Cara Stewart And Social Media, part 1

The focus of this blog post is to share an interview that I conducted with Cara Stewart about social media. As many continue to implement social media into their business, it is important to know basic ethics of social media.

Image: www.SXC.hu

As you read this blog post, learn from the tips that Cara shares about social media. It will help you use social media correctly and wisely. Below is the contact information for Cara:

• Company name: WunderMarx|PR
• Website: http://www.wundermarx.com
• Email: cara.stewart@wundermarx.com
• Phone: +1 714-862-1112
• Twitter: http://Twitter.com/remarx

Please introduce yourself and the key areas of your expertise? How long have you been involved in this area?

Thanks for having me! My name is Cara Stewart, and I’m the CEO of WunderMarx|PR. We’re a media and marketing company offering mainstream media relations, social media and marketing services for brands in the Innovation and Green Economies. I’ve been in the field of journalism, marketing and communications for 17 years.

What are some of the best ways that a business owner can use Twitter to grow their business?

Twitter is a terrific tool to use to have a conversation with customers — potential and new — strategic partners and anyone within your industry or area of expertise. I use it to share knowledge, ask for candid feedback, and show personal and well as agency brand personality. While nothing replaces a face-to-face conversation, the depth and breadth of Twitter and other social networking applications can’t be replicated in traditional networking as quickly.

How can a business owner best create compelling “Tweets” in 140 characters or less about their business?

Well, I’m a former journalist. We had a phrase in the newsroom: Why use a 25 cent word when a 5 cent word would do? It meant to be brief. Use words that pack a lot of power but don’t try to impress your audience by using a lot of jargon or “marketingspeak” because they will see right through it. Beyond that, I also believe the best way to create compelling Tweets is to know your key messages.

Decide what you want to be known for on Twitter and in all of your marketing. This is your brand. Guard it and defend it. Finally, the best way for a business owner to demonstrate expertise is to ask questions. You don’t always have to Tweet what you know. You can take an instructive role in helping the Twitter community. By doing this, you show you’re invested in creating a long-term relationship, not simply a transactional one.