We’ve noticed that some folks are hesitant to jump into
Twitter because they're not sure whether this medium is best for professional
or personal sharing. Is it okay to share
that photo of your BFF at the martini bar with your professional contacts? Does it make you more human or merely
stupid? Are your friends really
interested in your latest research on small business use of LinkedIn compared
to nonprofits? (Trust me on this one –
they’re not!)
If you find yourself paralyzed by the tension between
personal and professional, you may want to consider setting up two Twitter
accounts – one for professional tweets and one for personal tweets.
From a personal perspective … lock down your personal
account, so potential followers must request permission to follow you and read
your tweets. Sharing photos, providing a
location, or sharing jokes stays in the right circles.
From a professional perspective … consider keeping your
professional account open to all, so people can easily follow you. Create professional insights, share fast
breaking information in your field, complement colleagues. Use your professional persona to build new
relationships. By keeping it all about
your business, people know that your tweets won’t be wasting their time. Your tweets will be read – your followers
will grow.
Sounds like too much trouble? Try using HootSuite or TweetDeck to manage
your Twitter feeds. They're cheap, simple, and help bring organization
to the Twitter chaos.
While you're at it, follow us on Twitter -- @DrWitzig.
