Monthly Archives: May 2011

How To, Social Media

The Twitter Hashtag #: Get in on the conversation

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If you’re new to Twitter you’ve probably seen a Twitter status or two that included something like #GDI. You may have wondered what the heck is going on. Well, we’re here not only to tell you about it (it’s called a hashtag), but how you can make the most out of it. Read on to start using the hashtag (#).

Share What’s on Your Mind

The hashtag is used as a way to announce to everyone what your post is about. If there is a hot topic or news story that you want to comment on, you can include a hashtag to declare your post topic. For example you could be sharing a story about the President and might end your post with the #obama hashtag. Once you include a hashtag, it will function on a sort of a link, if someone were to click on it, every other post on Twitter using that hashtag would come up in a new feed.

You can think of hashtags as a quick link to a feed on a topic, so that you or anyone else can follow a topic. You can also search for hashtags in the Twitter search bar, just search #obama and you would get the same feed results. If you keep this feed open it will continue to update with new posts. Following a hashtag is a great way to share your thoughts or see a live feed on a topic of your choosing. But you can also go one step further and be more interactive.

Get Involved in Live Events

Though it may seem just like an endless stream of chatter, Twitter can be a great interactive platform, and hashtags are one way to get in on the game. Twitter parties and live tweeting events are now happening frequently. A Twitter party or live tweeting event is usually a pre set event that allows anyone on Twitter to join in on the same conversation via a hashtag as the end of each post.

For example, a company may have a networking Twitter party where anyone who wants to get in on the conversation could end each post with #ABCIncParty. Following this tag as described above you can see everyone’s thoughts and comments and reply to them by posting a status with the designated party hashtag: #ABCIncParty. In the next new webinars, GDI will give you a chance to try this for yourself, you can use the #gdiwebinar hashtag during our live webinars to follow the topic live and chat with other affiliates on Twitter. So start interacting with those who hashtag about the things you want to talk about.

How To

How to Use Video for Your GDI Business

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A question many affiliate face is “Does GDI work?” Everyone has their different stories for how GDI has worked for them, but what better way to share this message than by showing your face and showing that you are a GDI success story? YouTube is a great way to do this and grow your business in a few other ways. Read on for how you can use YouTube with GDI.

What It’s Good For

YouTube is great for conveying your business statement and actions without lengthy written posts. YouTube can also literally show the face of your business. This gives your downline and any potential downlines an authentic feel and the ability to see who they work with or will be working with. YouTube videos do not have to be a huge production. Sharing the message of your GDI opportunity is as simple as talking about it with a few graphics or screen shots to keep viewers engaged. Also, be sure to keep your videos as short and to the point as possible!

How It’s Unique

NO WORDS! Blogs and articles are great, but some people just don’t have the time or desire to read, read, read! Since YouTube is an open platform, you also don’t have to be a professional director or editor for your work to fit in. YouTube videos are also extremely easy to share by grabbing the embed code of just sharing the direct link to the video. The embed code is an html code that allows you to embed or insert your video into anything that accepts html coding, an example of this is a WordPress post.

Ways to Use It

Use YouTube to educate your downline and those interested in the GDI opportunity. One idea is to have some of your successful downline or upline members share their stories on video and package it as an educational video that also shows social proof. You can share these video stories on YouTube and Facebook and anywhere you can embed video.

How You Can Get Started

Sign up! Simply go to www.YouTube.com and create an account. With an account you can not only upload your own videos but subscribe to different users’ videos, share videos, add friends and comment on videos. So get on YouTube and start creating social proof!

How To

Using LinkedIn to Build Your GDI Connections

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LinkedIn isn’t just for people looking for their next 9-5 job, it’s actually the fastest growing social network and for good reason. LinkedIn can take the place of your Rolodex, resume, cover letter and references all on one site. But how can it work for you when you are a network marketer? Read on for tips to do just that.

LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn is the online destination to establish business connections, but what do you do if you are starting from scratch. This is where LinkedIn Groups come in. LinkedIn groups are similar to groups and pages on Facebook because like Facebook you can search for groups by topic or common interests and join them. However, unlike Facebook, these groups are targeted for business questions, answers and networking.

To find a group you can input your keywords into the Group Search box at the right hand corner of the LinkedIn homepage and then filter your results by group type such as alumni group, networking group, corporate group and more. Most of these groups are just one click to join, but others may require your membership be approved. Once you become a member of these groups you can start discussions, ask questions of experts and build relationships. When you share a group with some one, you can also easily ask them to join your network of connections so that you can start to build a relationship with them. Start conversations with people in these groups to build your business.

Your Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is like a resume but much more powerful than that. The LinkedIn profile is a great way to position yourself as an expert and share your experiences. You can fill out past jobs and descriptions but also be sure to add your “Summary.” The summary is a paragraph that appears just below your bulleted work experience, but above your longer descriptions of each job. This summary is where you share you best skills and areas of expertise. Use this area to sell yourself and the GDI opportunity. You can even share links in the summary. Treat it as a couple of paragraphs where you need to convince someone to get on board with you and your GDI business.

Personal Updates

When you log into LinkedIn you will see a box with “Share an Update,” this allows you to share any news, new opportunities or links to your site, much like Twitter. This differs from Twitter in that your audience is targeted to your business contacts. Use this when you post a new blog or even as call to action for people who may be interested in the GDI opportunity.

Like most social media outlets, the possibilities with LinkedIn are endless, so get on there and start exploring.