voice mail, meeting with colleagues and clients, listening to the radio, watching TV and reading the newspaper. It's where I know I can find answers and antidotes, honesty and humor, news and views, friends and followers. It’s where I go when I want to listen and learn, chat and connect, inform and inspire, publicize and promote. It's where I'm fortunate to have formed so many mutually-beneficial relationships with people I look up to and admire, trust and respect for their knowledge and expertise, generosity and support. Not only do I think it's fun to use to Twitter, I fiercely believe in…
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21Jul 2009 by Bob Cargill

How to Make People Like You on Twitter

Branding, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media
    If you’re one of the millions of people using Twitter to share what’s on your mind, you know what a challenge it is to stand out among the crowd.  To some, Twitter’s a cocktail party. To others, it’s a soap box. But to the majority of its users, Twitter’s more like an uncontrollable scrum in which everybody is competing for a greater share of the discussion.   But it doesn’t have to be that way, not if you do as much listening as talking on this social media communications platform – and, when you do put yourself out there in 140 characters or less, you pause before you post.   That’s right, like a good conversationalist, the last thing you want to do is come across as loud…
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