My 4 Twitter Goals for Next 6 Weeks – and How You Can Help
I’ve learned a great deal over the past eight months — writing columns and articles for this site, and attempting to catalyze the progress of social media in the Westchester area and beyond. One of the most important things I’ve learned is just how unpredictable things can be when one wanders into uncharted territory.
When I first got a taste of Twitter back in March, I was convinced that the free 140-character microblogging service was going to quickly turn our world of commerce on its end. I was amazed that something could be so simple and complex at the same time. I was certain that everyone else would instantly see the same vision as me.
Well, as I have documented, it wasn’t that easy. While the Twitter pioneers – of whom there are many — continue to blaze a trail, there are many more who are either unimpressed by Twitter, or actually speak of it with great disdain.
Lately, though, I’ve seen signs that we’re headed for a big shift in the right direction. The Westchester Twitter community is growing in leaps and bounds, and has attracted some of the area’s most talented, intelligent, and forward-thinking individuals. I don’t want to inflate any egos, but check out @JSKorn or @RickWolff if you’d like to see how I believe Twitter was meant to be used. Twitter (combined with other forms of social media) has provided a forum for those with a story to communicate.
Last month, more than 50 people attended the 2nd Westchester TweetUp at Mount Kisco’s POUR Cafe and Wine Bar. It was the second-straight TweetUp at POUR booked to capacity, and it was brimming with networking, business strategizing, socializing and idea sharing.
The TweetUps, which have been organized by Westchester140 (I am one of the six members – click on the link to Westchester140′s Facebook page to learn more about the group) have certainly contributed to the increasing speed of Twitter’s growth in Westchester – but it is the quality of the members of this community who really deserve credit for the transformation taking place.
Twitter users like @JSKorn, @StacyKnows, @RickWolff and @GoodDirt. Whether you agree with them or not, they are providing content worth examining. Accounts like @EverythingJulie, @PeterBarossi, @ArtbyNatalya, @LizNunan and @MichaelBalkind. You might only reply to their posts occasionally, but the content they provide adds something to your day. There are many more, and I encourage you to mention other worthy accounts in the comments section of this blog. I will check out your all of your suggestions.
I only spend few minutes at a time on Twitter – a few times a day. It’s enough to get an idea of what some of my online friends are up to, and to benefit from the content they have decided is worthy of posting. In turn, I try to contribute to the cause by making posts that provide value to my followers.
Over the next month or so, I will find myself fully immersed in Twitter as I attempt to tackle four Twitter challenges at the same time. Follow my progress on Twitter and feel free to help me out with any ideas or suggestions you may have.
My four Twitter endeavors for the next four to six weeks are:
1) Make the 3rd Westchester TweetUp a smashing success — As a member of Westchester140, I intend to help organize the 3rd Westchester TweetUp — an event that will be held in mid to late January 2010. My personal goal is to help make the 3rd Westchester TweetUp the best yet on every level (and after the two held at Anthony Colasacco’s POUR, that is a very lofty goal). I would like to see an event that brings Twitter in Westchester into the mainstream — and paves the way for Twitter to be a potential useful tool for every individual, business and organization. Feel free to dialog with me and the other members of Westchester140 as we work toward this goal.
2) Help make the 18th Annual 95.5 WPLJ Holiday Spectacular Broadcast to Benefit Blythedale Children’s Hospital the best ever – I have volunteered to assist Blythedale Children’s Hospital (my wife Connie Cornell works for Blythedale as Director of Public Relations) with their fund-raising auction in the weeks leading up to their holiday concert December 21. The auction is already up on WPLJ’s website, and auction proceeds are to benefit @Blythedale. I will be running the live Twitter feed for the auction on the morning of the event, December 21 from 6 am to 10 am. I have seen many of the incredible services Blythedale Children’s Hospital provides and I can assure you that Blythedale is an organization deserving community support. My goal is to use Twitter to spread the word about the auction. I would love to hear suggestions, and especially get your help telling others about the incredible work Blythedale does, and encouraging others to participate in the charity auction.
3) Highlight the activities and contributions being made in social media by Westchester-area individuals, businesses and organizations through the TwitterProfessor website — Because of some recent developments in my retail picture framing business (I relocated the business late last month and have been scrambling to get organized in my new space), I have been unable to keep up with all the great stories going on around me. I intend to catch up with these stories before January comes to a close. If you would like to share info I could use in this space, please hit me up @Cornell140.
4) Apply the social media principals I’ve learned to my business, and then share and exchange the results with others to keep the ball rolling – The best way to learn is to try things you think will work, and then evaluate. Take what works, and build on it. Share your results with others, and learn from their trials (and errors). We have an infinity of possibilities in front of us, and we are in a position to lead others in this exciting new field. It’s an amazing opportunity and a weighty responsibility. Again, please don’t hesitate to send me an @message on Twitter or a comment on this blog. You can even call me on the phone at 914-741-1203.
Please share your thoughts in the comments section, and I will continue the dialogue. Thanks for participating!
