Tools For The Miner: Twitter Anybody?

Eric Hamm — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 08:00:27 +0000

Image courtesy of mil8

OK, so Sean’s Classic Western Theme is awesome. I figured I’d better stay in-line with it and talk about some of the tools the Gold Miner would want to have on hand to maximize their opportunities. Not only do we need the right tools, we need to know how to properly use them. Let’s get started.

Communication

If our Western is playing out in the cloud, then we need a toolbox that will give us the upper hand as we ride into the sunset. Since this IS the Information Age, it only makes sense that communication tools are the most important in the box.

So you walk into the Town Store to find out what’s available. OK, let’s see…

Twitter
Facebook
IM software like Gchat
Email
Video conference software like iChat, Gchat and even ooVoo
You see a telephone, but it’s over in the corner collecting dust. You wonder if there’s a reason for this?

You point past the counter. ”Which tool should I choose?” you ask Mr. Walton, the store owner.

He strokes his beard, scrunches his nose, and looks thoughtful for a spell. “Well,” he says. “I find a combination works best, but it all depends on your audience. If you’re trying to reach a large group with the greatest potential for a viral response, Twitter is the way to go. Once you connect with other miners and start working in the same shaft, you’ll find that IM and email are about as important as your pick axe.”

You nod. Finally, you open your satchel. “I’ll take one of each,” you say.

As bloggers, it is absolutely that we not only KNOW about these tools, it is important for us to use them. I first signed up for Twitter about 6 months ago, but never really used it until recently. The more I use it, the more I understand not only HOW to use it, but WHY so many bloggers do. I realize now how effective it can be, but how ineffective it is if not properly understood and then used on a regular basis.

After making a few initial connections, we sometimes find ourselves hungry to take our tweets to the next level.

Collaboration

When collaborating with other bloggers we use many of the same tools as before, some more than others. A combination of IMing, email and audio/video chat is a great Swiss Army knife that cuts to the quick of communication. Whether you need to shoot the other blogger a quick sentence through chat, layout an entire page of notes for reference via email or just spend some time physically hashing things out – these tools get the job done. Having an app like Gmail to do everything well and all in one place, even better.

Know your tools as an extension of yourself

When you speak to someone in your own language you’re thinking only of what you want to say. Try to say the same thing in a different language and most of your focus is consumed by the act rather than the idea behind it. The more our online communication becomes a natural extension of ourselves, the more effectively our ideas will flow through the digital airways.

Eric

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