10 Easy Steps for Twitter Beginners

So you just signed up for Twitter. You make your first tweet and you realize you don't have any followers. "What a dumb idea!" You say. "Who the hell would be interested in what I'm doing anyway?"

Don't worry. You're normal. That is a sign that you are a Twitter beginner. A lot of us Twitter users (or addicts) went through the same questioning routine. And look at us now. We're geeks who are on Twitter all day and night and we can't stop tweeting.

So you want to be like us? It's not that hard really. Open up Twitter.com and follow along.

1. Set up your profile. The first thing you need to do is set up that profile. See that bar on top of your Twitter page? Click Settings and start filling up your profile. The notable areas in here are the URL, bio, picture and design. Put up a link to your site or blog in here along with a brief description. Upload a picture to differentiate yourself from the others and then tweak your Twitter design. Like any other social networking site, it is important to completely express what you are or what you stand for in your profile.
2. Follow people with similar interests. Now that you have a profile, start following people. You can find these people in Twitter directories. I use Twellow and JustTweetIt. These sites can introduce you to Twitter users that have the same interest as yours. Follow these people and observe their tweets. You may also try following who these people follow but read up their descriptions and visit their blogs to make sure you're still on the right niche. Being on the right niche will make it easy for you to build a community with a similar interest.
3. Get into the conversation. So now that you are following people, you will now see some tweets on your board. Read up on what the people you are following are up to and reply if it interests you. For example, a person narrates how he is going to conduct a meeting. You may then reply with ideas. When someone asks a question, don't hesitate to answer if you know it. Don't be afraid to interact.
4. Don't spam. Spam is the cause of many unfollows on Twitter. There is a character limit for a reason. Do not send repeated messages to people. Do not constantly direct message (DM) them with links.
5. Update daily. Alright so you're blending in the community. Now update daily if possible. I know some Twitter users who unfollow because of inactivity. Reply to people and update people with what's going on with your life. Soon you'll be recognized and you'll get some follows.
6. Find the latest buzz and contribute. Now it's your time to contribute. Find a topic that will interest your niche and tweet it. Since you have established relationships with your followers (through replies), you will get more attention. It's a nice strategy to always append "please retweet" at the end of your tweet. There will be some people who will be so interested that they will retweet. There are others who will reply to you about the link you tweeted. But you are not a "nobody" anymore. You are not just talking to yourself. People are now responding to your tweets,
7. Help other people out. The famous saying "Do unto others what you want others to do unto you" holds here. Before you can receive retweets, you must help others first by retweeting their messages. Help the people in your niche. One day you'll be surprised on how eager they are to help back.
8. Create relationships. Now it's time to create constant connections. Soon you will find that some users are more active than others. You will get to talk with the same group of people at the same time every night. But don't get bored. Interact with these people and create relationships. Ask how they are doing and try to touch on their interests.
9. Integrate Twitter with other social networks. Have a blog? Then post to Twitter when you have a post that will interest your niche. Have a Facebook profile? Then ask people to add you. Twitter is really a vital part of web 2.0. It can serve as the core. It can let you build relationships that can branch out to other social networks.
10. Establish relationships even outside Twitter. Have a lot of friends on Twitter? Then take it to another level. Ask for their messenger and talk to these people on a more intimate level. Call them through Skype or even arrange a meet-up. Twitter can create real relationships.

Congratulations! You are now an official member of the Twitter community. You talk, act, think and breathe like us. Perhaps you find yourself spending every five minutes updating Twitter on what you are doing. But I guess I'll save Twitter addiction for next time.

Taken from Twitip.com  Written by Aira Bongco

How to Use Twitter in 10 Easy Steps

Despite it's simplicity Twitter seems to intimidate people. It's one of the things I hear most from people I talk to about Twitter. With this in mind I've found a brilliant video on YouTube by the clever people at Howcast which shows, in under 4 minutes, how to get started on Twitter in 10 easy no nonsense steps. I've added a few additional written notes to go with this video with some useful links. This is also handy if you don't have sound on your computer. Less than 6 months ago I was a social networking ignoramus - I freely admit it, just so you know!

Step 1: Create a Twitter account in less than 2 minutes. Go to www.twitter.com and click the green 'get started' button. Set up an account by simply adding your name and email address and by choosing a user name and password, type in the encrypted code and hit 'create my account.' That's it, you're in!

Step 2: Decide what you want to say. In general, Twitter messages or 'tweets' answer the question 'what are you doing right now.' But you can also post a link to a website, express an opinion or reaction, pose a question or provide an answer. Twitter messages can only be 140 characters (including spaces) which helps to keep things simple.

Step 3: How to send a tweet. On the home page, type your message in the box at the top of the screen (the number of characters you have left out of 140 is displayed at the top right hand corner of the box) and hit the update button. Congratulations you have posted your first tweet. If your tweet is intended for one person in particular type the @ symbol followed by the users screen name. For example, Event Magazine's screen name is eventmagazine. To send a message to them, include @eventmagazine before the text of your message. Even if Event Magazine is not following you they will be able to see your message by clicking on the @profile name on the navigation bar on the right of their page.

Step 4: How to find people. Twitter is a two-way street. Now you have posted your first update and you need to choose people you want to follow. To find people to follow on Twitter, you can click on the 'find people' tab at the top of any Twitter page. It's worth noting that people may be listed under a screen name that does not match their real name.

Twitter gives you 4 ways to find individuals and groups or businesses:

• On the 'find people' page type a person's name or user name into the search box to find them.
• Click on the 'find people on other networks' tab and search your existing email accounts.
• You can invite people via email by clicking on the next tab and entering a list of email addresses.
• You can also click on 'suggested users' for a list of people suggested by Twitter.

Step 5: How to follow people. When you have found someone you are interested in, click 'follow' and you will receive their updates automatically. People will usually, but not always, follow you back when you follow them.

Step 6: Help people find you. Fill in your account information under Settings and add the following:

• A profile photo (only add a logo if you are setting up a business profile).
• Your real name
• Your location
• A bio - you have 160 characters so think carefully about what you write
• A web, or blog, address so people can find out more about you

If you want to restrict your Twitter updates to only those you allow to follow you simply check the box marked 'protect my updates.' You will maintain your privacy but you will limit your reach. To get the full Twitter experience I suggest you leave this unchecked.

Step 7: Stay connected wherever you are. You don't have to be at your computer to receive Twitter updates. The video talks about using the SMS text messages to send and receive tweets wherever you are. Unfortunately, in the UK this service is not fully available and currently you are only able to send tweets via text. To set up this service, go to the 'devices' tab under Settings and follow the simple instructions.

Step 8: Customize your profile. By clicking on design tabs you can customize your profile using photos and background designs. You can also change the colors of fonts, background, links and borders. Click on the color boxes to make the color wheel appear. Be careful to select colors that show up clearly on screen. Darker colors for fonts work best.

Step 9: What are people saying. You can keep up to date with things that interest you by clicking on 'search' at the foot of any Twitter page or by going to http://www.search.twitter.com where you can type in a person name or topic. You can also follow what's generating the most buzz on Twitter by browsing through trending topics. You will find this below the search box, along side search results and on the right of any search page.

Step 10: Posting updates. You can post updates from the web from the update box using a computer, a mobile phone via text message as described in Step 7, by mobile phone web browser via mtwitter.com which will take you to a special mobile phone version of Twitter on a Blackberry or iPhone using one of many of the free apps available. For Blackberry, I recommend TwitterBerry and for the iPhone I use Twitterfon. There are lots of different apps designed to make Twitter easy to use. Some of the best are recommended at www.twitter.com/downloads although, more will be recommended on this blog. Remember - send frequent updates, keep them interesting and people will follow you.

Taken from eventmagazine.co.uk  Written by Peter Kerwood

10 Negotiation Tips From Women in the Trenches

With a wealth of advice on business negotiations available online and in bookstores today, business women should have all the information they need to become skilled negotiators. However, according to CareerWomen.com, the leading source of women's career information online, women still find that their most useful negotiation tips come from other women. To this end, CareerWomen.com has surveyed business women over the last year asking for their best tips and advice for successful business negotiations and compiled the "10 Negotiation Tips From Women in the Trenches," to be released today.

"As business professionals, we negotiate every day on topics ranging from work assignments, project delivery dates and even business travel. Our viewers have routinely reported that women and men approach negotiations differently and have asked for advice from others to develop and refine this critical skill set," said Jillian Donnelly, president of CareerWomen.com. "Our '10 Negotiation Tips' is the culmination of advice from CareerWomen.com viewers and clearly represents a strong desire by women to become better negotiators and ultimately strong business leaders."

The 10 tips include:

1. The Mars/Venus relationship needs to be top of mind in business negotiations. Communication styles between men and women are different and as a result, negotiations can be complex. Our advice: Keep your communication style direct by sharing plans, not concepts. Think collaboration not confrontation.
2. Use mentors to help refine your negotiation skills. Given that you will be negotiating with both men and women, pick a mentor from Mars and Venus to get perspective from both sides of the communication spectrum. Practice makes perfect, so our advice: Practice, practice, practice.
3. Women tend to think of getting along vs. getting what they want. Be clear about what you want and practice asking for it in a calm, direct manner. Our advice: Don't be confrontational. Getting fired-up and emotional may have an adverse reaction.
4. Negotiation is a conversation and you may risk getting off-track. Our advice: Stay focused; remain on point and on course to avoid negotiation disaster.
5. Gaining buy in along the way will get you closer to your goal faster. Making sure that the other party is being heard is a sign of respect and will be appreciated. Our advice: Repeat the points of the other side and use language such as "Let me make sure I completely understand your point."
6. Successful negotiating requires preparation. Be prepared with a strong understanding of your needs and motivations, as well as the other side. Our advice: Do your research, gather together relevant information and if it's complicated, get outside expertise from a mentor or colleague.
7. Creative solutions are well respected, especially if they demonstrate a strong understanding of the goals of the business. Our advice: Most points are negotiable and remember; it's not always about money. Think add-ons, better terms or additional services.
8. Starting with your bottom line may close the door on negotiations. Our advice: Be prepared to compromise and expect the other party to compromise as well.
9. Being fair is not a loss. It shows that you are willing to adjust your expectations to meet the needs of the other side. Our advice: Ask the question, "Why don't you tell me what you think is fair." You may be surprised at the answer.
10. Negotiating is a process not an event. One conversation may not culminate in a final decision. Our advice: Be willing to say, "Let me think about that and get back to you in 24 hours."

Taken from diversitysearch.com

Eight Business Travel Tips for Smart Women

Business travel takes you away from home and loved ones and can cause all sorts of unexpected issues. Make your travel easier with these time-tested tips.

1. Sleep smart. Dark circles under your eyes aren't good for business. Many road warriors know that you can only use a certain amount of concealer to cover bags under your eyes to mask jetlag or poor sleep nights in strange hotel rooms. So carry eye masks and earplugs. Wax earplugs are better than the little foam ones. They are often sold as swimming accessory and work well to mute noise, snoring and annoyingly chatty airline passengers. Invest in a blow-up pillow to sleep soundly on planes. They also prevent your hair from being flattened as you sleep.
2. Carry rations. The airlines are starving us! If your flight is delayed or has mechanical problems, you may spend hours on the runway or circling in the air while your stomach is screaming. Airlines offer little more than the tiny, salty rations of peanuts or pretzels for short flights. Carry a nutritious and filling power bar and an apple in your bag.
3. Wake up right. Hotel alarm clocks and wake-up calls can be unreliable. Pack and inexpensive sports watch with an alarm and a stopwatch. The stopwatch is useful for your workout on the exercise bike in the hotel fitness center or to time your bubble bath. If you carry a pager, find out if it has an alarm function and learn how to use it.
4. Pack lightly. If you need to be dressed in business attire for a meeting the same day you travel, wear it on the plane. Always assume your luggage may be lost and be prepared. Don't put yourself in the awkward and expensive position of being dependent upon taxis and tip-hungry porters. Pack the least amount of clothes and shoes you think you can survive on. You can wear the same mix-and-match outfits day after day. Leave room in your bag for the shopping treasures you can't resist along the way.
5. Take dark clothes. They don't show stains, wrinkles, or dirt, and work for most situations.
6. Cut down on shoes. How many shoes does a business traveler pack? Too many, usually! If the show fits, wear it...don't carry it. Wear the shoes you'll need for business and pack one pair of trainers for walking, jogging or informal occasions.
7. Shop without guilt. Spend some money on yourself and buy presents and cards for your loved ones' upcoming birthdays.
8. Communicate with home. It is unproductive to leave messages on answering machines. If you are traveling to a different time zone, you may wake a grumpy loved one in the middle of the night. The easiest and cheapest way to communicate home from most countries is via fax. Sending a fax costs less than a long distance call and you don't have to deal with time differences. Leave your hotel fax number with friends and family. If you prefer email, set up free email accounts for your kids and send them notes and postcards.

Taken from ivillage.co.uk  Written by Marybeth Bond

Equal Pay Day Tips for Working Women

Ladies, today we celebrate a great milestone. As of April 12, 2011, we have officially caught up to what our male counterparts earned in 2010. It only took us an extra 102 days! Personally, I'm feeling as empowered as a vintage Virginia Slims ad, but a lot of people are asking why, in the year 2011, such a large wage gap - 77 cents for women compared to each $1 earned by men - still exists.

Well, I'm here to tell you it's definitely not about sexism! Women of America, you're doing the same work but making less than your male counterparts because you just don't have their workplace savvy. Luckily there's a lot of research out there about what women can do to improve their standing in the professional world, and I've compiled a handy guide for you. Whether you're just starting your career or already pressed firmly against that glass ceiling, there's something here for everyone.

Don't choose a profession that is female-dominated. The wages tend to be depressed already. I mean, caring for children? Teaching? Girly stuff. You need to pick a man-tested, man-approved field if you want to rake in a decent salary.

But if you're one of the few women in a male-dominated profession, as there will probably be some limits to your advancement because you may be seen as "unsociable and difficult to work with." A 2004 study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found "successful women were characterized as more selfish, manipulative and untrustworthy - your typical constellation of 'bitchy' characteristics," according to one researcher.

Get educated. We all know that advanced degrees are one way to ensure you'll earn an advanced salary.

But don't expect that fancy book-learning to correlate with higher pay. According to a White House report released last month, in 2009 women earned about 75 percent as much as their male counterparts at all levels of education.

Be sure to negotiate. How will you earn more money if you don't ask for it?

But don't negotiate too hard, lest you be seen as a total harpy. "People found that to be way too aggressive," economist Linda Babcock told NPR in February. "She was successful in getting the money, but people did not like her. They thought she was too demanding. And this can have real consequences for a woman's career."

Be more cutthroat. The working world rewards go-getters and alphas, and nice gals finish last. Toughen up and maybe you'll get that corner office!

But don't, like, be a ball-busting bitch once you get there. Studies have shown that employees, both male and female, are wary of working for high-achieving women. And since only 20 percent of professional leaders are women, you've got to represent your whole gender. Do us all a favor and don't make all of your employees hate you.

Maintain your appearance, especially if you are over the age of 30. Put on some lipstick and a nice pair of heels. Just because you're one of the boys doesn't mean you should wear what they do.

Use your natural nurturing skills to your advantage. Conservative author Christina Hoff Sommers has written that "a practical, responsible femininity could be a force for good in the world beyond the family, through charitable works and more enlightened politics and government."

But don't expect to actually raise a child and keep your career on track. Breast pumps and salary bumps are mutually exclusive. Research shows that, regardless of performance, women with children are seen as less competent and less committed to work. They're also less likely to be promoted. And in one survey, participants said they would offer working mothers wages an average of $13,000 lower than wages for fathers.

Get comfortable on the golf course. Know your way around a humidor. Suggest a post-work happy hour at the local strip club. The real deals all happen outside the workplace, you know.

But don't be too uptight about it when those outside-the-workplace meetings happen in places that still explicitly ban you.

Congratulations! If you've followed these easy tips, you are now a successful, self-determined, professional woman! Your friends always said you were the Miranda, and now you've got the salary to prove it. You are challenged and fulfilled at work! You probably make more than most men you know!

Taken from good.is  Written by Ann Friedman

10 Tips for Women in Business to Achieve Their Goals

Goals help you map out events so that you can achieve what you want in life and business. They can also give you focus, which increases your chances for success. When you achieve one of your business goals, it empowers you, giving you the momentum to become more successful. Momentum is a key element for women achieving their business goals. It keeps you moving toward your objective.

Achieving your business goals involves taking action steps to ensure that you successfully attain them. The process requires that you set your goals and then plan out strategies for achieving them. The following 10 tips can help you do just that:

1. Set your goals. To begin the process of achieving your goals, you must first map out where you want to go. You can achieve this be setting your goals. Your business goals should be specific, have time frames, and be attainable by you.
2. Actively pursue your goals. Take some time to think about every specific action step you need to take to reach each of your business goals. Utilize your skills and resources to their fullest. Brainstorm all the possible avenues you can take to achieve your goals. Be proactive rather than passive.
3. Create goal-achieving plans. You need to create a step-by-step plan for each one of your business goals. The more specific and detailed you are in your planning, the better your chances for successfully achieving the goal. One method women can use involves listing five practical steps for achieving each of their goals.
4. Make a daily to-do list. A daily to-do list helps you organize your day so that you accomplish what you need to achieve your business goals. This list contains the things you need to do daily. At the beginning of each business day, examine what you need to accomplish. Focus and direct your energies toward your goals.
5. Regularly evaluate your progress. If your business goals are your destination points, you need to regularly evaluate how far you have moved toward them. Did you meet your expectations? What are you doing right? What are you doing wrong? Apply the 80/20 rule and spend your time more wisely in order to move more effectively toward your goals.
6. Networking. Building a business network is an important part of achieving your goals. Every time you make a contact you open another doorway of opportunity. Your contacts become possible customers, employers, employees, and avenues to other exciting places with higher earnings. The wider and better maintained your network, the better your chances for success.
7. Affirmations and visualizations. Create affirmations that move you toward your business goals. If your goal is getting more sales for your business, write out an affirmation such as "Today and everyday I will increase the sales in my business." Visualize in your mind the success of your goals. Spend at least 10 minutes every day visualizing your success.For optimum results, post your affirmation around you workspace and read it aloud a minimum of eight times a day for at least 21 days.
8. Focus on what works for you. Play toward your natural inclinations. This means you need to focus on what you do well and work on the rest of your skills that are pertinent to your business. Make an effort to delegate tasks you don't know how to do to others who have an expertise in them.
9. Be prepared for the unexpected. Successful business women prepare for every eventuality that might happen. Like a fire drill. You need to have a plan for particular situations. By adapting to every situation, you make it an opportunity rather than a problem.
10. Evolve your goals. You are a dynamic person who is continually changing as the world around you changes. As such, you need to evolve your goals to match the changes in yourself and your environment. As a business woman, staying ahead of trends can mean a lot to your success. When you achieve your goals, you need to celebrate your success. This gives you the momentum to take the action steps necessary to achieve your next business goal.

Taken from allbusiness.com  

6 Reasons Working Mothers Say Thanks

Working mothers' thanks go to their kids' teachers, the neighbors, the babysitter and the many other people who keep our lives manageable. But sometimes working mothers say thanks simply for being able to work outside the home while also raising children.

That's not to say that working mothers are better off than stay-at-home moms. Every parent has the prerogative to choose the path that's best for her family, and the right to make that decision without being judged. Sta-at-home moms deserve our respect and admiration for the difficult course they've chosen and sacrifices they make.

As for working mothers, we've made our own tradeoffs by accepting less time with our family in exchange for a career. But let's focus on the positive. Here are 6 good reasons to shrug off the guilt and be grateful you're a working mother.

Working Mothers Get Time Alone

Stay-at-home moms, especially of babies and toddlers, rarely enjoy a moment's peace. They may not even be able to go to the bathroom alone. Working mothers get time away from their family, to think in quiet and to focus on something other than the relentless drumbeat of children's needs. Even working mothers in jobs that involve serving customers may find that their kids' demands are the most relentless. Every working mother who has enjoyed a peaceful cup of coffee at work knows what I'm talking about. A lunch break spent running errands or getting a hair cut can still be a welcome break from children.

Working Mothers Enjoy Adult Interaction

We all love our kids. We enjoy talking with other moms about them and their foibles. But it's nice to have a built-in break from the world of children, even if it means talking about overdue reports, sales projections and upcoming presentations. Even better is the opportunity to chat with co-workers about politics, sports, current events or the latest blockbuster movie. Potty training and camp schedules can drive you crazy if you don't have any other topics of conversation. (This is not to say that stay-at-home moms are incapable of discussing weighty topics - just that when you interact with other adults in a child-free zone, it's a natural outcome.)

Work Gives You an Identity Beyond "Mom"

Being a mother is our most important job. But it can be overwhelming if it's out only one. Working mothers get to have an identity separate from being "mom." After all, parenthood is filled with tasks that must be repeated multiple times a day. You dress the kid, her clothes get dirty, you have to wash them. You feed the kid, clean the dishes and then he's hungry again. It can feel endless. At work there may be plenty of mundane chores. But you also have projects with a beginning and an end, something you can point to with pride and say, "I did that!" You use your brain for challenges beyond figuring out the carpool schedule. Notice those accomplishments and document them to remind yourself (and your boss) that you are a talented contributor to your workplace.

Working Mothers Earn a Pay Check

It doesn't make you greedy to relish the weekly or monthly pay check you bring home. That money feeds and clothes your family, and helps provide for financial security in the future. Like it or not, our society runs on money and recognizes it as proof of accomplishment. If you make choice to give up that pay check, you are opening your family to the risk of financial instability down the road. Hopefully, we are all putting a little money into a college savings fund and a retirement fund. Both of those funds will help our children with the education they will receive and freedom from supporting elderly parents. For many working mothers, the pay check provides some of the extras in life, whether a regular dinner out, nice vacations or extracurricular activities for the kids. And even those in the most loving marriage recognize that earning money puts them on equal footing with their husband and protects them in case the marriage ends.

Working Mothers Set an Example

As a mother of daughters, I am keenly aware that my life choices will be their first model when they venture out into the world. They may choose differently, but their point of comparison will be the decisions I made about my career and family. So while I hope they understand that family is my top priority, I also love that they see me having a professional life that is rewarding and important. It's healthy for children not to be the only focus of their mom's life - that's way too much pressure. They need the room to make mistakes and learn from them without mom always hovering nearby. The same holds true for moms and boys. If boys are going to grow up to respect women as equal contributors to the workplace, it helps for them to see their mom in that role.

Our Children Learn Independence

Someone recently asked me why daycare children are so confident and outgoing. While I don't feel that statement is universally true, I do believe that being in child care helps kids to develop independence and confidence. Every day they separate from their moms and dads, and things turn out okay. It's wonderful to see children develop loving relationships with their caregivers, and learn different things from them than they would have learned from their parents. Exposure to multiple perspectives - both caregivers and other kids - makes children more resilient and able to interact with a range of people as they grow up. That's a recipe for success in life.

Taken from about.com  Written by Katherine Lewis