I just read a book called The DragonFly Effect (@DFlyEffect), written by Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith and they had some really solid tips on using social media to drive social change. It was named for the only insect that is able to move in any direction when its four wings are working in concert. I never thought of it that way, but I like it. In the book, they reveal how four key actions come together to produce colossal results.

“By learning how to effectively Focus, Grab Attention, Engage, and Take Action, everyday people can produce extraordinary results” – whether they are trying to provide clean water, find an organ donor, or change a kid’s behavior through fun. Read more »

Although I haven’t even been tweeting a year, I’m hooked – and I’m sure it has nothing to do with my addictive personality. It’s a whole new way of communicating. It’s invaluable for breaking news and insights into just about anything you like. This is an informal guide to using Twitter for newbies.

What are you going to get here you can’t get someplace else? Thoughts on what is cool about Twitter, how to Vespa your way around Twitterspace, and some mistakes I’ve (hopefully) learned from. Other than that, maybe you’ll see something you think is CRAZY, and you can comment. Read more »

Yesterday, Twitter announced 2 billion tweets per month. That’s a far cry from just one year ago, when I started tweeting. At first, I wasn’t interested at all in Twitter. I had a business page on Facebook and a lot of valuable relationships. I liked where I got my news, worshipped my iPhone, and really didn’t have time for something else while I was building my business. What I’ve learned is Twitter takes time, but gives me more relevant information from multiple sources that I could ever get through Facebook, ANY other social media, or even several news sources combined. Most importantly, I learn more about my own industry and what’s happening as it happens, something I REALLY had no time for before. I’ll discuss the main areas where I’ve found real value in building my business.

What Twitter IS is a quick, convenient forum to answer the question “What are you doing” in 140 characters or less. I would actually suggest answering “What has your attention” instead. I would also suggest 120 characters so folks can re-tweet what you’ve posted as well. Read more »