***REFERENCES*** ---------------Search Strategy Set#: S1 Searched for: (360 communication) AND ftany(yes) Databases: ABI/INFORM Complete,ProQuest Agriculture Journals,ProQuest

Biology Jo urnals,ProQuest Computing,ProQuest Entrepreneurship,ProQuest Research Library,Pr oQuest Sociology Results: 276777 Set#: S2 Searched for: SU.exact("COMMUNICATION") Databases: ABI/INFORM Complete,ProQuest Agriculture Journals,ProQuest Biology Jo urnals,ProQuest Computing,ProQuest Entrepreneurship,ProQuest Research Library,Pr oQuest Sociology Results: 46231 Set#: S3 Searched for: SU.exact("COMMUNICATION") Databases: ABI/INFORM Complete,ProQuest Agriculture Journals,ProQuest Biology Jo urnals,ProQuest Computing,ProQuest Entrepreneurship,ProQuest Research Library,Pr oQuest Sociology Results: 46231 Set#: S4 Searched for: twitter AND ftany(yes) Databases: ProQuest Agriculture Journals,ProQuest Biology Journals,ProQuest Comp uting,ProQuest Research Library Results: 122420 ---------------------------------------------------------Document 1 of 1 How TwiTTer Can Help Your Business Grow Bourne, S. (2009). How TwiTTer can help your business grow. Photo District News, , 18-18,20,22. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/202876536?acco untid=31532 LINK TO DOCUMENT IN PROQUEST ---------------------------http://search.proquest.com/docview/202876536?accountid=31532

ABSTRACT -------Skimming for photo-related links, news and reviews is easy now that Twitter has a search tool. Since Twitter is real-time, you can bet that if you're following the right people, you'll probably find out about the next new Nikon or Canon cam era body on Twitter before you hear about it anywhere else. * Poll other photogr aphers for advice and see what they are working on. FULL TEXT

--------While not everyone agrees, I believe Twitter (and almost any other social media site) can be a valuable business tool. I think Twitter is especially valuable fo r wedding and portrait photographers. If you look at the demographics, the avera ge first-time bride is likely to be a social-media user. If wedding and portrait photographers aren't using the same technologies as their prospects, then somet hing is missing. So here are just a few ways photographers can use Twitter to ad vance their photo business: * Use Twitter to replace e-mail. Think about it: if you run a Twitter client in the background, (Tweetie) as I do, then you're always available via Twitter. If someone who follows you wants to send you a message they can do it at least as q uickly (if not more quickly) than they can via e-mail. Another advantage is that Twitter is a persistent link. Also, the messages are limited to 140 characters, so folks have to get right to the point. * Use Twitter to replace RSS. If you're running a wedding studio, you should hav e a blog and it should have an RSS feed. While I have (and will continue to have ) RSS feeds on my blogs and podcasts, I have noticed a significant change in the number of people relying on the RSS feed to notify them of new posts on my blog compared with the number of people who typically ask me to just let them know w hat I am doing via Twitter. When I post something new to the RSS feed and to Twitter at the same time, depen ding on the time of day and day of the week, I can see that the Twitter audience is hitting the site harder than the RSS audience. It's something to take note o f if you use blogs or podcasts to promote or market your photography. * Showing the work is the most basic marketing activity a photographer can do. A nd while Twitter is still not the most photo-friendly micro-blogging service, yo u can use it to link directly to photos. Some photographers are building organic followings by simply linking to one of their images every day. Twitter marketin g doesn't have to be fancy-just effective. * Contest and giveaways are effective when done well. I believe I've probably gi ven away more stuff on Twitter than almost anyone else. And yes, I get followers because of that. (By the way if you're new to the whole Twitter thing, follower s = audience.) But I don't believe I keep followers because of that. I keep them by sharing real, free, valuable information such as photography tips, news abou t new gear or firmware updates, contests or shows and free tutorials, podcasts a nd blog posts. I try to keep my ratio of contest and purely promotional Tweets to between eight and 10 to one. On weekends, when it's slower on Twitter, I've learned that too many posts will be interpreted as noise, so my ratio is closer to 12 to one on w eekends. Also, the larger your audience becomes, the less tolerance it has for m arketing. (Go figure). If you're offering free prints or lessons on photography or classes on how to choose a wedding photographer, you will probably see an upt ick in your Twitter audience. * Keep in mind: Twitter is mobile. A large number of Twitter users experience Tw itter on their cell phones, which means you don't have to wait for people to be tied down to their computers to communicate with them. Sending, receiving and re ading Tweets is easy on a smart phone. That additional lifeline in the communica tion chain can mean the difference between making (or breaking) a photo sale. * Share information: search out Tweets, links and stories that you think your au dience will enjoy and RT (re-tweet) them to your network. Re-tweeting is a great way to share information. It shows that you care about the community and may le ad to alliances that you never had an opportunity to create using other mediums. * Talk about your assignments. If you're a wedding photographer, talk about the bride you're currently working with. If you're a workshop leader, talk about the location you're visiting. Whatever you shoot, talk about your current assignmen ts, post links to pictures, and be generous with newbies- answer their questions via Twitter so that they too can benefit from your experience. * Separate your identities. As I've moved more of my marketing to Twitter, I've moved most of my personal opinions about controversial subjects elsewhere. Peopl

e who follow me for photography advice don't really care about my politics. I oc casionally get riled up over something and express myself. When that happens, I lose followers. In certain circumstances I am okay with that- but you may not be . * Twitter is an effective tool for hiring. If you need an assistant, a reception ist or retoucher, Twitter is a great place to get the word out. It's fast, free and viral. Particularly in the current economy where jobs are scarce, people retweet job postings. I posted a simple Tweet about needing a part-time assistant and within five minutes had more than a dozen inquiries. Over a few days that do zen turned into hundreds and I had to delete the Tweet because I had such great response. * Use Twitter for research. Skimming for photo-related links, news and reviews i s easy now that Twitter has a search tool. Since Twitter is real-time, you can b et that if you're following the right people, you'll probably find out about the next new Nikon or Canon camera body on Twitter before you hear about it anywher e else. * Poll other photographers for advice and see what they are working on. Ask what tools and techniques they are using. * By paying close attention to the networking on Twitter, you can discern the re lationships among certain photographers, vendors, photo associations and their a udiences. By listening, you can find out who knows whom and hope for a connectio n to someone you know. I've found that Twitter proves the old six-degrees-of-sep aration theory pretty well. If I look at someone's stream on Twitter, it won't b e long before I see someone I know who knows that person. Twitter is a fastpaced environment. What worked a year ago on may not work now, and what works now may not in the future. But as with all marketing, doing something is better than do ing nothing, so don't let it overwhelm you. One doesn't need an Oprahsized follo wing on Twitter to be effective. There was a time when I had one follower, then 100, then 1000, then 10,000, and today I have roughly 36,500 followers. Whether it grows from here or not, I am able to accomplish some important goals with my audience. Moreover, I am able to provide real value in exchange for following me , which is the most important tip for photographers. Provide something of value and the audience will follow. One doesn't need an Oprah-sized following on Twitter to be effective INDEX FIELDS -----------Subject Social networks; Photographers; Business growth Company/organization Twitter Inc; NAICS: 519130; Duns: ) Title How TwiTTer Can Help Your Business Grow Author Bourne, Scott Publication title Photo District News Supplement focus on weddings Pages 18,20,22 Number of pages 3 Publication year 2009 Publication date 2009 Year 2009 Section twitter Publisher Nielsen Business Media Place of publication New York Country of publication United States Journal subject Photography ISSN 10458158 Source type Trade Journals

Language of publication English Document type Commentary Document feature Illustrations ProQuest document ID 202876536 Document URL http://search.proquest.com/docview/202876536?accountid=31532 Copyright Copyright VNU eMedia, Inc. 2009 Last updated 2010-09-02 Database ProQuest Research Library

BIBLIOGRAPHY -------------References Bourne, S. (2009). How TwiTTer can help your business grow. Photo District News, , 18-18,20,22. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/202876536?acc ountid=31532 ---------------Copyright 2012 ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved.