I am self-employed but do not have a large number of clients. I like to show those clients, and potential clients, that I am serious about horizon-scanning in their interests. There are benefits to me, and my customers, and I call it part of my personal learning network (PLN).
I have gradually built up a twitter following by building connections with people in my areas of interest. It’s not about numbers but about recognition of value. (I keep a separate account for following organisations which only transmit and never engage.) As with any decent relationship, on twitter it is necessary to be two-way, to give and to take. This means paying dues to questions people ask and responding to ‘what has their attention’. Keeping it conversational sustains interest over time and reveals clues as to what you are about and confirms that others share some common aspects of what you do.
I have written a blogpost, called my manifesto for my blog and another called What I have learned from Twitter, about the groups or audiences I choose to follow. The blog has a mixture of posts intended to interest these people. However, the website is more formal and static in presenting aspects of what I do. When they really need to know, that’s where they turn.
Yes, I am interested in learning. Showing that I share my learning is a good way to generate traffic.
Angus Willson
www.pannage.blogspot.com
www.pannage.com
