Hi Dr Hills!  Welcome to the Pluggio Blog.  How do you describe your work?  What do you do?

I’m a career enhancer. I help career professionals accelerate their careers, become more productive and effective, and find greater fulfillment and reward in their work. I do this through educational programs, learning products (print and video), and coaching (one-on-one and in groups).

Where did the name “Blue Pencil Institute” come from?

Back when I started my career, I was a writer and editor and on occasion, I used a blue pencil in my work. We used a light blue pencil in those pre-electronic publishing days to show corrections to written copy. The color blue was used \ because it didn’t show in some lithographic and photographic processes. I would “blue pencil” galleys (strips) of typeset text and layouts for my articles and books to indicate to the printer which corrections, deletions, and improvements I wanted to make.

At Blue Pencil Institute, I teach career professionals how to “blue pencil” their careers, and magically, I do this behind the scenes and invisibly.

Now, let me explain why I named my company Blue Pencil Institute as a carefully-considered business strategy. First of all, it’s a distinctive name, yet easy to pronounce and understand. People like stories, so the name gives me a chance to tell mine. It makes sense figuratively. The institute provides programs, products, and coaching to help career professionals improve themselves. But like the blue pencil of my past, it does so behind the scenes and invisibly. If you look at color psychology, the color blue is the most popular color and also is the color most associated with inspiration and truth, two of my core values.

That’s very interesting to tie it into color associations, also archetypal, I suppose?

I also believe that the pencil, as one of the simplest and least complicated communication tools, stands as a symbol of the personalized human touch that Blue Pencil Institute provides to each of the career professionals it serves. A pencil is not high tech but does suggest high touch. Plus, I give away imprinted blue pencils like candy. Naming a company Blue Pencil Institute is a no-brainer for having an affordable yet very effective promotional giveaway up your sleeve.

You’ve put quite a lot of thought into this- perhaps more than anybody else I’ve interviewed!

There’s one more detail: you’ll notice that I named my company an institute. I did that because I define myself first and foremost as an educator. I hold a doctorate in higher education with an emphasis on adult learning and leadership. I am a former college professor. I hold multiple teaching certifications. I have studied pedagogy in depth and I have been an educator in one form or another for my entire career. Everything I do is about teaching and learning.

You’ve been working in the field of professional coaching/advising for a long time- 30 years, correct?  How did the internet change things, and how has social media changed things?

I started my career with a typewriter, a phone, and snail mail. I remember being really excited when I first used WordsStar (an early word processing program), using clumsy two- and three-stroke commands that I had to memorize. I marveled at being able to overnight a floppy disk to a newsletter or journal editor in another city who was waiting for my latest article. But absolutely nothing – nothing — can compare with the way that the Internet changed things.

How so?

The Internet enables me to communicate with people and share texts and images with them immediately and everywhere, putting communication out there at lightning speed. I can do research for my writing so fast and easily and I can find answers to my questions almost as quickly as they pop into my head. The Internet gives me a way to create materials and share them myself, with one click, and without having to go through a publisher or a printer or the postal service. It has liberated me, given me endless creative resources, and a means with which to engage with others meaningfully. I can’t imagine life without it now.

And what about social media?  How has that made an impact?

Social media has taken things even further by providing us with a global living room. We can go there any time we please to meet people of like mind and interests and to engage in spirited and productive conversation with them. I love it because it has given me a new platform on which to share my ideas and learn from others. Writing can be isolating work. Social media has given me a way to feel connected with my audience every day, not just when I’m doing face-to-face training or coaching. And, it has given me the chance to meet colleagues all over the world. I have developed many wonderful professional relationships through social media with people I can bounce ideas off of, learn from, and get support from.

Are there any of your accomplishments with social marketing that you are particularly proud of?

Yes. Twitter has become my passion. I find that the limitation of 140 characters has stimulated my creativity in new ways.

I enjoy that too- it’s easy to write a lot, but a challenge to communicate your message briefly. 

I love the challenge of encapsulating my complex, big ideas in such a small space. I gain tremendous satisfaction out of writing my pithy, focused tweets that capture precisely what I want to say and that have the potential to be helpful to others.

I save every good tweet I come up with and am proud to say that since I started tweeting in March of 2011 that I have collected well over 1,000 of them. These will be useful to me not only for retweeting but for other purposes. One of my favorite tweets became the epigraph of my upcoming e-book, Climbing Out of a Rut. It is, “Having a job to do can be pretty boring. Having a career to grow is much more interesting.”

I love that!  I definitely agree with that sentiment.  So this is becoming a book?

Yes, I believe that with some sorting and editing that I may be able to turn a collection of my tweets into a new product, an e-book I may call The Quotable Hills, or something similar. So, I am creating high-quality, worthwhile content on Twitter, and that makes me very proud.

More than 2,000 people are now following you. I know you said you’re a “babe in the social media woods” when I originally asked to interview you, but wow!  

I am also very proud of my followers. They are smart, accomplished, and successful people. More than 50 of them have complimented me on the quality and usefulness of my tweets – unsolicited testimonials, if you will. That has been hugely helpful to me. Their feedback encourages me to work even harder on my tweets and to give more and more to them. You don’t get that kind of immediate feedback from your readers when you’re working on an article or book.

What kinds of people/businesses are they?

I’m followed by lots of different people and businesses but many of them are in fields related to mine. For example, I have followers in the fields of career and business development, leadership and executive development, coaching and training of various kinds, human resources development, resume writing, business etiquette, social media, professional organizing, and personal growth and development. A great many of them write wonderful blogs, articles, and books.

How did you build your following? 

I took my first steps on Twitter by following the authors I admired. I started with the big guns – Marcus Buckingham, Seth Godin, Jim Kouzes, Ken Blanchard, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, and the like. Then, I saw who else was following them and among these, who had profiles that were similar to mine. Then, I followed those people. I also looked at who had listed the people I admired and followed those whose profiles appealed to me. That helped me build my following in the very beginning.

A lot of people have stated that it’s not the amount of followers you’ve got that is important, but it’s the quality.  From what you say, I take it you agree- not only with the following, but also with the kind of Tweets you create?

I believe that the single most important thing I did to build my following was to give them really good, solid content. Much of what you see on Twitter is of limited use. Some of it is personal communication between two people or personal news about people’s whereabouts or their favorite football team or what they are doing that day. Many people tweet famous quotes. Good quotes may be inspiring, perhaps, but they are not original. Some tweets require more work from the follower, for example, reading a blog post or article or visiting a website. That can be worthwhile but it takes time. A lot of what you see on Twitter is advertising. With most of my tweets, I am trying to do something different.

How so?

A person’s attention is one of his or her most precious resources, and it is finite. I take my followers’ attention very seriously.  I know they’re busy people like me and I don’t want to waste their time. Therefore, I try to make my tweets valuable. I am trying to position myself on Twitter as a thought leader – a person regarded as a source of original and good information. That is why the vast majority of my tweets are self-contained and complete ideas. For the most part, they do not sell, they do not ask my followers to go anywhere else, and they are not about me. I offer strong content tweets each day on a variety of topics in my field of expertise with the hope that maybe one or more of them will inspire action, spark an idea, stimulate a conversation, motivate action, or otherwise help my followers. I’m constantly on the lookout for good tweet content – whenever I read, talk with a colleague, or write an article or book. I take my responsibility to my followers very seriously.

How will you choose who you will follow? 

I follow back followers who have content that may be useful to me. I actively seek new people to follow who are in fields related to mine, who are active on Twitter, and/or who offer worthwhile content.

What do you look for in a follower?

I look for followers who are seeking to grow professionally and/or personally and who are genuinely interested in my content. I especially appreciate followers who are willing to engage in discussion and who are generous about sharing my tweets with their followers. I am extremely interested in followers who have the potential to collaborate with me.

I have been fortunate to have had great support from some of my followers. For example, a couple of them have written testimonials for my upcoming e-book. I had a most interesting Skype discussion recently with one of my followers in the UK who works in a field related to mine. We are exploring the possibility of co-authoring a book. I’ve had phone conversations and email exchanges with several other followers who have given me some really good ideas and feedback.

What strategies did you use for social? 

I enjoy actively engaging with my Twitter followers and when I do, I invite them to join my LinkedIn network. Almost every one of them has accepted my invitation. This strategy has enabled me to expand my LinkedIn network significantly. I also include my Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook information at the bottom of every email I send and I promote them at my face-to-face training sessions.  And, my five most recent tweets appear automatically on my website homepage.

How about any offline marketing methods?

I am the editor of EWI Connect, the monthly newsletter of Executive Women International’s DC Chapter. I have a career development column in each issue that showcases 10 of my tweets. The column explains that the ideas each month are my tweets and provides the reader with my Twitter handle. That strategy has brought me further recognition and some new followers.

What strategies have proved most effective for you?

I engaged a consultant to create a customized Twitter background for me that conveys and reinforces my brand. I’ve gotten some great feedback about it. I highly recommend doing that, because it’s worth the investment; it makes a huge difference in the way you will be perceived. I also invested in a professional head shot – actually two (one for my profile, one for my Twitter background).

I do retweet what others say but it always comes from me. In other words, I attribute the quote to them but I comment on it in some way. That way my name and photo are what you see in my Twitter stream. I think that’s important. I am always mindful that I am trying to position myself as a thought leader. Even when I present others’ good ideas, which I do regularly, I want my followers to remember that it is me who is doing this. And, I want to help my followers understand why I have chosen to share the material with them. My comment is therefore very important.

I’m a big fan of Follow Fridays. I’ve found some great new people to follow at the advice of people I know. I also offer my followers the Twitter handles of people who I believe are worth following. Those mentioned seem genuinely grateful and they often retweet my #FF tweets that name them. I’ve seen my follower number jump every Friday when I do this. I also take the time to thank individually each person who puts me on a list. I think that is a great honor.

What didn’t work for you?

When I began tweeting, I was taken with the idea of following people who said they automatically follow you back, and I followed some of them. I was enchanted by the idea of having big follower numbers. But pretty quickly I came to see that the quality of my followers is much more important than the number. So, I stopped doing that.

I also used to thank every person who retweeted me. That was a good idea in the beginning when the retweets were few. But I’m being retweeted more often now. I am sincerely grateful for every retweet but feel that a stream of thank you’s will not be of interest or helpful to the bulk of my followers. So, I’ve stopped the litany of thank-you tweets.

If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently?

I would have designed my professional Twitter background and started using it from Day 1. You have seconds to make an impression on anyone who views your full profile. You want to make a strong and careful impression – one that conveys your brand and attracts them to you right away.

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?

It gives me a place to network 24/7. It gives me a way to connect with people all over the world. It gives me a way to build my network when I have little scraps of time here and there. And, it limits me to 140 characters, a challenge that has made me more creative.

What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing?

Twitter and online marketing have a great deal in common with other types of marketing. It’s about the quality, giving people value, making genuine connections, and fostering relationships. What I love about online marketing is that I can do it myself with nothing but my ingenuity and drive. I don’t need a bucket of money or a huge staff to make things happen online.

Twitter, for me, is like a trip to the beach. My family goes to Virginia Beach every summer. There, you can see a multi-millionaire and a pauper sitting side by side at the beach and have a hard time telling who is who. In fact, at the beach, the person with the better body is probably the one you’ll admire most. It’s the same on Twitter. The person with the better Twitter body (the best ideas and the best way of expressing them) is probably the one you’ll admire most.  It’s the ultimate equalizer.

Follow Dr. Hills on Twitter here.

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Thankfully, my next interview, Ricky Watts, has been able to find a good balance between working on his art and promoting it on the social networks. 

Hi Ricky, welcome to the Pluggio Blog!  What kind of art do you do? How do you describe your work? 

I guess the best way to describe it is I paint abstract works using only aerosol spray paint. I paint spontaneously, building the painting up as I go. Very little of it is premeditated and I don’t use stencils or masking in my work. The art I create is explosions of color combined with a heavy dose of obsessive compulsive line work and detail.

How did you get started?

As long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated with art.  As a teenager I started messing around with spray paint and began painting around town. After finishing college, I began painting on canvas and showing my work in local galleries. Pieces began falling into place and I’m now fortunate enough to work as a freelance painter, illustrator and graphic designer from my studio in northern California.

Very cool, that’s no easy feat!  What role does Twitter play in your career?

I use Twitter and other social media outlets on a regular basis. Everyday I’m tweeting, blogging, promoting an art show, etc. to keep my art in front of people and ultimately potential buyers / clients.

What impact or change have you seen due to Twitter/social marketing?

The impact is huge. As an artist, you can live anywhere and get your works out to an enormous audience who most likely would never see your work. I think that’s been the biggest change, you no longer have to live in New York, LA or Paris to get your art exposed to a large audience.

Are there any of your accomplishments with social marketing that you are particularly proud of?

I felt a sense of excitement when I hit 1000 followers on Twitter. I guess that’d be an accomplishment?

Definitely!  I felt the same way when I did that.

Really I’m just proud that I’m able to use these tools for marketing my art. We here in the U.S. are very fortunate to have the infrastructure we do to be able to access social media resources.

That’s very true.  How did you build your following?  What kinds of people/businesses are they?

You get out what you put in and I built up my following by tweeting, re-tweeting, hash tagging and following other people’s Twitter feeds. A lot of people don’t realize how much work it takes to build a following. I could seriously spend all day just promoting stuff, following people and so on. The problem is I’d rather be in the studio so it’s finding that balance of time can be difficult. The majority of the people who follow my work are artists, art enthusiasts, galleries and other art industry type folk.

How will you choose who you will follow?  What do you look for in a follower?

I generally follow other artists who I’m already familiar with or stumble across and really dig their work. I tend to avoid people constantly promoting things I have no interest in.

What strategies did you use for social marketing (either online or offline)? 

I don’t know if it’s a strategy but I just try to stay diligent about marketing myself online. I like to sneak my twitter handle @rickywatts into my outdoor art from time to time.

If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently?

I would have gone to every social media site and registered my name / handle, even if I hadn’t started using the site yet. For example my tumblr handle is @rickywatts1980 because I waited too long to claim @rickywatts.

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?

Twitter allows me to reach a different fan base than any other outlet. Most of my Facebook connections are friends, most of my Instagram connections are photo enthusiasts or Justin Beiber fanatics. But Twitter, from what I’ve noticed is more business savvy, artist professional type users. It’s also the only thing that frustrates me when my message is more than 140 characters.

That’s an interesting observation about the different social circles you find on different networks, but come to think of it, I’ve got the same thing going on my networks.  What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing?

I’ve learned that you can’t rely on only marketing yourself online. Yes, social media is a great tool but it can’t take the place of face to face networking and the personal relationships with your audience.

Follow Ricky on Twitter here.

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It was quickly retracted after a social media uproar criticized the decision and assigned responsibility for the choice to Karen Handle.

Within a week, Handel resigned.  While this is certainly a political issue, it also involved social media, which is what I’m focusing on today.

As it happened, I didn’t follow the story very closely, but when my previous interviewee subject Crystal Washington sent a press release on the subject, I began to wonder: is social media, in effect, just becoming a kind of mob rule?

For those who want a summary of what happened, Crystal’s press release provides an excellent timeline, as well as some insights into managing social media.

I responded to Crystal’s email:

” I wonder- with the way that social media can produce a massive, sudden uproar, which is often met by businesses with a quick capitulation to their demands- is this becoming a kind of mob rule?  The mob shouts “Fire her!” and the company rarely defends itself; instead, it usually bows to the crow.  It makes me uneasy…”

There seems to be no way to defend yourself now should you stumble or make a mistake; once the crowd calls for your head, it’s over.  There is no forgiveness from the mob, and there is no chance to make amends except by sacrificing whoever was blamed.

Crystal wrote back:

What do you guys think?

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How do you describe your business?

JMSO, Inc. is an Executive Search firm.

Filling positions for companies, that sort of thing?

Basically, we’re recruiters. The reality is a little more complex, depending on the day. On a good day we’re business partners to our clients and career counselors to our candidates. Trusted advisors. On a bad day we’re life coaches, ego massager’s, bill collectors and babysitters.

I like how you distinguish that.  How did you get started?

My wife (and business partner) Shawn has been an executive recruiter for 20 years. When we met, I was an executive in the insurance industry. I was constantly ranting about the caliber of employee my company was recruiting and hiring. I kept insisting that I could do a better job of recruiting talent. So, in 2005 we decided to open our own agency.

What role does Twitter play in your business?

Twitter is one of the main Social Media tools we utilize. It’s the core of our Social Media toolbox.

What industries/companies do you specialize in, and why?

We work in all industries, however, we specialize in the Education (K12 and Higher Ed), Digital Publishing and Library space.

Shawn was responsible for forming the foundation of our business. She had developed deep inroads in the publishing market in the late ‘90’s. As a result, she began to work with many educational publishers. Over time, her client list began to evolve to include more and more education-focused companies. Since we are both passionate about learning, it seemed to be a natural niche for us.

What impact or change have you seen due to Twitter/social marketing?

Social Media as a whole has changed the way businesses do marketing. Seven years ago when Shawn and I launched JMSO, Inc., the big deal in marketing was the online directories (i.e., Yellow pages). At that time I was inundated daily with calls/mail/emails from various directories wanting to sign us up.

Over the past few years, social media has exploded to the point where not just companies but individuals are building and marketing their own brand.

That is an interesting trend- I’ve noticed that too, especially among a lot of job seekers who are looking for a way to distinguish themselves from the competition.

I believe Twitter was one of the driving forces behind the shift. In 2009, you couldn’t listen to the news or read a newspaper without hearing something about Twitter. Especially since so many celebrities signed up and began “Tweeting”. It was like a gold rush as people started signing up for Social Media accounts. Today Social Media and sites like Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn have become household names. They’re now seen as must-have business tools.

How is recruiting strategy changing during the recession?

I see a turning point in 2009.  Prior to 2009, the two main motivators we saw for candidates to change jobs were career advancement and/or financial incentive. All the power was in the hands of the employer. After 2009, candidates have become more concerned about the fundamentals of an organization. Issues like work/life balance, corporate culture, benefits, interesting and meaningful products and services are what spark a candidate’s interest.

In order to recruit talent today, you have to understand the art of recruiting. It’s not enough to trot out a “big” corporate name and there are no big cash incentives to lure candidates to your organization. You really have to understand what’s important to a candidate. You have to be a match-maker. The power tables have shifted and you have to be able to sell the candidate on the merits of an opportunity, more than the client on the merits of a candidate.

Are there any of your accomplishments with social marketing that you are particularly proud of?

My Twitter-user status. The growth of Social Media has sparked a number of companies that provide tools for measuring various elements of your Social Media activity. If they are indeed accurate, I rank among the Top 3% of Twitter –users worldwide.

How did you build your following?  What kinds of people/businesses are they?

The people in my social networks come from all industries and all levels (entry level to Sr. Executives). I’ve built my network one person at a time. Some by reaching out to directly, by contributing to networking groups, by blogging, and by people reaching out to me directly.

How will you choose who you will follow?  What do you look for in a follower?

I obviously try to connect with as many people in our “specialty” industries. Beyond that the criteria for choosing who I follow is somewhat fluid. For example I look for people who are seeking or providing career and HR information or interesting and relevant information on Social Media, digital publishing, technology, etc.

What strategies did you use for social marketing (either online or offline)? 

Like most people who jumped in early, I kind of learned as I went. I spent a lot of time observing what others were doing. I sought out advice from folks that were being touted as “Thought Leaders” and began networking with them both electronically and personally.

What worked for you? What didn’t work for you?

For me it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what has/hasn’t worked. I know I should pay more attention to this information, analyze the data and statistics, etc. However, I look to the end results. I guess the fact that we’ve weathered the latest economic storm and our doors are still open when so many staffing agencies (large and small) have failed, speaks to some level of successful marketing.

If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently?

If there is one thing I could change, I’d have jumped in even earlier.  I don’t think I’d have done anything different. Social media is continuing to evolve, consequently the rules keep changing. The beauty of it is that we’re all learning together. There is no one right or wrong answer.

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?

It gets any message I choose to send to the largest audience in the fastest way possible.

What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing?

That it’s ok to feel lost. It’s good to keep tabs on what’s new as Twitter grows and to explore new tools as they come on the market.

Everyone’s needs are different and some tools will work for you and some won’t. Some may work for a while and then become less effective as they change or as your needs change.

The #1 most important thing I’ve learned is that you simply have to participate.

Follow JMSO on Twitter here.

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Do you use social media in a unique way for your work, career, or industry?  If so, would you like to be featured in one of our interviews?  Email us and tell us what do you.

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Hello Michelle, welcome to the Pluggio Blog!  I know you’re an author, but how do you describe your books?  What do you write about?

My books fall under the paranormal romance genre. I am currently working on book two of my Tears of Crimson vampire romance series. The whole series centers around the city of New Orleans and takes place in the historic French Quarter.

How did you get started as an author?

I worked in the entertainment industry as a vocalist for years. When I decided to start my family I was looking for a way to incorporate my love of entertaining with the home life I wanted to give my children. I had been writing short stories for my own personal use since I was a young teenager and it just made sense to move into this as a career.

What role does Twitter play in your business?

Twitter plays a very large role in the promotion of my work. I spend at least three hours a day getting to know the readers of my work and promoting my books. I’ve discovered many interesting tools that make my promotions on Twitter run smoothly.

That’s quite an impressive dedication!  I noticed on your website, you have share links to all kinds of social sites- Wykop, Flaker, Blip, etc- I’ve never even heard of these sites! How did you find them, what are they, and do you use them in different ways, depending on the social circle?

Many of the tools I’ve found were actually given to me through the various social media programs I utilize. Blip is a very popular music tweeting program that allows you to share songs with your friends. Wykop is actually a news source in Poland, and in my business we want to reach the world just not the United States so it helps to have international sites on your list of promotion. Flickr is a great photo sharing site that we utilize to share new book covers and also the models associated with characters from the books. Some of my favorite tools for Twitter include Tweepi, Lazy Shout Out, and Follow Friday Helper. I cannot even begin to imagine not having these programs.

What impact or change have you seen due to Twitter/social marketing?

I live in a small rural town in Alabama with a population of less than 1,000. without social media and Twitter no one would ever know that I was writing. It has made all the difference in the world to be able to promote my books to a large number of people without having to go on a physical road tour.

Are there any of your accomplishments with social marketing that you are particularly proud of?

Since I live in a remote place that most people have never heard of, it’s nothing short of miraculous that I am  able to reach so many people is nothing short of miraculous.

Speaking of the amount of people you reach – you’re living in a town of 1,000 people, yet you’ve got 11,000 people following you?? Wow!  How did you build your following? What kinds of people/businesses are they? How will you choose who you will follow? What do you look for in a follower?

Not bad for a small town Alabama girl! Honestly I just got on Twitter and started following people who interested me. I love to talk to people and I’ve never met a stranger. I just paid attention to what people were talking about and started asking questions. One way to get people talking to you is to ask them about what they have experience in. I think most people enjoy sharing their expertise with you, so if you want to get to know people on Twitter, take the time to ask them about what they do. I always try to mention the people that take the time to talk with me. On Friday I spend almost two hours thanking every person that has mentioned me that week. I also follow people back who take the time to follow me. There have been several articles out there telling you not to do that but personally I think they’re wrong. Unless you’re famous, I think the best way to build your friends list on Twitter is to start being a friend yourself.

The people on my lists come from all walks of life:  many authors, fans of my work, and great friends that I just enjoy talking with about a different variety of topics. The only thing I truly look for in a follower is someone that is going to tweet. I have many interests outside of writing so when you are looking at my tweets there really is no telling what topic you’re going to find.

I see you’re also a prolific blogger and feature a lot of news- what advice would you give to other authors/writers who want to reach out to their audiences by using blogs?

There is one tool that I use above all others when it comes to blogging. Google Insights this to me is the most incredible tool because it allows you to see what topics are trending for the last seven days and even the ability to see what was trending years ago. What I’ve done with this is type in the target I’m trying to reach which is anything pertaining to vampires. I search that term and see what’s trending in that topic during the last week. Going from the research I find there I write Blog articles that are going to attempt to reach that crowd.

What strategies did you use for social marketing (either online or offline)?

I don’t know that I actually used a strategy except for going out there and tweeting to people. There is one definite rule about Twitter, if you don’t tweet no one knows your exist there. So that’s what I suggest. Go out there and tweet! Even if no one is talking to you, do tweets about things you love and hopefully someone will respond.

What worked for you?

One thing I can say that definitely helped me on Twitter was learning to use #hashtags. Hashtags actually target the group of people you are trying to reach. For example, #Vampire. If I want to reach a group of people who are interested in that topic I will tweet with that hashtag.

If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently?

I came to Twitter in a strange way. I had some friends on Facebook that were roleplaying on Twitter. This was before I had decided to write my own material so I joined in. I enjoyed roleplaying on Twitter but if I had to do it all over again I would have started with being an author there. It’s taken awhile for my Twitter friends to understand that I’m not actually playing a part. Some of them still don’t understand this.

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?

It has helped me reach thousands of people that I would probably have never met.

What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing?

People want a person they can talk to above everything else. It’s great to have a product that you’re trying to promote but if you’re not willing to show a person behind the company on Twitter I think you’re going to have a really hard time making it work for you.

Follow Michelle on Twitter here.

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Hello Joe, welcome to the Pluggio Blog; thank you for talking with me today.  So, tell me about what Bluegreen does?

 Bluegreen operates vacation ownership resorts and residential real estate business segments. It also provides property management solutions for third party developers. Most of all, it provides fun vacations to families through its extensive list of timeshare resorts.

 What is the benefit of being a Bluegreen owner? 

Bluegreen provides its owners with flexibility; the number of possible vacation experiences, locations, and combinations allow our clients to vacation exactly how they want to without compromising quality or service expectations. 

I see you guys have been around since 1966; how is the travel industry changing lately? 

 The travel industry has become highly competitive due to comparison sites like hotels.com and kayak.com.

We’ve all seen the impact of the internet on booking, getting information etc, but how is social media impacting it? 

Once upon a time, an owner would take their trip, leave, and not having any contact with the company until they wanted to book their next vacation. Now, we can keep our owners informed with current happenings, as well as other interesting timeshare industry news. 

What role does Twitter play in your business?  

Twitter allows us to interact with owners in a way that wasn’t possible before; owners can contact us directly, share their vacation experiences with us, and form a tight-knit community devoted to sharing their interests in vacation, travel, and leisure.

5,000 people following you- wow!  How did you build your following?  What kinds of people/businesses are they?

 A lot of our followers are our owners who are looking for the most up to date information we have. We have a lot of satisfied customers who enjoy being part of the community and like participating in our events, deals, etc. It’s important for us to provide them with more of what they want. We often post new articles in our travel guide site, colorfulplaces.com, to enable owners a platform to research potential vacation destinations.

 I notice you also have a Facebook presence with over 20,000 likes  I’ve heard a lot of people express dissatisfaction with using Facebook for professional purposes, but it looks like Bluegreen is having no problem!  Can you talk about your approach to using Facebook?   

Honestly, we are fairly new to social media in comparison to big brands like Coca-Cola and the like, so we’re still learning. We’re proud of the people who have ‘liked’ us, but recognize the need for a more cohesive approach across social media platforms.  We’re getting there, though.

 I notice you are also using YouTube extensively.  How has that worked out for you, and what role does YouTube play for you?

 YouTube is a great way for us to illustrate to our owners and potential clients that Bluegreen vacations translate memorable experiences.

That’s a good point- a vacation is a much different thing to promote, as opposed to say, some sort of physical, tangible object.  I suppose the best way to promote it is to show it.

It can be hard purveying a feeling through written copy, so the Bluegreen Resorts TV channel enables us to capture the feelings and memories representative of the fun and good times we provide.

 If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently?

 Considering that I wasn’t part of the company when we launched the social media sites, optimization wasn’t really taken into account. When social media sites and regular websites are launched for the first time, it’s important to have all your ducks in a row. If I could go back in time, it’d be providing that side of things in order to see better search results and further reach across the board. 

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?

 More so than FaceBook, Twitter allows us to form relationships with people and companies we otherwise might not have connected with; just tweet at someone and watch the relationship take shape. You Tweeted @bluegreentweets, and now look at us, conducting a friendly interview!

Very true!  What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing?

To be good at anything, it requires practice, repetition, and measurement. We are beginning to see results from our efforts, and are tweaking constantly to shape the results how we see fit. A lot of it is trial and error. All of it requires patience.

Follow Bluegreen on Twitter here.

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Hi Crystal, welcome to the Pluggio Blog!  How do you describe your work? 

My official title is Marketing Strategist, but I think of myself as a social media therapist.  Whether working with organizations as a consultant or speaking on stage, I make people more comfortable with social media, more knowledgeable about how it can be used strategically and encourage them to be curious enough to continue learning.

How did you get started in that line of work? 

I was a Hospitality Sales Manager and then Marketing Manager for years, working with Orbitz, Expedia and Priceline to get as close to full occupancy at my hotel as possible.  I had a knack for sales and exceeded my goals and hotel records.  In 2006, I decided to take my knowledge and start my own marketing business, focusing on digital marketing for small businesses.

What role does Twitter play in your business? 

Twitter is where I give the most information.  It is less social than Facebook, more interactive than LinkedIn and can be updated with greater frequency than a blog.  This is where I attract my target market, based on the content I share.

What impact or change have you seen due to Twitter/social marketing? 

I have received paid speaking engagements as a result of being found and followed on Twitter.  I have also sold product.  Most importantly, I have connected with wonderfully passionate people and great industry experts who keep me informed!

Are there any of your accomplishments with social marketing that you are particularly proud of? 

Yes, I was hired to speak at a conference in 2010 in Accra, Ghana as a result of the organizer finding me on Facebook and watching my YouTube videos.  As a result, I had the opportunity to impact women small business owners in West Africa, many of whom have connected with me via social media to stay in touch.

15,000 people following you- wow!  How did you build your following?  What kinds of people/businesses are they? 

I’ve built my following by having a very targeted plan.  I know who I want to attract, who I want to follow and how to leverage tags and hashtags.  I retweet valuable information and express gratitude daily for those who take the time to follow, retweet and chat with me.

How will you choose who you will follow?  What do you look for in a follower? 

I follow industry experts, a few motivational people, potential clients and media professionals.

I noticed you mentioned in your bio/description “Some scheduled tweets”.  Why did you feel it was important to disclose that?  What kinds of things do you schedule? 

I think transparency is crucial!  If I were standing on stage, speaking, and someone in the audience was to see a new tweet from me, that would look extremely suspect. I want people to know that I use twitter to distribute great content AND to have conversations.  In the morning, I find great articles on social media, marketing and business and schedule them throughout the day.  I then do live tweets as things happen throughout the day and as my followers tweet me.

What strategies did you use for social marketing (either online or offline)?  

I constantly seek to find out what my target market and social media friends needs/ want.  I strive to understand their frustrations and then I genuinely find ways to help them.

What worked for you? 

Being genuine and showing my personality.

What didn’t work for you? 

Being “salesy”.  In the beginning, I did not know better.  Once I understood that online networking works like offline networking, I focused on building relationships, not sales.  Then, the sales came.

If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently? 

I would have created a plan- which I have done now.

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?  

Twitter is an information engine.  I can research things quickly, easily identify my target market and identify new potential contacts who care about the same things that I do.
What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing? 

Keep it simple, give people what they want, be genuine and create clear calls to action.

Follow Crystal on Twitter here.

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Hi Matthew, welcome to the Pluggio Blog!  How do you describe your business?

Hi!  TheAppBuilder, by JamPot, allows anyone to create apps for the iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone 7. We then submit your apps for you to the leading app stores – no code, no contracts and no challenges. You get to focus on the fun piece: creating great apps.

I have to say- I LOVE the “Build Your Own App”!  I’m one of those people who has a bunch of ideas for apps, but no skill for actually making them in the traditional, technical way.   How did you go about creating and refining a user-friendly process?  Did it take a lot of trials to get it right?

Nothing gets done in a vacuum. The JamPot team is a unique team – between us we know 22 different program languages and are NOT afraid to bang the drum for the App Revolution. We want everyone to be able to create apps – not just a select few. With this in mind we listen to all our customers and tweak TheAppBuilder to always be a better product.

What role does Twitter play in your business?

Twitter is critical in our engagement with customers. With Twitter, TheAppBuilder is able to engage directly with out customers.

What impact or change have you seen due to Twitter/social marketing?

We have seen a marked increase in Web traffic due specifically to Social Media.

Are there any of your accomplishments with social marketing that you are particularly proud of?

Just starting and sticking with it.

How did you build your following?  What kinds of people/businesses are they?

Our focus is Web, Graphics and Ad agencies. We use Pluggio to find followers and we follow those people.

What strategies did you use for social marketing (either online or offline)? 

Sending out a continuous stream of relevant bite sized facts (each  fact with a link to our site)

What worked for you?

Continuously engaging with our customers.

If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently?

Taken it seriously from the start.

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?

Immediate connection.

What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing?

The customer always matters. That doesn’t change, it is now just more immediate.

Thanks for your time.  Now if you excuse me, I’m going to take the Appbuilder out for a spin.

Email Matthew here.

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Hello Ellen!  Welcome to the Pluggio Blog.  How do you describe your business?

I run SweetSoaps , which are the most unique handcrafted glycerin soap and candles. (Made in USA!)

How did you get started?

I started my business in 1998 in my basement.  All I had was a dollar and a dream.

What role does Twitter play in your business?

I started using Twitter in 2008 and had no clue how to use it for business, or if it was even worth while.  Now four years later I have over 10,000 followers, which I earned one tweet at a time.

What do you use Twitter for?

I use Twitter for help, customer service, crowd sourcing, marketing, feedback, and inspiration. Twitter connects me to my customers like no other form of media.

What impact or change have you seen due to Twitter/social marketing?

I’ve seen growth in sales, growth in ideas, and business partnerships that are changing my life.

Are there any of your accomplishments with social marketing that you are particularly proud of?

I’m proud and more intrigued by the accidental invention of Bacon Soap and its huge success.

Apparently you can’t go wrong with bacon, huh?

We are now gearing up to sell to a big mail order catalog for the summer issue.  I have bacon soap in my Twitter profile because it generates so much conversation.  It is its own PR extravaganza.

You’ve got some really cool exposure over the years: Two and a Half Men, Ellen, etc. How did that happen?

Back in 2004 when “Ellen” was gaining popularity, the producers found my web site, called and asked me to create gift baskets for audience member giveaways.  Then some of my products ended up on a skit on her show.

When Neiman Marcus featured your soap in 2003, was that out of the blue, or the result of your marketing efforts? Kudos, by the way!! How did it come about?

In 2003 monogramming made a huge surge in fashion and home decor.  I created a gold monogram soap and sent it to Neiman Marcus. A week later they called and I ended up in the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog and in all the Horchow catalogs.

That is fantastic!  It’s amazing how stuff like that can happen.  10,000 people following you- wow! How did you build your following? What kinds of people/businesses are they?

I started following people I would like to network with, searching by industry.  I use humor and helpful information to attract quality people.

How will you choose who you will follow? What do you look for in a follower?

I will follow anyone that does not look like SPAM.  I view everyone as a customer because I wholesale and retail and honestly everyone has to use soap!

I notice you also several social media presences- Facebook, Twitter, etc. Can you compare your approach to using the different sites, Twitter vs. Facebook, etc?

My Facebook presence is not a focus for me, I do it sparingly.  I am really loving Pinterest because it is a great place for art and visual appeal.  There is huge traffic potential from people pinning your products.  I also blog when I feel I have something important to share or updates on news for my company.

What strategies did you use for social marketing (either online or offline)?

I am highly creative and I often fly by the seat of my pants.  I will tweet a contest for free soap when the mood hits me.  I find a sharp wit to be the best way to attract attention.

How have the contests/giveaways work for you?  Any thoughts on that?

I’ve learned that freebies do not mean sales or customer loyalty. I do it because I love my Twitter freaks.

If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently?

DO NOT SPAM OR TWEET YOUR WEB SITE!

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?

In a pinch when I need info super fast, I tweet my problem and some one always has an answer.
What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing?

Traditional marketing is still important, Twitter is augmentation. Your success is from consistency and hard work not tweeting.

Follow Ellen on Twitter here.

To see a couple of videos featuring Ellen, check these links out!

My American Dream Story

http://bit.ly/vDvMb1

MediaStars Expert and Analyst

http://bit.ly/rAsH0y

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Do you use social media in a unique way for your work, career, or industry?  If so, would you like to be featured in one of our interviews?  Email us and tell us what do you.

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Hi Amy!  Welcome to the Pluggio Blog!   How do you describe your business?  What does Sexy Savvy Social Do?

I help small businesses and entrepreneurs own their social media presence by helping them develop and execute a marketing strategy that will increase awareness and grow sales for their business.

How did you get started?

I had a career in lobbying and public policy at a prestigious law firm in Columbus, Ohio and while I was there learning from the best political fundraiser in the state I realized how much I like raising money and how much I love marketing. While continuing to work there, I started researching the avenues of marketing that I loved, which is social media and blogging.  I started looking for businesses that needed the help in that area, and I offered to work for free in order to gain experience. I was even using my vacation time to attend conferences in the social industry so I could get ahead with networking. This helped me go solo much sooner than anticipated.

What roles does Twitter play in your business?

Twitter plays MANY roles in my business. Not only is it how I spread my message and help for people looking to learn more about social for their business, but it is also a great tool for helping me spread the word about  my clients and increase their audience. Twitter is hands down the BEST way to grow awareness in social media.

What impact or change have you seen due to Twitter/social marketing?

I think there has been a lot of change thanks to Twitter and social. All you have to do to prove this is turn on the television. Seldom do you watch a commercial now with a nationally known brand that isn’t encouraging participation on the Facebook page. And you probably noticed over the holidays any movies or marathons that were playing had a Twitter hashtag in association. Traditional media is still very important, but in order to stay relevant there needs to be a social element in play as well.

Are there any of your accomplishments with social marketing that you are particularly proud of?

I am extremely proud of the targeted and supportive audience that I have rallied on SavvySexySocial.com. I’m also very proud to be a part of a small group of people taking advantage of the perks of video marketing. Vlogging is the way! Get on board, people!

How did you build your following?  What kinds of people/businesses are they?

I target my information specifically for anyone that needs help dipping their social toe in the water and share it in the areas that I know they are looking for it. Most of my audience (according to demographic surveys) include small businesses, entrepreneurs (or as Iike to call them “entreprenewbies”), self-published authors, bloggers, and social media managers for all-sized brands.

How will you choose who you will follow?  What do you look for in a follower?

I follow people that peak my interest with good information in marketing, entrepreneurship, and social media marketing. I also follow people who are participating in conversations and want to learn more. Both parties are beneficial for me because I am growing a group of people that either I can teach or I can learn from.

What strategies did you use for social marketing (either online or offline)? 

My main strategy is follow through. Increasing followers is great for my blog. Post the headlines they want to see and you’ve got traffic. But what you do with that traffic from there, is where things are much more important. I need those visitors’ contact information so that I can remind them that I exist and that I want to help… you can’t just depend on people to remember to check your site for new content. RSS and email subscribers are important and that’s the follow through that I need in order to track down new clientele or paid program participants.

What worked for you?

Email is key. If you are not offering a gift for visitors so that they will be more likely to join your email community, you are missing out on future business. Don’t let a single ounce of traffic miss a CTA that will help you grow your business.

What didn’t work for you?

Avoiding social networks just because you yourself aren’t a fan. I’m not the biggest fan of Facebook fan pages, but Facebook is THE best place to rally the people that already love you. You gotta be there and have the conversation to help that audience remember you.

If you could go back to when you first began using social media, what is one thing you would have done differently?

I would have made more videos. I was already making videos before I joined Twitter and even Facebook. But I would have made many more so that my YouTube presence would be more significant now. I don’t think I’ve missed out because there are still just a select few making video that is quality and attention-getting. But I would have started working harder, earlier.

What does Twitter do for you that nothing else can do?

It improved my skills as a copywriter. If you can’t sum up what you have to offer in an enticing fashion in 140 characters or less, you’re screwed anyway. On Twitter, you have no other choice.

What lessons have you learned about Twitter and online marketing?

Keep it simple. Give credit where credit is due. And show up. All of those things will get you very far in online marketing on Twitter.

Follow Amy on Twitter here.

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Do you use social media in a unique way for your work, career, or industry?  If so, would you like to be featured in one of our interviews?  Email us and tell us what do you.

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