On Tuesday, July 13, 2010 I presented a session at ORGPRO (Michigan Society of Association Executives) entitled Twitter 101.  I have been doing a lot of speaking this year, but this was my first opportunity to teach the basics of Twitter to a group of Event Professionals.

We had a really terrific group of about 40 participants, including a guest appearance by Technology Guru Corbin Ball.  There was a lot of interactivity and questions. (that is a good thing!)  I promised to post my presentation today for folks to view and download.  So, here is the slideshare version for your immediate viewing.  In addition if you would like a printed version click here for a pdf file.

Recently there was a terrific discussion about “Integrating Twitter Into Presentations” initiated on a Google Wave by Lara McCulloch-Carter.  Fourteen  (14) event professionals were invited to contribute their perspectives on the subject, including myself.  Lara’s intent was to write a magazine article for an Event Industry periodical from the responses posted on the Wave.

The conversation generated by this topic has been robust, to say the least. Lara received far more material than she can use for her 500-word article.  So, she invited the wave participants to use some of the information for blog posts.  Thus comes this article…

One of the questions addressed caught my attention — “In which channel should Twitter be used?” (front, back)  For clarity the concept of channels refers to the relationship of the Twitter discussion to the overall event.  One possible definition (there are probably many) of those channels is as follows:

• Back Channel — typically a discussion, marked by an official  hashtag for the event,  taking place in the background between Twitter Users.  At the very least it occurs  simultaneously with the primary presentation.  Often the Twitter conversation will begin before the event and then extend well after the meeting’s conclusion.
• Front Channel — In this context the tweets are part of the primary focus of the event. Examples of this are Q&A (Questions and Answers), Open Forum,  Round-table discussions and Brainstorming.

A couple of my colleagues participating in this wave disagree with the concept of relating Twitter to a “channel.”

Jeff Hurt says “I don’t think Twitter should be relegated or labeled as a back-channel or front channel. I think that’s the wrong thing to call it. I see it as an audience engagement tool. Calling it the back-channel gives some people the image of a back room closed door private secret gathering.”

Ian McGonnical perceives it this way — “I never liked the term “back-channel.”  I’ve always believed that conversations should be open and inclusive of all parties.  Open conversations drive trust, and trust moves conversations forward.  However, some presentations are designed as one-way communications, and that’s OK.  I believe Twitter use should be examined on a case-by-case basis. Twitter is a tool.  Like a Swiss Army Knife it can be used in many ways. Let the communication need or ‘job’ determine the right usage of the tool.”

Jeff and Ian both have valid points in their comments.  Twitter is a diverse application with many potential uses for events.  Therefore identifying its use as exclusive to only a certain channel is unproductive and unrealistic.  The beauty of social media is its application is limited to the imagination of those engaging in it.  Inevitably there are future event uses for Twitter that have not even been discovered yet.

For my part I am less concerned about “labeling” Twitter’s use a certain way.  Instead I believe its most important to find the right context for its use at each event.  We do not live in a “one size fits all” society and that is certainly true of the meetings business.  Event professionals must think strategically about their programs by matching up the logistical requirements of the meeting with the best tools to perfect the event experience for their attendees.

Question — In your experience with meetings what have been the most impactful uses of Twitter for your attendees?  Are you experimenting with anything new for future events and if so please share it with us!

A common perception emerging in the business world these days is the notion business people must be receptive to experimenting with new business methodologies, concepts & technologies.  In a rapidly changing world, with a highly competitive business environment and customers with dynamic needs I agree wholeheartedly.

Since March, I have been actively participating in a twice-weekly Twitter Chat group marked by the hashtag #eventprofs.  For context, this group is comprised of forward-thinking meetings and events professionals from around the world with a variety of backgrounds and experience.  Our common thread is a passion for social media, creativity and collaboration.

The chat experience has consistently been engaging, energetic and thought provoking!  In fact much of what I have learned about social media is linked at some level to interaction with this group.  Clearly, these are individuals for whom I harbor a great deal of respect!

From time to time our Eventprofs group experiments with alternative formats for our chat sessions.  This week we attempted something new… to integrate our normal Twitter chat session with a live audio conference.

The concept, spearheaded by Robert Swanwick (aka “Swan”) was to enable storytelling, with participants sharing real customer service success stories via the audio feed.  The Twitter feed would be used as a “back channel” to field peripheral questions, comments and feedback.  In theory, the idea was solid, especially since it is nearly impossible to tell a story in a tweet.  (140 characters)

Leading up to the session there was skepticism expressed by some Eventprofs members, myself included, that this approach to our chat sessions would not be successful, in fact a step back from what we have been experiencing.  Yet, in the spirit of trying something new I attended the session with an open mind.  Unfortunately, the Twitter feed was not functioning properly so that piece of the session was largely missing.

Here are my thoughts from the event:

Positives:

• Innovation – we tried something new and the spirit behind that is awesome!  Kudos to Robert Swanwick for being the thought leader to roll out a new idea for exploration!!!
• Voice Connection — the participants were able to connect on a “real voice” level versus typed chat adding a personal touch to the event.
• Story Telling — This approach did allow for more extended comments as we were not limited to 140 characters.
• Emotional Connection — clear understanding of the spirit behind the comments.
• Chat Backup — An audio conference may be a viable solution for the situation where the Twitter stream is not functioning.  Eventprofs has had multiple occurrences of this challenge in the past.

Negatives:

• Limited Interaction — Audio connection alllowed only for single “one to many” conversation whereas Twitter allows for multiple “many to many” discussions.
• Telephone cost Limitations — International Participants were not able to join call due to Long distance fees.
• Lower Energy Level — By nature a Twitter chat creates excitement because of it’s “multiple threads.”  A participant must pay close attention to keep track of all that is occurring.  That dynamic was sorely missing in this conversation.
• Attention Span — Personally I was not engaged in the dialogue at times, and therefore became distracted and began multitasking.  That would never happen in a Twitter Chat.. too much activity going on.
• Inhibited Conversation — People seemed to hold back from contributing, including myself.  In a typed chat environment people seem to be less hesitant to say what they are thinking…. a Twitter chat seems to closely resemble a brainstorm session in that lots of information is hitting the session simultaneously.

Clearly, our experience with the audio format was tainted by the lack of the Twitter “back channel” so I believe we ought to try this again sometime working both components together.  I firmly believe, however, that the power of Twitter chat sessions lies in the ability to have multiple discussions occurring in tandem.  This ultimately leads, oftentimes, to new thoughts and ideas, evolving from the other discussions.  It is what draws me to these events!

Question:  What do you view as the greatest benefit derived from Twitter chat sessions?  Do you see other ways to combine the session dynamic of these events with another mode of communication to create even greater value.  Please share your ideas and feedback with us.

Recently a colleague of mine expressed frustration regarding Twitter’s 140 character limit for tweets.  Personally I applaud this rule and hope the folks at Twitter retain that standard!

Why……???? Well, one of the most important skills I have acquired from my Twitter experience is to send a strong message with very few words.  Many accomplished business writers will tell you the power of your message can be magnified by its brevity.  In my experience I believe that is true.

The world is rapidly changing and the speed of business increasing exponentially every day.  People across the world are communicating with one another instantly and frequently.  All of us are bombarded with a ton of information continuously.  The reality is many people become impatient and frustrated with long-winded messages.  More than ever the concept of “less is more” makes sense.

Twitter has created a social network enabling people to significantly expand their reach with quick messaging, all in 140 characters or less.  In my humble opinion they hit a home run with that concept!!!

Can you imagine how much more efficient our society would be if our friendly politicians were forced to limit their messaging to 140 characters or less?  How about lawyers?  We might actually get something accomplished up on Capital Hill!!!!  Perhaps we could cut our federal deficit significantly…….. Who Knows?

What are your thoughts regarding the Twitter “140 character” limit?  Do you believe it should be expanded.  Share your thoughts with us please!

Earlier this week I had a delightful dinner with some friends of mine at a local Chicago eatery called Elliott’s Seafood Grill and Chop House.  For the record if you are in Chicago and happen to be on the Northwest side (Edison Park) this restaurant is one to check out….. Fantastic food, wonderful service and friendly staff.  It truly has the feel of a neighborhood hangout with casual elegance.  If you meet the restaurant’s owner, Alex, please tell him “Big Mike” sent you.

During dinner, the subject of Social Media inevitably came up.  My friend Denny (Dennis Bruno)  is in the “Discovery” stage with social media, in particular Twitter.  In short Denny is a savvy business person with an impressive history in Executive Leadership.  An “outside of the box” thinker he is always looking for innovative ways to do business.

As with many folks Denny’s first perceptions of Twitter were confused.   When the subject of Twitter came up during our conversation his immediate response was “Why would anyone spend anytime whatsoever using Twitter?” Not surprisingly I am asked this question a lot these days, as many people are starting to discover Twitter, but don’t yet understand its use or value.

For those of you out there just beginning to consider Twitter ask yourself these questions:

• Are you interested in a networking tool enabling you to build your reputation as a thought leader?
• Do you seek to market your “personal brand” and expand your circle of contacts?
• Would you find a resource valuable where you may quickly find information on just about any topic, business or personal?
• Do you enjoy assisting other people?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then read on…..  Twitter is a dynamic platform for like-minded (or not) individuals to exchange information, insight and experiences with one another… all in 140 characters or less.  This article is not about learning the basics of Twitter so if you are interested in that information read this article written by Michael Hyatt.

No two people utilize Twitter exactly the same way, as its flexibility is one of its greatest strengths.  For those of you interested in figuring out how to utilize Twitter I would recommend doing the following:

• Find Focus – Think about what you want to accomplish with this social media tool.  Do you want to grow your network of business connections, or do you wish to focus on hobbies and interests?  Maybe it’s both… perhaps you just want to have a social outlet for meeting people and entertaining yourself.  The choice is yours….. the key is to decide upfront what you at least initially want to pursue.
• Setup Your Account — This is a very important step as it will determine how you are perceived by other twitter users, in essence your first “Twimpression.”  Click here to find a quick start guide I created for a recent blog article.
• Find Twitter Users to Follow – In order to get followers (ppl that read your tweets) you must entice other users to follow you.  Read this article to discover some techniques for effectively growing your Twitter account.
• Start Tweeting — The best way to gain experience with Twitter is to use it!  If you have followed the steps above you will know what to tweet about as it will come naturally.  Be natural, be yourself… people will respond!

If you have a suggestion or idea to add to this article I would love to hear from you…. all ideas/feedback is welcome!

You may be wondering what the best approach is for finding potential Twitter Users to follow.  Here are some reliable resources:

• Tip # 1

LinkedIn – A group on LinkedIn called “twitter innovators Innovation & Creativity Network of Tweeters.”  First join the group, then click on discussion called “Want more Twitter Followers? Post your Twitter ID/Name here!“  There are hundreds of Twitter Users that posted their user info there.  Click through to their Twitter accounts and follow them as you feel so inclined.  Also, while there don’t forget to post your own address.  I have acquired a large number of followers from this group.  One of the greatest advantages is the ability to conveniently review users LinkedIn profiles as well.

• Tip # 2
  

Twitter Search — Pick a subject of interest, perhaps something you enjoy chatting or learning about and type some keywords into the search box.  Twitter Search will open a page of tweets with those keywords.  You can review the tweets one by one and select Twitter Users you find interesting to follow.

For example if I am interested in “Harley Davidson Motorcycles” I could type that into the search engine and then the page returned to me will show all tweets with those words in it.  Since I enjoy networking with other Harley enthusiasts I could then follow the users I find in that search.

• Tip #3

Twellow is the “Twitter Yellow Pages.”  This directory features 5.0 million twitter profiles.

You can pull up groups of twitter users by subject, or do a Boolean search.  There is a tab you can click on to get “Search tips.”

A new feature on Twellow, called “Twellohood” allows users to click on a map location to find Twitter users.  Don’t forget to create your own posting in the Twellow directory so other people are able to find you!

• Tip # 4
  

Hashtags — Unique discussion areas may be created using hashtags (#).  Then Twitter users post tweets to particular hashtag names that can all be viewed together on your browser through various twitter applications.  (i.e. Tweetchat or Tweetgrid)  For example I participate in a hashtag group called #eventprofs. If you type the hashtag name in the Twitter Search window (discussed above) you will see a page with all the tweets posted to that particular hashtag.

For a complete directory of all the hashtags currently in use go to Wefollow.com.  After signing in your Twitter account you can assign up to (3) Hashtags to your username.  On the right side of the landing page is a directory of “Popular Twitter Tags.”  The first choice is “all”… click on that and you will see a listing of all hashtags.  Click on a hashtag of interest and you will see a listing of all Twitter accounts associated with that account.  You can click on individual accounts and follow them as you wish.

• Tip # 5 –

#FollowFriday is a tradition started on Twitter as a means for people to recommend other Twitter friends as ideal ppl to follow.  The FollowFriday website has a live twitterstream.  Essentially this is considered a referral system.  I have met some great Tweeters through #FollowFriday, so I highly recommend this approach.

A couple of great blog articles to read on the subject of #followfriday are “Follow Friday. Oh My!” and “#FollowFriday: The Anatomy of a Twitter Trend“

Do you have a Twitter Tool that has worked really well for you to find new Tweeple to follow?  Please share it with us!

As an active Twitter User I have found my experience evolving week to week.  I have spent considerable time contemplating the best approach to growing my Twitter account.   I am not only interested in building a follower base, but also figuring out which users to follow?

Often I hear other Twitter users say “its not about quantity, its about quality” in regards to growth of followers/following.  I personally believe it’s both!  Its about quality, with quantity……   Here’s why:

• Quantity — Twitter is about developing “reach” or growing my sphere of influence.  The more followers I have, the greater the impact of my tweets and message.  To acquire followers I must follow other people …. so the math speaks for itself.
• Quality — Twitter is also about learning new things, acquiring meaningful or interesting information which I can in turn share with my followers.  To accomplish this I should follow people that post quality tweets consistently.  This keeps information flowing!

There are as probably as many systems for building a twitter account as there are twitter users, but here is my formula for success:

Who to follow:

1. Someone with similar interests – the bio may not match up exactly, but if someone writes one that catches my interest I will definitely consider following them.
2. Follower/following ratio – a matter of personal preference but very important to me.  I do not want to be reading tweets from spammers.  So I avoid users having a significantly higher number of users followed than followers.  For example if someone has 5oo followers but is following 2000 users, I will most likely pass them up.
3. # of Updates – I am interested in people that are communicators.  I follow people that actively, consistently post tweets.  If a user’s total number of tweets (updates) is significantly less than their # of followers then I bypass them.  For example if a user has 3000 followers, but has only posted a total of 25 tweets they are off my list.
4. User Picture – This has been a challenge on Twitter recently as many users have not been able to upload a profile picture due to tech issues.  So, at least temporarily, I will follow a user without a picture, as long as all the other factors are right.  However, if their picture has a “salesish or pushy” feel to it, I avoid those users.  As an example a picture featuring stacks of money is a turnoff!
5. User Name – This is something I analyze as well.  A user name may reveal their intentions, or focus on twitter.  Since I am interested in collaboration, not listening to a sales pitch I stay away from users whose perceived priority is to promote their services or products.
6. Reviewing Tweets – Finally I read a sampling of a users’ tweets.  If I see a significant number of sales pitches, or MLM focus, (i.e. the infamous “get 16000 followers in 30 days”) I pass up these users.

I recognize everyone has a different focus and different priorities for their twitter experience.  Some of my “hot button” issues may not concern other twitter members, and that’s ok… I get it!

What are some techniques you use to build your twitter account?  If you have an innovative idea or approach please share it!

For those of you new to Twitter this article will serve as a “Quick Start” guide to getting up and running on Twitter.  Hope you find the information helpful!

Twitter and other Social Networking applications are all about finding common ground, building a sense of community and shared learning.  In order to have an impact on the “Twitterverse,”  you must build a portfolio of “followers,” usually comprised of other users having an interest in your tweets.  There are some critical things you must do with your twitter account immediately to position yourself for success.  At the top of your Twitter Profile Page click on “Settings.”  Then review the following:

• Name — Insert your real name, when people visit your Twitter Profile they will recognize you immediately.

• Your Username — If your goal is to brand yourself with other twitter users I recommend creating a username that quickly identifies who you are.  For example my username is “MikeMcCurry.”  This username also becomes your URL for your public profile.  (i.e.http://twitter.com/MikeMcCurry)

• Your Bio — This area of your profile is critically important as it is the first place other users will learn about you.  Most Twitter users are looking for a connection.  This is your opportunity to define who you are.  My Bio reads as follows:

“Creative thinker by nature,Event Mgr by trade,Harley Rider, Musician/Songwriter loves gadgets,bears football & wants to network! Social Media rocks!”

• More Info URL — If you publish a personal blog, or web page put the URL for that site here.  It will give users additional resources to learn more about you.

• Your Security Settings — At the bottom of the page is a checkbox for “Protect my Updates.”   If you check this box then no one on Twitter will be able to see your posts without your permission.  If you wish to remain anonymous then this is useful .  If you want your Twitter voice to be heard then people must have access to your tweets.  In my own experience if I come across someone whose updates are protected I do not bother following them, because I gain no value.  Most of my Twitter colleagues have a similar philosophy.

• Your Picture – Research has shown many Twitter users are more likely to “follow” someone with a high quality profile picture of themselves.  If you are using your Twitter account for business this is a really good idea.  Crazy and unusual pictures, or suggestive poses may send the wrong message to prospective followers, depending on your business objective.  To add your picture click on the “picture” tab and then select a picture from your computer hard drive to use.  The file must be JPG, GIF, or PNG and a maximum size of 700 kb.

• Find Followers — The best place to start is to find family, friends and business colleagues on Twitter.  At the top of the Twitter page is a menu selection called “find friends.”  Click on that and then type in the first and last name of someone you want to locate.  When their name comes up in search result list find the appropriate individual and then click “follow.”  If they know you they will most likely follow back.  Repeat the same steps to find more users.  I recommend a directory that is quite useful  to find Twitter users with targeted interests.  It is called “Twellow.”  Vist this site as it will provide you lots of choices for finding followers.  You may also list yourself in this directory for free, which is great exposure for you.

• Post Tweets – After you acquire some followers the best way to make connections and build a following on Twitter is to begin posting tweets.   Click on the “home” button at the top of the Twitter page which will transition you to the place where you post tweets and review received tweets from other Twitter followers.  Review some tweets from other people first to become acquainted with how the tweet system works.  The one rule always is your tweets must be 140 characters or less.  The Twitter application will warn you when your post exceeds the character limit.  If nothing else Twitter will teach you to write powerful statements with very few words, which is a valuable skill!

• TweetDeck — A wonderful free software application is available on the web significantly enhancing your Twitter experience.  It is called TweetDeck.  After downloading and installing this software here is a great article providing helpful tips for using the software.

I hope you become as excited as I am about Twitter and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this article.  I welcome your feedback.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

It is a rapidly changing world we live in, particularly in the technology community!!!! The past couple of months I learned the value of social media applications such as Facebook (www.facebook.com) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). It has been an enlightening journey, but folks, quite simply, I have much to learn!

My latest quest is to investigate an application called “Twitter.” (www.twitter.com) Briefly, Twitter is a “micro blog” service for people to communicate with one another, staying connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages. People write short updates, called “tweets” of 140 characters or fewer. These messages are posted to the user profile also known as the personal blog, sent to a user’s followers and are searchable on Twitter search.

The first time I logged onto Twitter the sensation was akin to being in a classroom learning a foreign language! The communications appeared somewhat cryptic and confusing to say the least. With some persistence I quickly discovered Twitter really is a special application with tremendous potential. Undoubtedly, I am a “Twookie” (a twitter term for a Twitter Rookie) but here is a high level overview of my findings so far:

• Using search features, a user can literally find valuable information on any topic and select individual tweets to save as bookmarks called “Favorites.” Bookmarks may be retrieved on demand and forwarded to other users or other social media applications. (i.e. Facebook, LinkedIn)
• Tweets can re be “re-tweeted” (called an RT) to followers in the user’s online community. Those followers can then share that same message with their followers. So a single tweet can reach thousands of people literally within seconds.
• In a tweet a user can include hyperlinks to any site on the Internet, such as articles of interest, Photographs, music or videos.
• There are Twitter chat rooms, accessible through a related application called Tweetchat (www.tweetchat.com) identified by “Hash Tags” (#). Users may have real time interactions, or chat sessions, with people having similar interests. For example, I attend a scheduled chat session twice a week with a group called “#eventprofs” (Event Professionals)
• A Twitter application is available for cell phones and other PDA’s that will enable a user to “tweet on the fly.” This feature has some extremely powerful benefits! Imagine sitting in a Keynote Session at a large conference with thousands of people. Attendees tweet their questions and comments directly to the speaker using their cell phone. Those same tweets are posted on a screen(s) at the front of the room in real time. Twitter is already being used in this manner!

This article only scratches the surface of Twitter’s capabilities, but one thing is certain, this technology is here to stay and will only evolve further. I am excited about what lies ahead. I hope to see you out there in Twitterland!!!! Contact Me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MichaelMcCurry