Recently after he had fixed a Twitter Feed problem that had been particularly frustrating, I thought he might like to take on something a little more thought-provoking.  So, I introduced him to Peter Drucker, the renowned and revered thought-leader about all things “management.”

I was already a fan when I met Peter Drucker in the 1990s at a conference my organization was hosting. Although stooped and having trouble with his hearing, Drucker remained a powerful life force.  It was clear to me as soon as I shook his hand and he began to speak why he is so often referred to as the “father of modern management.” I worked in a leadership organization for 20 years where we sometimes struggled with how to talk about management, especially in relationship to what we considered to be larger and more elusive concepts of leadership.  Peter Drucker had no such struggle.  I appreciated how much he valued simple, straightforward and effective management practices and how clearly he thought they served as a foundation for strong, effective leadership.

So, I handed Matt a copy of The Daily Drucker and pointed out a few words from Jim Collins in the Foreword that capture my appreciation of Peter Drucker’s work:  “Drucker’s genius shines best in the short paragraph or single sentence that cuts through the clutter and messiness of a complex world and exposes a truth.  Like a Zen poet, Drucker packs universal truth into just a few words; we can return to his teachings repeatedly, each time with a deeper level of understanding.”

This morning I asked Matt to pick out a few of his favorites from the 366 readings in The Daily Drucker. I think he pulled a pretty nice list:

• The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.
• Company cultures are like country cultures. Never try to change one. Try, instead, to work with what you’ve got.
• Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.
• Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done.
• People who don’t take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.
• The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.
• Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window.
• Time is the scarcest resource and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed.

So here’s to Peter Drucker, gone, but not forgotten and still teaching us all.  In the words he is said to have offered frequently, “Go out and make yourself useful.”

Twitter is one of my all-time favorite places to market my business, Shoestring Marketing.

In addition, I encourage every small business owner to jump head-first into Twitter in order to develop strong business relationships and find new customers and clients.

However, one complaint that I often hear from my own clients is that Twitter is intimidating, confusing and even a waste of valuable time.
I want to put these complaints to rest once and for all.

I have compiled 7 Golden Twitter Rules that, if you follow, will catapult your business to the top of your industry in no time at all!

1) You Must Have a Profile Picture. If you are going to use social media as a marketing tool, take the time to find a picture of yourself for your profiles. Social media marketing is about interactions and building relationships. People want to “see” that there is a real person behind your business.

2) Go Ahead And Brag! Obviously you know that you shouldn’t jump on Twitter and start shouting “Check out my product…it’s really the best one in the world!”  However, offering value to other Tweeters is one of the highlights of Twitter. So, go ahead and let people know about a blog you posted, an article you wrote or a webinar that you will be hosting.

There are only so many Tweets in which you can tell your followers what you are having for dinner until people start to unfollow you. YAWN.

3) Autofollow Those Who Follow You.  I have an app from www.Tweetlater.com that allows me to automatically follow everyone who follows me. I then get to know whom I am following through their Tweets. If I think they are annoying, I unfollow them.  But, how in the world can I make a decision to follow someone based on a 140-word profile?  For all I know, this person could be the next Faulkner with some of the most profound Tweets known to mankind.

I truly believe that it is in good taste to follow everyone who follows you and then unfollow those who you just don’t groove with.

4) Interact With Your Followers. Twitter is truly about building relationships with others. You need to answer questions, make comments and interact with your followers. I believe that if you are not able to interact with your followers, you shouldn’t be using Twitter as a marketing tool.

By the way, if you ever @ me, I will always interact with you! I love meeting and talking with new Twitterers!

5) Don’t Obsess About Those Who Unfollow You.  First of all, you do not have time to monitor and keep tabs on everyone who is unfollowing you. Second, you really shouldn’t care who unfollows you. If someone doesn’t like your Tweets, then they SHOULD unfollow you. You are not on Twitter to make sure that everything you say appeals to every single person. You are on Twitter to connect with new and interesting people. (Of course, if you find that dozens of people unfollow you every day, then you will need to reflect on what you are Tweeting.)

6) Your Tweets Do Not Always Need To Be Witty and Profound.  Obviously, in the ideal world this would be the case. But, the last time I checked, most people on Twitter are not professional writers, bloggers or word-smiths. They are just regular people making connections. Of course, you should strive to add value and interact with people. But, don’t worry so much that every Tweet is a witty comedy sketch. Just be yourself and have fun!

7) Always Remember That Twitter Is About Common Sense. When you first become involved on Twitter, you will encounter all sorts of different people. There will be Twitter newbies, Twitter veterans and Twitter know-it-alls. Don’t let the know-it-alls scare you. To succeed on Twitter, you simply need to interact with others, ask and answer questions and be nice! Don’t worry so much about “the rules.”

Twitter is an amazing and powerful marketing tool. However, believe it or not, besides spamming and other illicit behaviors, Twitter is mainly about using common sense.  Interact, be nice, ask questions, listen, and add value.  And of course, just be yourself and have a little fun!

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Jessica Swanson, “The Shoestring Marketer,” has helped entrepreneurs, all over the world, explode their businesses using cutting-edge, proven, NO-COST internet marketing strategies. To receive your FREE Marketing Kit,  which has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, just like you, learn the exact techniques for marketing their businesses for NO-COST, visit: http://www.ShoestringMarketingKit.com

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shawn@roysterproductions.com