TB4T

Too Busy for Twitter. That’s where I’m at today. After taking a short but very needed vacation, I’m back in the office and probably more overwhelmed than when I left. But that’s a good thing right?

Which get’s me thinking. How much do I let myself get bogged down in details that I could put off for later or for the weekend? Twittering is a very important part of my business, both for my clients as well as myself. I literally had to DRAG myself over to the twitter.com web site today to engage with my tweetpeeps. It got me thinking that I need to institute a morning, noon and night strategy for twitter. Meaning that I will make it a point to engage in conversation and share in the morning, at lunch time and in the evenings to catch up with what’s happening.

Monday night was the third anniversary for our client Ticoz. It was a huge success. As I greeted guests and tag teamed with the host on managing the event, my New Media Advisor, Tony Arranaga was busy as ever taking photos, posting comments on twitter and Face Book and engaging his audience in a play by play account of the action.

Having someone on staff who gets this and who is constantly thinking of ways to make our news vibrant and rich with content is truly a great thing. We’re working together in both the real and virtual worlds.  Yes, social media takes time from your day.  Yes, it can seem less important that other pressing issues.  But the reality is that social media is an essential part of our company’s success as well as the success of our clients.  Enough said.

Now, if I could just make more time for my blog….

My Top Five Tips for Social Media

In social media, there are “rules of engagement” like any other type of social interaction. These common-sense rules are a must when engaging others and building an audience. It’s best to think of this like you would a networking event or a party. Would you approach someone, interrupt their conversation, start talking about yourself or selling your product with no introduction or relevance at all? Unlikely. So too, your foray into social media requires you to behave yourself.  Remember, people can’t see you or hear your voice (video cams/chat aside).  They don’t know you are a fun, likable person. So, you could be putting your virtual foot in your mouth so to speak. The appendage, a fait accompli in your social faux pas.

With that, here are my personal views about online interaction.

1. Be relevant (on topic)
2. Be timely (don’t go back to a conversation from four days ago and comment)
3. Be respectful (don’t jump in on other people’s conversations unless you are really good friends)
4. Be thoughtful (share insight, news people can use).
5. Be lighthearted (share anecdotes, funny stories completely unrelated to you or your brand)

If you follow these sensible rules than you will know instinctively when you can safely interject stuff about you and your brand.  Toot your own horn when you feel it’s worthwhile or newsworthy.

Whether you are on Facebook, Twitter or other social sites it’s important to remember that you only get one first impression and you can quickly become irrelevant and even annoying if you diminish the value of others around you.

And folks, please don’t share with us how many followers you have, what your twitter rank is or how many friends you have on Facebook.  Popularity grows from the value of your interaction, not the number of people who follow you.

These suggestions apply mostly to business and brand interaction with audiences though common courtesy is appropriate in any situation.  See you online and I can’t wait to see what you have to say.

Tony Arranaga joins Tony Felice PR & Marketing

Tony Arranaga
Advisor, New Media

Please join us in welcoming our newest team member, Tony Arranaga.  Prior to joining our company, Tony was an on-air reporter with ABC-15 where he helped KNXV-TV grow a morning show audience.  Popular with sources and viewers alike, Tony has a talent for finding the right stories that appeal to viewing audiences. Whether reporting on consumer alerts, breaking news or lifestyle segments, he has a talent for connecting with viewers and bringing his likable and relate-able personality to the story. Since 1995, Tony has worked in television newsrooms around the country.  He started his career on the assignment desk at the West Coast Bureau for ABC News in Los Angeles, then spent several years covering politics in both Tampa and Washington, D.C. before landing in Phoenix and joining KNXV-TV.

Tony will work with clients to develop public relations strategies, coordinate stories with the news media and advise clients on new media including viral marketing and social media.

Tony’s new passion is mass transit and blogs about the light rail system in Phoenix and his experiment with living car-free in the desert.  He’s also developing a website on healthcare.  Tony has a degree in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Arizona.  Tony was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.