How Are You Keeping Up With 2010?

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November 29, 2010

We’ve already come to the end of November and it will soon be Christmas, then 2011. How has 2010 been treating you? Has it been difficult? Challenging? Disappointing?

Recently I was reminded with the old days where I used to train under my coach for badminton. I remember that it is at the time when I’m facing a stronger opponent, physically drained, worn out and out of breathe, my coach will always tell me:

“Keep your focus! If 100% isn’t enough, go 200%! If 200% still isn’t enough, go 300%! You’re here to win it, else you’re going home!”

Today when I look back, wow, there is so much truth in that. When life gets challenging and tough, that’s your opportunity to shine – to accomplish something you’ve never done before. Successful entrepreneurs take on challenges because they know their skills will be refined and failures will only make them stronger.

Are you on the verge of giving up? Now is the time to focus upon the goal – to win it – giving it 200%, 300% or more.

Let’s end 2010 with a bang!

How to: Create Customer Loyalty with 10 cents

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November 26, 2010

| Jan Wong

“Do you believe that 10 cents is all it takes to lose a potential loyal customer over your competitor?“

10 cents

I can’t help but to realize how important 10 cent is to both the consumer and the business. No, I’m not talking about price wars between similar products but how far 10 cents can determine whether a customer returns to you.

Have you been into a situation in a restaurant and the bill summed up to say, RM12.10 and the thought comes – “can’t you even give a 10 cent discount?“

If you haven’t, great! But if you have, you’re probably one of the many out there like myself and I have been doing some observation and testing to see how people have been reacting in this situation.

Situation 1

Customer: It’s only 10 cents, do you have really have to charge that?
Business A: Nah, I’ll round it up to RM12 for you. Please come again!

Situation 2

Customer: It’s only 10 cents, do you have really have to charge that?
Business B: Of course! 10 cents go a long way. Please come again! (I actually received this response for word)

Situation 3

Business C: (brings the bill of RM12.10) Hi sir, that will be RM12.00
Customer: (surprised) Oh, here you go.
Business C: Thank you, Please come again!

Looking at these 3 situations, which situation would you like to be in? How would you like going back to the Business B in Situation 2? Sure, 10 cents isn’t a lot and it will indeed go a long way for a business but from the viewpoint of a customer, that is no customer service and creates a negative impression that may determine the buying behavior of that customer – to not come back to you again.

Even worst if that customer decides to use social media as his / her arsenal to vent – more like minded customers will catch the message and perhaps skip you altogether (ouch).

Now before you shove this away and think that it’s no big deal, you may have to think again as customers such of these are not rare. Be prepared for situations such as these and you may just win yourself a loyal customer.

What Can We Learn From 10 cents?

Every cent counts. Every deed you do for your customer counts – whether it is a personalized service, special discounts, freebies, a listening ear, priority service, engaging in small talks or even remembering their names.. it makes a difference and that difference may just be THAT differentiating factor that sets you apart from your competitor.

Have you been in similar situations? I would love to hear them! :)

How to: Integrate Social Media in Offline Operations

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November 24, 2010

| Jan Wong

“Is online / social media alone the way forward for your business?“

Being a huge believer of the importance of INTEGRATION instead of implementation, my answer to that is NO. Businesses today are too caught up with the ideology of social media but fail to realize the huge potential social media can bring when integrated into traditional marketing efforts.

It is important for businesses to realize that social media integration does not mean that by having social media presence everything will fall into place. If you take a look at same of these real life integrations of social media with Facebook and Twitter, you’ll find that these companies are successful online because they managed to integrate it into existing OFFLINE business operations.

Here are some integration ideas for you to maximize your marketing potential:

#1: EVENTS + SOCIAL MEDIA

Have an event coming up soon? Whether it is an exhibition, launch or a regular meetup / happening, explore how you can spice up your event with available social media tools. You can use Facebook to share photos leading towards the event to build hype and organize giveaways; use Twitter to share real time updates on what’s happening on the scene and behind the scenes, facilitate tweetchats or setup a Twitter wall at the event with a contest mechanism to build followers; rewarding visitors that check in to your venue on Foursquare or even a treasure hunt!

There is a timely article written on Mashable yesterday on this very topic with 5 ideas on how you can enhance your events with social media. Click on the thumbnail to check it out!

#2: ADVERTISING / PROMO + SOCIAL MEDIA

You have a new product or service and is wanting some follower / fan love? Facebook can be used to disseminate information regarding your product or to give out demo units; if you have an existing network, identify strong personas and request for them to review your product and service on blogs; use Twitter to it’s fullest potential by sharing exclusive deals or twouchers (vouchers) to start a string of retweets; perhaps the mayor on Foursquare entitled to a VIP-class treatment of your service?

#3: CUSTOMER SERVICE + SOCIAL MEDIA

I can’t stress the importance and the effectiveness of customer service using social media. The more active channels you make available for your customers and prospects to approach you, the better.

The 2 common mediums are Facebook and Twitter. If you can capitalize on these 2 you should be in the run of something good. Do not leave questions unattended for days, reply to every enquiry within 1-2 hours consistently and your customers will find GREAT value in your service.

One thing to note is that you should never, ever give out inconsistent / inaccurate information on social media as you could cook up a storm in a matter of minutes, especially if you have a huge network.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even use Twitter to take orders for your business like Coffee Groundz did!

#4: ON-SITE INTERACTIVITY + SOCIAL MEDIA

Who says social media are only limited to virtual interactions? Coca Cola brought the ‘like’ feature on Facebook to life! Check out the video below to see how it happened:

I agree that this setup can be a little too complicated for some to take on but it sure triggers some simpler ideas. A giant photo tagging wall or a mini wall in front of each exhibitor for visitors to ‘post’ on, the only limit is your imagination :)

Have you come across any interesting social media integrations into real life (offline) operations?

Do share them here!

When Did You Stop Dreaming?

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November 22, 2010

| Jan Wong

Many of us have dreams; or rather, used to have dreams.

Look back at those times when you were growing up in school – you may have big dreams – to become a millionaire by a certain age, to be your own boss, to travel the world, to write a book, to have THE job, to have a fairy-like wedding and etc – now ask yourself: When did you stop dreaming?

Or did you tell yourself to be real and get over the dreams?

I would say: Dream, and make it real. Don’t let reality be an excuse for you to stop dreaming, and nobody is too young or old to stop dreaming. Have you ever wondered why some people can be so passionate in the things they do and they can go all out, claiming success as theirs? They are nowhere special as you yourself are. You can, too!

One of the reasons why they are able to do it is because they have a dream – and they are set to achieve it. They are willing to do what it takes, to sacrifice and to persevere through whatever that comes in their way. They managed to put-to-action their passion for the dream and believe they can do it.

Now, if you’re sitting there saying to yourself that you’ve already tried many times and still failed or simply do not have the resources or time to achieve your dreams anymore, you’re simply not trying enough. As you know, there are risks in life and each dream you have is also likely to have risks attached to it. For example – you may have to give up your current job to be your own boss.

I’m not saying that if you try hard enough, your dreams will 100% come true; but what I can tell you for sure is that if you give up, you’ll 100% have NO chance in achieving your dreams. Take a look at a short video below of seven real life dreamers that have been rejected, ridiculed and laughed at YET persevered, pursued and achieved their dreams:

What Can You Do Today:

1. Start dreaming

Yes, it’s time to start dreaming again. Don’t let reality pull you back.

2. Write down that dream of yours

Put it on paper, pin it up somewhere, put it as your wallpaper or anyway to remind you of your dream. Even better, share it with someone that has a dream too and work towards it together!

3. Map out what it takes to achieve that dream

List down what sacrifices is required and what will you need to achieve it – be as specific as possible and always take up the opportunity to be one step closer to your dream!

4. Make your dream a reality!

If you can’t take it on right away, make allocations to start working on it. If a certain method does not work, try another or try talking to someone that has already been through it for advice – the Web is a great place for that. Use Facebook, Twitter or participate in discussions to get more ideas and support to have your dream come true!

What is your dream?

DREAM, and MAKE IT A REALITY!

8 Grave Misconceptions About Social Media

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November 17, 2010

| Jan Wong

#1 It’s a Fad

Many people still think that social media is just a ‘phase’ and sees social media as secondary – especially businesses. The truth is, social media is here to stay and businesses without a presence will eventually lose a competitive edge against their competitors who are actively on social media. Why?

“Social marketing eliminates the middlemen, providing brands the unique opportunity to have a direct relationship with their customers. Bryan Weiner, CEO at Digital Agency 360i”

#2 It’s About Having Social Media Profiles Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn

Having a profile is just the beginning. It takes time, dedication and commitment to truly harness the benefits of social media. It’s all about building a network online just like how it is traditionally such as through networking events. Attending networking events alone won’t work – you need to communicate, build relationships and engage.

“Social media is like building muscles or running a marathon – results don’t come popping up, it’s long-term but all worth it.”

#3 It’s a Numbers Game

Somehow we tend to take numbers too seriously. The number of followers / fans / friends do matter but the question really is: how engaged are you with your followers? Are they paying attention to what you have to say? What is your true reach? In social media, it’s quality over quantity for followers.

“Please Repeat: Influence is NOT Popularity! Brian Solis, briansolis.com”

#4 It Takes Too Much Time

It takes time, yes. Too much time? It depends on you. It can take as short as 30 minutes a day or the entire day and you are in control of it. The best part about social media is that it is flexible and accessible anywhere as long you’re connected to the web. If you carry a smartphone with you, you can even update on-the-go! I spend about 1 – 1.5 hours daily and random updates throughout the day.

I don’t know about you but to spend only 1 hour daily to stay in touch with your prospects and loyal customers sure sounds like a killer deal to me!

“How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable? Seth Godin, sethgodin.typepad.com”

#5 It Takes an Expert to Do It

If you can handle the computer, surf the web and create a Facebook / Twitter account without much trouble, congratulations, you’re made to be on social media! Too easy to be true? Well, the secret ingredient is PASSION – if you are passionate of your business, all you need to do is to KEEP IT REAL with your followers and fans. By doing so you’ll be putting a human face to your brand, a strong connection to build brand loyalty.

“Don’t worry; skills are cheap, passion is priceless. If you’re passionate about your content and you know it and do it better than anyone else, even with few formal business skills you have the potential to create a million-dollar business. Gary Vaynerchuck, garyvaynerchuk.com”

#6 Guaranteed Results

Do you really believe in guaranteed results? I don’t. Being on social media won’t bring in immediate sales. The same applies to blogging: you won’t make money out of it immediately. Again you’ll need to flex those muscles before you can experience results. Keep your eyes focused on the goal and run (or jog) towards it – just don’t give up!

“Remember this: social media is NOT about profitability. It is about constantly engaging and creating loyal customers that will create revenue for you in the long run.”

#7 There is no ROI to Social Media

Does it ring a bell? Most businesses just don’t see how social media can be measured hence taking it very lightly. ROI can be quantitative, using various metrics tools such as Google Analytics to identify bounce rates, demographics, length of visits, page views, unique visitors, number of followers, impressions and etc.

You can even take it further by comparing these metrics with the number of conversions on your sales, subscriptions and more! It can also be qualitative by comparing responses gathered through surveys and behaviors and converting them into metrics that matters to your business.

“Ultimately, social media creates conversations and involves human interactions – that can build your brand. How can you quantify that? Traditional media takes you no where near that. It’s priceless.”

#8 It’s Not for Every Business

To date we’ve seen consultation firms, marketing agencies, F&B outlets, hospitals, lawyer firms, telecommunication companies and almost every other industry, both big and small, young and old, involved in social media. The social media is for everyone – including your business. Sure, the integration can be tricky for some but its definitely possible – it depends on how far you want it to go.

“You can’t tiptoe into social media. You have to jump into the pool. People have a natural fear of it. But the scary part is not being there. Your customer is already there. Dave Saunders, madisonmain.com”

Have you came across any other misconceptions on social media? I would love to hear them, too!

How to: Eliminate Your Energy Zappers – Stay in the Game!

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November 15, 2010

| Jan Wong

Life is all about energy - both positive and negative

Life is all about energy. You need energy to wake up in the morning, to go to work, to attend meetings, to reply emails, to answer that phone call, to have fun with your friends.. you get the drift – and it’s a daily cycle. People tend to live through the day ending up tired and totally zapped out of energy thinking it’s normal – but it really isn’t that simple.

Why?

In life there are things that give you energy and there are things that rob or zap you of energy. The worse part is, you may not know that these things are zapping your energy rapidly because it has become part of your life, a routine that has been weaved out of our consciousness.

Energy Zappers

Energy Zappers - Stay Away From Them!

In most situations, it’s not that you don’t have enough energy due to lack of sleep / rest that’s holding you back – it’s the things that are robbing you of energy that’s really the problem. Things that zaps your energy includes people who get on your nerves, the stress from poor traffic conditions, parking problems, that hatred or unforgiveness in your head, unproductive meetings, datelines or anything that happens to step on your toes – activities or situations that you just don’t like getting yourself into.

Energy Chargers

Energy Chargers - Your Source of Happiness

Not all hope is lost! There are energy chargers around you and all you need is to make use of them to fill you up again. These chargers are your are friends that make you laugh, your favorite song, talking to your significant other, accomplishing tasks, closing a deal, shopping, eating, any activity that makes you happy and the small things that make you happy to be alive.

What Can You Do

While it’s true that you may be tired and fatigued, it also may be that you need to re-look into your daily life. Identify energy zappers and eliminate them. It could be anything – people, jobs and situations so start listing them out today! Make a conscious decision to remove them from your life and add activities that replenishes your energy instead.

If you’ve put it on paper, you’ll probably realize that not all energy zappers can be eliminated and I agree 100%. The main focus is to be consciously aware of what zaps you and to take control of the situation – do not let it zap you off just like that. For example if traffic conditions are driving you crazy, perhaps playing your favorite song over the radio will charge you up a little?

Make this conscious decision and it may change your life forever! It’s never easy but it’s definitely worth trying – after all, what’s there to lose when there’s all to gain?

What are your energy zappers and chargers?

Recommended read: How to develop a winning mindset

5 Simple Tips on How to Get Yourself Noticed

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November 12, 2010

| Jan Wong

Recently I’ve managed to talk to a number of business owners and it would seem that each of them have a common situation – they do not know how to get themselves noticed by the consumers. The common solutions discussed often revolves around advertising, advertorials, and social media in general.

Get yourself noticed!

Bear in mind that these are business owners that have been in business for years and yet in the quest of finding (effective) ways to get themselves noticed. Sometimes, getting noticed isn’t even about being unconventional – it’s just about getting yourself seen or heard.

#1: Focus on a Niche

A: What do you do?
B: I provide IT solutions and services
A: Oh, what kind of solutions do you offer?
B: We specialize in every aspect of IT. We are a one-stop solutions centre.

Does the conversation above sound familiar? The lack of a focus often confuse customers on what are you offering in the first place and it puts you in a situation where you cannot afford to spend time highlighting your brand strengths. It’s always easier being a big fish in a small pond and eventually hop into another pond – not otherwise.

#2: Get Involved in Contests

Interesting contests has it’s way among consumers. You can either create one yourself or even sponsor one if that’s too much of a hassle. Social media tools such as Facebook allows contests to be set up rather easily and has the potential to rally up huge responses when done properly. Putting up your products / services as prizes will draw attention to your brand, too! Click here to learn how to setup a Facebook contest the right way.

#3: Get Involved in Events

Participating in events often draw attention to a brand – especially huge ones. Hosting your own event can bring about many advantages since you’re the highlight but it can take up a lot of resources including time and money. Alternatively, you can choose to hop upon events that has similar interests as your brand.

For example, an IT company may participate in a Technology Expo or even to become a sponsor to gain additional millage from the event. Try to explore various opportunities to see how you can tie up closely with the event (e.g. workshops, seminars, etc) to take full advantage of the expected crowd – it’s the least you can do.

#4: Write a Book

If you have interesting thoughts, experiences or techniques to share, this is for you! Most authors do not write to make millions out of it but to receive the exposure and credibility to their brand. With the help of technology, authors are also moving towards producing e-books due to the low production cost involved as compared to a physical book. In fact, this is something I would want to do, too!

To start it off, you may also want to consider starting your own blog as a stepping stone before publishing your own book! Starting up a blog brings great value to your brand especially in this digital age.

#5: Share

Givers gain! Give publicity to others. Take up the opportunity and initiative to spread the good word about other companies, partners and affiliates. Take an additional step by getting close to industry influencers and help them solve their problems by sharing your contacts with them. Many will repay you by sharing YOU with their contacts and to put you in front of their customers as well.

Is That All?

There are tons of other ways to get yourself noticed and the above is just the tip of the iceberg! In a nutshell, to get noticed is all about you being able to look out for opportunities to shine and not so much of the right technique or the right avenue. The more you’re out there grabbing those opportunities, the more you’ll be noticed.

How to: Integrate Social Media in Business Using Twitter (Part 2)

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November 10, 2010

| Jan Wong

So you’ve seen the benefits of Twitter and now wanting to be part of the Twitter community but have no idea how to? If you’re absolutely new to Twitter, check out this step-by-step video on how to create your very own Twitter profile for your business:

Congrats with your Twitter account! With that covered, we will now be looking at some real life implementations on how business have use Twitter to their advantage:

1. Levi’s

Levi’s knew what they wanted to do and achieve with Twitter. They wanted to target the young male demographic which eventually led towards hiring Gareth as the @levisguy to share behind-the-scenes stories at Levi’s events and updates on new products.

Why is that so significant? Levi’s knew what it takes to create a bond, a connection with their fans. By hiring someone in the same demographic, he will be able to speak the same language the fans speak, allowing him to spur conversations about topics that matter to them, such as the latest fashion trends – without being awkward.

2. Dell Outlet

Dell understood what they need – they need a tool to get the word out fast due to their nature of business. They went on Twitter and have not turned back ever since. On Twitter they realized that people are interested in talking to them, asking questions and sharing their experiences, both good and bad.

“Offering relevant information that people are interested in is key.” – Stephanie Nelson, Dell (Austin)

With that, Dell now concentrates on interacting with people while keeping deals to a minimum to avoid spamming. Those are not ordinary deals though, they are exclusive, Twitter-only deals which has received very positive response having booked more than $3 million in revenue attributable to its Twitter posts. They minimized promotions with their followers in mind but offered exclusive deals whenever a post is due – 2 birds in 1 stone.

3. CoffeeGroundz

This is perhaps my most favorite integration of Twitter in a business! Unlike other examples, CoffeeGroundz is an independent coffee shop in Houston that sells a variety of locally roasted coffee, tea, pastries, sandwiches and the likes. Being new to Twitter, it took J.R. Cohen (General Manager) awhile to grow the number of followers on Twitter organically – and that changed everything.

Cohen took Twitter 1 step further by asking his followers from Houston to “come into the store and ask for J.R.” He will then take the opportunity to meet with each and every patron who asked for him by name! He created an opportunity to strengthen his bond with his followers, going beyond mere online interactions.

“This is what social media is meant to be.” – J.R. Cohen

What makes things even more interesting is that in 2008, one of CoffeeGroundz’s regular customers requested to place a ‘to-go’ order for a breakfast wrap. It is argued that Sean’s request for an order ‘to-go’ was the first of its kind on Twitter. And because Cohen is an avid user of Twitter, was able to reply quickly to Sean’s requests. With this reply, he implemented a whole new way to place and receive an order online, reserve tables and book the place – through Twitter’s DM service. How awesome is that?

4. DiGi Telecommunications

Sad to say that there are only a handful of great Twitter integrations in business back here in Malaysia. Businesses here seem more inclined towards Facebook but here is one that caught my attention – DiGi is seen using Twitter primarily to receive feedback, complains, questions and to provide support to their customers. In some cases, I was told that DiGi also offers special compensations and exclusive offers to dissatisfied customers on a case-by-case basis.

Apart from that, it also acts to humanize the brand by interacting with their followers by posting birthday wishes and replying to what others are saying about the brand which definitely adds a human touch to the brand.

Moving On!

Hopefully the above examples are able to give you some idea and insights on how you can get started on Twitter. Remember that it takes time to get it right so don’t be too worried if you’re doing it wrong or disappointed with the initial results.

If you’re sitting there thinking that Twitter is not suitable for your business

or your customers / prospects are not on Twitter and never going to be on Twitter, you should really take 4 minutes off your time to check out this video:

On the other hand, if you are having trouble thinking of running out of things to Tweet, I recommend reading this post here by @AskAaronLee, a social media addict with tons of experience and things to share about Twitter. I’m sure his post will help you just fine :)

Do you have an example that you would love to share? I would most definitely want to hear from you!

Attributes of an Entrepreneur: Being Punctual

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November 8, 2010

| Jan Wong

When was the last time you were punctual? If you’ve always been, keep it up! If you haven’t, it’s time to step it up! Why? Being punctual is an obvious indication of respect towards the other party’s time. Punctuality is a problem in many places, and for some, it has even became a norm in their daily life. If you’ve caught yourself saying: “Oh, he / she’s gonna be late anyway”, remember: it does not matter if the person you’re going to meet is not going to be punctual – it’s about you.

Are you punctual? | Attributes of an entrepreneur

The Rule of Thumb to be Punctual

“To be late is to be on time; To be early is to be before time.”

Having that said, plan your day’s time well. Make sure you allocate sufficient time for you to get to your car (some places take 10 minutes to get to the parking lot!), travel from one place to another, consider traffic conditions and etc. Always aim to get there at least 10-15 minutes before the agreed time.

I’ve personally found this rule to be particularly useful as I recently attended a meeting only to find that my client’s office runs on a 15-minute faster clock. Imagine if I would to have arrived “on-the-dot”, that would mean that it’s already 15 minutes late for them – it would definitely hurt my reputation.

In situations such as these, explaining that they are not following the current universal time does not save you.. guaranteed.

What to do if You Can’t Make it on Time

I have to agree that being punctual is no easy task, especially when you have a never ending to-do list, back to back appointments and the horrendous traffic on the roads. I’m not saying that the above can be used as an excuse, it’s just that things DO creep up unexpectedly and in situations such as these:

1. Contact the person you’re meeting at least 30 minutes before the appointment to inform that you may be late because of ___. Sometimes it will be helpful to mention your current location so that he / she will be able to estimate how long would you need to get there. Don’t be inclined to say “I’m 10 minutes away” if you are not (punctuality plays here, too!).

2. If you are unable to make it AT ALL somehow, again, call him / her up at least 30 minutes before the appointment to apologize, and see if a reschedule is possible with a valid explanation. You’ll probably lose some brownie points over here so do NOT miss (or be late for) the rescheduled appointment at all cost!

It’s Time to be Punctual!

Get started today! Keep the rule in mind and make every effort to be punctual – it will be a lifesaver, especially if you’re an entrepreneur!

Why Create a Custom Twitter Background?

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November 5, 2010

| Jan Wong

While most Twitter simply choose their backgrounds just for it to look pretty, many individuals and businesses have taken advantage of the background to simply express, promote or introduce themselves beyond their 140 characters description on their profile.

Now you may have heard people saying that the #NewTwitter is a pain for many as there isn’t much space left to play with on the sides, or that 75% people access Twitter on 3rd Party Applications (e.g. TweetDeck, Hootsuite, etc) therefore cannot see your profile. Don’t get me wrong – those are facts.

It is true that most people access Twitter via apps to UPDATE their status (Tweet) but however, bear in mind that there are many that accesses the web version to check out your profile page if you’ve followed them on Twitter.. simply because Twitter drops an email notification with a link to your profile. Not to forget, you would be leaving your Twitter links on your blog, company website, Facebook profiles, LinkedIn or any other profiles for that matter – This alone is a good reason for a custom background.

If you haven’t already have a custom Twitter background, you should start having one for yourself as:

1. It Leaves a Lasting Impression

For both individuals and businesses, a well designed background shows a certain degree of professionalism and that you care for details – thus leaving a lasting impression on the viewer. This is exceptionally important when one is viewing your Twitter profile for the first time.

2. Branding and Promotional Opportunities

Your Twitter background can also act as an extension of yourself. Use it to your advantage by putting up more information about you, portray your brand identity, promote your products and services or even express yourself as a creative individual / company. In other words, is an free advertising space that you should make use of!

3. Stand Out

Capturing your audience’s attention is important on social media and unless your have a very captivating write-up about yourself in 140 words or valuable Tweets, chances are, it will be difficult for one to differentiate you with another unless he or she knows you personally. Your background can make a world of differences in positioning yourself different on Twitter. Remember, it’s either you stand out or lose out!

My advice? Use your custom Twitter background wisely :)

Want to Get Started but Don’t Know How?

Click Here to Get Started on Your Own Customized Twitter Background with a template I created!