I am finding that I tweet differently at different times of the day. In the morning, I’m all about discovering and relaying the latest news, promoting business info and anything else that helps me face the day. In the afternoon, I’m listening and reading and responding to “lighter” tweets with more amusing information. In the evening, I find I’m drawn to the ongoing discussions and debates happening on Twitter…

How about you? Do you tweet differently at different times of the day? Let me know. You can reply to @kathymagrino on Twitter, or post your response here. Thanks!

Until next time, take care!

Kathy Magrino

Twitter is changing how we communicate in business, just like email did about 15-20 years ago and other communication methods did before then. It’s all about timing and the creation of “urgency.” People want to know information and they want answers — NOW! Communicating in real time, like we do on Twitter, has changed communication forever.

Personally, I like the fast pace, but I’m discovering some challenges:

• People are becoming more impatient. (We don’t like to wait for responses.)
• There’s a lot more risk of miscommunication. (We’ve all read tweets that pass along false info: “So-and-so has died…,” etc.)
• Being so open about what we’re doing or thinking makes us more vulnerable (and this makes those of us who like our privacy somewhat uncomfortable).

Here’s an article from SearchEngineLand.com that talks more about search and discovery in real time on Twitter.

Until next time, let’s keep searching, discovering and learning in real time on Twitter!

Best,

Kathy Magrino

For the past few weeks I’ve been tweeting on Twitter. Yes, it’s time-consuming, but I’ve learned to work Twitter into my daily schedule, stopping by for blocks of time each day, reading and writing messages (a.k.a. “tweets”).

I haven’t learned about the history of Twitter yet or how it got its name, but I know that since I’ve been tweeting, I’ve discovered a new-found sense of freedom. When I see that little Twitter bird on my TweetDeck, I feel like I’m literally flying around the world.

On Twitter, I’ve got people following me from all over the world — Australia, Spain, UK, Canada, India, Hong Kong, Argentina — and all parts of the USA. And, I’m following many of these people, too, catching up on news and information and learning so many new ideas and concepts from just about everywhere.

With Twitter, I am flying around the world — and I love it! Follow me @kathymagrino.

Until next time, take care!

Kathy Magrino

In the past two weeks alone, I received two email messages communicating not-so-good news that should have been either phone calls or face-to-face meetings, rather than email messages. Email isn’t always appropriate to communicate some messages, especially bad news that needs to be “softened” or explained.

Am I old-fashioned for thinking this way?

Are more and more people “hiding” behind their computers to communicate negative information? Are we all becoming so accustomed to being attached to our computers and devices that we’ve forgotten how good it feels to hear someone’s voice or to see their facial expressions when they’re talking to us?

To me, there’s something about hearing bad news or negative information from a real person rather than seeing text on a computer screen that makes the information more bearable and easier to digest. Maybe it’s just me.

Is it… or do you feel this way, too?

Until next time, take care!

Kathy Magrino

I’ve been “tweeting” on Twitter for more than a week now.

Two observations:

1. You need to make a commitment to dedicate time to reading and writing “tweets,” and sometimes it’s difficult to do this. I’m learning to make the time for Twitter, setting aside a few minutes each day simply to monitor what’s happening on Twitter.

2.

I love the opportunities to learn about a variety of topics on Twitter. In eMarketer, Ann Handley of Marketing Profs says, “People on Twitter are truly motivated by learning new things and getting information real-time, as it’s developing.” Yes, I’m one of these people.

I’ll reveal more observations about Twitter in the coming weeks. In the meantime, follow me on Twitter @kathymagrino.

Until next time, take care (and keep on learning)!

Kathy Magrino

Oprah (@oprah) and I have something in common: We both started on Twitter last week.  I’m going to admit here in my blog that, right now, Twitter scares me. (I also shared my fright with my students this morning – and they laughed when I said this…) Twitter takes me out of my comfort zone.

Maybe it’s the “control freak” in me? Or maybe it’s simply fear of the unknown? I’m trying to figure out why I’m scared. So, now I’m committed to learning a lot more about Twitter in the coming days and weeks — and I’ll share what I learn here, in my blog.

If you’re on Twitter, and you felt the same when you first started “tweeting,” please let me know @kathymagrino. Maybe you can help me overcome my Twitter fears?!

Until next time,
Kathy Magrino
(P.S. Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kathymagrino)

I met with my accountant last week. When you’re a business owner, there’s something good about owing money at tax time. (That’s what I’m told…) It means that you earned money through your business during the previous year – and that’s “a good thing,” as Martha Stewart would say.

Like me, my accountant, Margery Davidson, is an optimist. We look forward to the future with hope and anticipation. She has a lot of business owners as clients, and she says that everyone seems to be saying that things are “turning around and businesses are getting busier.” She advises everyone to “just keep moving forward” – something I find myself repeating day after day. Thanks for the good advice, Margery!

Until next time, keep moving forward and take care!
Kathy Magrino

Whenever I see “tips” about writing, there’s one tip (or “trick of the writing trade”) I don’t see enough.

It’s this: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

Whether you’re writing an email, an advertisement, a business presentation or a video script, the person (or people) you’re writing for (your audience) is going to be asking themselves “What’s in it for me?” when they’re reading or hearing what you have to say.

My students hear me say this all the time. I think I’ll keep repeating this tip here in my blog every few months, too. As writers, we can’t hear it enough… Know your audience… know your audience… know your audience.

Until next time, take care (and know your audience)!

Kathy Magrino

In a recent blog post, business coach Jane Pollak writes about “What’s Networking and What’s Not?” and she concludes, “Bottom line–be who you are wherever you go and bring business cards.”

Over the past few months, I’ve been making a conscious effort to network and reach out — connecting and reconnecting with business friends and acquaintances from my past. It seems to me that a lot of people have started doing this — we’re all networking more and more.

• Maybe it’s the economic climate?
• Maybe it’s the ease of networking online through sites like LinkedIn and Facebook?
• Maybe it’s more people realizing that life is short and we’re following Nike’s advice: “Just do it.”

Personally, I like Jane’s advice about “being who I am” — and carrying my business cards with me! And I like catching up with business contacts — good people, old friends  — from my past, and I like meeting new friends, too.

Somehow, it seems “comforting” to connect and reconnect and to realize that we’re all facing the future together.

Until next time, take care!

Kathy Magrino

P.S. I’m on LinkedIn — Let’s connect: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kathymagrino

In a blog post earlier this month, author Barbara Winter wrote, “Knowing that information exists that can answer almost any question is an enormous confidence builder— but that fact is frequently overlooked. While the helpless loser goes around whining, ‘But I don’t know how to do that,’ the successful among us are busy seeking information that will show them how.  Then they get busy putting what they’ve uncovered to work for them.“

Barbara also quotes Eric Hoffer: “In times of change,” wrote Eric Hoffer, “learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.“

Now is the perfect time to learn more about topics that interest you.

I’m a big fan of education, always have been, and probably (hopefully) always will be, and now I’ve had the experience of being both a student and an instructor in the online learning environment. (Thomas Edison State College – www.tesc.edu; Rider University – www.rider.edu; University of Phoenix – www.phoenix.edu)

The ease and flexibility of “attending a class” from anywhere you have access to a computer is amazing. Online learning is still in its “toddler years,” but it’s something to consider if you’re changing careers or simply seeking to learn more about any subject.  Overall, I believe:

• Learning encourages creativity.
• Learning opens new “doors of opportunity” for us.
• Learning creates understanding and an open mind.
• Learning leads us to success.

Until next time, take care — and keep learning!

Kathy Magrino