Five top tips for maximising your Twitter profile.

Twitter is one of the most powerful marketing tools available right now, it can help raise the profile of your company whilst allowing you the chance to build credibility by building solid, trusting relationships directly with potential customers.

And the best thing… It’s free, so no matter what the size of you marketing budget every business could and should be utilising it.

For the next month we at Potters Social Media will be blogging top tips about Twitter, with each week we will be focusing on a different element.

To start with we will be focusing on your twitter bio profile, although it sounds simple, if you get the basics right it really will make a huge difference to the no. of people viewing it and following you.

Top Twitter Profile Tips

Profile picture

1) A profile picture is a must; it should display your personality weather this is in the form of your brand logo or a personal photo. People want to connect with real people not Eggs.

We never follow back Eggs, it makes us wary, uploading a picture/logo takes minutes to do and is simple, just because you’re on the net doesn’t mean your standards should drop –if you had a shop on a high street, you would have – signage right? Make sure you use a good quality photo, and be consistent if you are using a personal photo of yourself do not go changing it, have a good quality photo taken of yourself once and leave it.

Only 160 characters – be smart!

2) Twitter only allows 160 characters in you profile bio, so use it wisely; this is your opportunity to attract users, make it relevant but concise.

Keeping to the 160 characters can be tough, so try writing down some key words that describe your profession first (this will also help people to find you) and end with a fact about yourself (this helps give readers a inside into the ‘real’ you and can be a great conversation starter!)

Your real name – always helps

3) Always use your real name on your profile, even if it is a business account, put your name in the profile.

People like doing business with real people; it really helps in gaining trust and building relations. And when you tweet with them, address them by their name.

Show off your www

4) Provide you website address.

This is really important, after somebody has decided to follow you; they will often want further information about you or your product/service you provide. It’s a great opportunity to direct them to your website, Facebook page or blog. Use a shortening tool such as tinyurl.com or goo.gl

It’s all aboutNetworking

5) An advantage Twitter has over some other networking sites, is it allows you to enter where in the world you are.

Use this to your businesses advantage and put in as much detail as possible with regards to your location. Twitter allows you to locate people that live or tweet in your city, great for meeting up with people/businesses that live in a close vicinity to you, that you other wise would not be aware of.

Some simple yet effective tips that we forget about or don’t think are that important. These are all things other people will be looking at & gives potential leads/business relationships an instant perception of you so it’s important to get it right. We hope that some of these tips have helped & remember we’ll be posting more tips on a weekly basis so ‘stay tuned’!

About Author:

Potters Social Media exclusively focus on offering Social Media Marketing to small and medium size businesses.

Want to get in touch?

Visit Our website at: www.potterssocialmedia.co.uk

Like Us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/PottersSocialMedia

Follow Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Potters_SM

Suraj Patel, Potters Social Media

Ten tricks to make creativity a cornerstone of your business

In business how much time do you spend being creative? As a copywriter, being creative is my job. And that means I spend a lot of time in my zone.

But is it enough?

As a small business there are always a million things to do. It can be difficult to find dedicated creative time. However if you do, it could help you outsmart the competition.

So read on and discover some compelling reasons why creativity in business works, as well as ten tips to make creativity one of your cornerstones.

Let’s go.

Do you notice there are some people who always have ideas?

Creativity is a natural human instinct.

If you want proof, just look at children.

Creativity happens when you manifest something new. It brings ideas and concepts from your imagination into a tangible form. And it’s this that can give your business a competitive edge.

Here are three reasons to create in your business

1. It’s inspiring.

Creativity is exciting. It gives you a buzz and can inspire both yourself and your customers. Just look at the legacy of Apple’s Steve Jobs.

2. It’s innovating.

Create, develop something new and watch how innovation gives your business momentum. You’ll push boundaries and make new things possible.

3. It’s outsmarting.

Use creativity to tap new markets, reach new customers, and keep existing buyers wanting more. Stay creative, spot the new ideas and you’ll be the business out front.

Convinced? Here are ten tricks to wake up your creativity.

1. Find your “zone”

You’ll be at your most creative when ideas free flow and ooze naturally. So take the time to discover what takes you to that place. Often it will be when you stop trying.

2. Stay inspired

It’s a good way to find your zone. Read, ask questions, speak to customers, spend time in nature or listen to music. Find what gets your ideas flowing. On Twitter I like Friday’s #TeamInspire. Between 6-6:30pm (GMT) simply follow the hash tag for a weekly dose of creative thinking and inspirational talking.

3. Keep a notepad.

I take mine everywhere. Use it to jot down random thoughts and fleeting glances. It will quickly develop into a valuable resource. It ensures you don’t waste time trying to remember and gives you a head start when brainstorming.

4. Schedule creative time.

Whilst it’s true creativity is a natural process, it does require some good old-fashioned elbow grease. So commit at least an hour each week (more if you can) and put it in your diary so you don’t forget.

4. Don’t try to hard!

OK this contradicts the last point but too much effort can stifle creativity. So if it’s not working, move on and try something else. If creating feels difficult, your critical head may be in the way and a cracking idea could be stifled. So when this happens…

5. Sleep on it!

It works for me. Or take a walk. Nanette De Ville of Silk Skies Egyptian Tours finds meditation helps. Discover what works to take you away from the moment. In your absence your subconscious will be hard at work. Then when you take a new look, you’ll be surprised at what shifted.

7. Have fun!

You’ve got to enjoy being creative. So stock up on stationery, use different colour pens, doodle, scribble, write on stickies and make your creative workspace fun. Let your expression be free and wait for those little gems to come running.

8. Watch who you tell.

New ideas need nurturing so protect your creativity with encouragement. It is useful to cast a critical eye, but avoid the drainers who knock your confidence and suck embryonic ideas into the void.

9. Trust yourself.

To be creative you must get out of your own way. So be observant with your thoughts and dispel those “well that’s a rubbish idea” comments. For sure some ideas will be a non-starter, but you never know which fleeting notion could be the one to transform your business.

10. Finally watch how you speak to yourself.

Call yourself creative, believe in your ideas, and ask how you could make an idea happen. Whatever you do don’t focus on the reasons why something won’t work.

How does a published author get creative?

Here’s two bonus tips from Allegra Gee – author of 49 Ways to Kick-Start your Business (available on Amazon).

1. When you are thinking of ideas, allow everything. Don’t filter and don’t judge any ideas. Often ideas grow on you, or they lead to other things.
2. If you find yourself creatively stuck, try ‘Morning Pages’ by Julia Cameron.  It’s a technique that’s proven to work. Every morning, as soon as you wake up write three-pages of longhand. The key is to write whatever comes out. There’s no editing, no filtering. It works…

   For more information visit www.juliacameronlive.com

So there you have it. Three reasons to be creative in business and some powerful tools to make it happen.

But what have I missed? What gets you into the zone of creative explosion!

Leave a comment and let me know.

About Author:

GemWriting is the home of freelance copywriter Georgina El Morshdy.

“Small businesses owners invariably juggle many hats. Therefore it can be a challenge to find the time or creativity to write copy that sells. I remove this hassle by doing the hard work for you”.

Want to get in touch?

Visit my website at: www.gemwriting.co.uk

Follow my conversation on Twitter: GemWriting

Email me: Georgina El Morshdy

Phone me: 07954 580039

Georgina El Morshdy, Gem Writing

What is it?

Touch Screen Pen (iDuo) is a tablet/smartphone-focused stylus/pen that can be used with literally any device equipped with capacitive display. Capacitive display operates by sensing a small electrical charge given off by human skin, which is why you can’t use your touchscreen device with gloves on. It enables very precise touches with minimal pressure, as well as extra functionality like multi-touch, but it means the only stylus you can use with capacitive screens are specialized products that conducts that electrical charge through a capacitive nib. There’s many styli available on the market so what makes this Touch Screen Pen different?

Well, the hint is in its name.

It incorporates an actual ballpoint pen cartridge in addition to the capacitive nib which is not inconsequential. Pen cartridge provides the stylus with extra weight which balances the pen at a comfortable angle, while the rubber nib allows it to slide smoothly across the screen. You can comfortably type, scroll and turn pages which will be enough for most of the users. Drawing however is slightly more problematic as the nib’s diameter makes it difficult to focus on a section of detailed work. Although we managed to tackle this issue by zooming the image canvas, we came to a conclusion that it can be quite problematic for users working on the tablets. To achieve any sort of precision I had to grip the stylus close to the nib, which became a bit uncomfortable after some time, nevertheless I managed to make nice, clean shadow lines and lovely, vibrant inking.

I found the stylus end of the Touch Screen Pen adequate for both writing and sketching. It’s just heavy enough to provide the right balance for writing without needing to put your palm on the screen; however, its weight may prove taxing if you’re trying to write for long periods of time.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a device that can navigate, write, sketch, and jot down paper notes, the touchscreen stylus pen iDuo 2-in-1 is a decent offering and it will work really well as a promotional gadget. I’m sure you can imagine it with the logo of your company on the side. If that’s what you’re looking for, just contact James at Steel City Marketing. However, unless you’re specifically looking for a stylus with a ballpoint pen, you should consider a more specialized model.

Article in association with Steel City Marketing. For any promotional and marketing gadgets you can contact James Biggin on +44(0)1142754150. You can follow James on Twitter or join him and his Team on their Facebook page.

We all know its hard for cash-strapped SME’s (Small and medium enterprises) to get premium and professionally designed branding for their business in these challenging times. Everyone wants their brand to stand out and use a top design agency to do so but can’t afford the costs. So this Boxing Day we and the lovely folk at Gladstone BizNetwork (www.http://gbizuk.info) have teamed up to bring you this festive opportunity to enter our new Boxing Day (26th December) competition for your chance to win FULL Social Media Branding (Facebook, Twitter and Logo) for your business.

How do I enter?

Simply tweet us with the #GBizComp + @Gladstone_Net and tell us why the winner should be you. The winner will be the one we like the best!
Don’t miss the closing date:
You can enter only once up until midnight on Friday 6th January 2012. You’ll be able to see other entries by searching the competition hashtag (#GBizComp) so please RT your favourites.

Some simple terms to follow before you enter…

To increase your chances of winning you can subscribe to our Facebook pages and newsletters : www.facebook.com/gbizuk.info & http://www.facebook.com/kfdesigns.co.uk / kreativefactory.co.uk
You can follow both of us on Twitter: @Gladstone_Net & @Kreativefactory
To get a chance of winning you’ll have to create a list called “Business Support” or “Marketing Support” and add both of us to it.

This competition is open to EVERYONE!

A short guide on how to create a list in Twitter.. Follow these few steps:

1. Visit our Twitter profiles (@Gladstone_Net then @kreativefactory) and “Follow” us, if you don’t already.

2. Click the avatar icon which is right next to the “Search” box.

3. From a drop down menu select “Lists”.

4. From “Lists” screen click “Create a list” button and name the list “Marketing Support”.

5. Please make sure to make this list “Public” and not “Private”.

6. Just add @Gladstone_Net and @kreativefactory to your newly created list and you’re done. Good luck!

Any questions?

Simply tweet us @kreativefactory. Good luck!

On that occasion I’m going to use words from one of our most prolific writers – Mr. Charles Dickens.

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that – as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Today is the World AIDS Day and we have designed a set of beautiful ribbons you can download and add to your blog, website or social media profile photo. We all know some affected by this deadly disease, let’s support the research and rise awareness by wearing a Red Ribbon from time to time.

Our ribbons are absolutely free to download and we don’t take any money for them, however, if you’d like to leave a small donation you can do it by visiting World AIDS Day’s Official Website or contacting one of your local charities supporting fight with AIDS. Let’s Help.

Download

Technology takes it’s toll

Technology changes Internet and the whole design industry, whether it’s web or print. Touchscreen devices, like tables and smartphones are taking over more and more overall Internet traffic and design community has to keep up with it, that’s why in 2012 websites will be wider and more touchscreen friendly (parallax scrolling – more about it below). General graphics will remain glossy and highly readable, to match the design not only known from Apple and Android operating systems, but also Windows 7 (and soon 8).

Social Media is also going to play increasing role in designing graphics for web and print. Design elements will be sleek and fresh to match constant changes in social media world.

Colour schemes – Rainbow!

In 2012 we’re going back to basics and the colour schemes will be revolving around black, white and the basic rainbow colours inspired by the spectrum of well known, prism refracted tones e.g. red, green, blue, yellow etc. At the same time these colours will be brave, bold, flamboyant and most importantly – attention grabbing. Using them with white, beige or light gray, slightly gritty background brings immediate sense of excitement. As an example, here’s a logo we’ve recently designed for Croft House Theatre Company:

Retro is Staying Alive!

Retro has been quite strong for past two years and here’s a good news – it’s not going anywhere! And what’s not to like? It’s still fresh, got a great edge and works with pretty much anything. In terms of web design retro always was my favourite way of displaying photos, I’ve implemented a retro design on few websites related to art and music and most recently designed some business cards for amazing fasion designer Ms Diana Clark

That’s what we kreated for Diana:

3D and Parallax Scrolling

Attempts of creating Real 3D or at least 3D illusions are one of the goals of modern graphic design. And although the whole industry may be excited about it – I’m not. Why? Well, I just don’t like 3D, it never worked neither for me nor my clients, yet undeniably it’s a very strong trend that’ll be getting stronger in coming years.

From the other hand scrolling with parallax is brilliant trend which started with gaining popularity touchscreen devices, especially tablets. Our front page slider has been devised to work in semi-parallax manner, however fantastic example of fully blown parallax can be found on Nike Better World website

Minimalist Design

Minismalism is another strong trend. For the last couple of years we’ve been moving away from buzzes and whistles in form of Flash animations and screens overloaded with graphics. Minimalism has become another trend determined by mobile devices. Most of the website designers prefer to keep their most recent kreations clean and simple, to ensure maximum compatibility with the devices they’ll be browsed on. Minimalistic design cuts website loading time, is readable and is touchscreen friendly.

In print minimalism stands strong as well. It’s been proven that colour overload distracts people from theccontent. That’s why NHS leaflets are not as colourful as they used to be. Simplicity and minimalist design are tools widely used in conveying desired message. As an example, have a look at the leaflet we’ve designed for the charity Derby Furniture Project:

Exciting Typography

Trends is typography will remain tightly bound with another trend mentioned by my me already – simplicity. Although there are no restrictions as for what fonts should or should not be used, the mainstream will be simple, sharp, bold and visible. Be brave and experiment with your fonts, stay innovative but not OTT and remember – stay unique and make your typography eye-catching.

Here’s a quick example on what kind of look you might want to consider:

Backgrounds and Textures

And last, but not least – backgrounds and textures. Backgrounds will stay toned down to keep uniformity with brave, thick fonts and bold colours. The dominant background colours will be different tints of washed out pastel colours, e.g. light blue or pink, however they’ll cleverly combined with soft textures and hand-drawn elements.

Textures will be creased or slightly gritty, just to give your background more depth and an illusion of 3D. Interestingly though strong, bold gradients will become less and less popular and designers will be encouraged to stay with light gradients.

To top it all up we’ll have a lot of hand-drawn elements, to ensure that our designs will have a personal feel to them. That trend will apply to web as well as print, so don’t knock down good, old pencil and a notepad and keep drawing!

All trends are like a living creature. They come and go, they change, evolve, revolutionise. You can mix an’ match them, so they’ll work for you. Personalise them and create a perfect symbiosis. Use them well and your designs will stay fresh, current and eye-catching, but more importantly, these trends will evolve into something different, maybe even something new?