September 2010
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"Small in Name: Big in Service"
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Greetings!  
Are you a Twitter addict? Do you work with graphic designers? Are seniors out of touch when it comes to social networking? Read on for more information.
TwitterSavor the "Tweet" Smell of Success
 
Is Twitter a waste of time or a valuable way to connect
Follow Us on Twitter
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with people? Crafting those 140-character messages takes time. You also need a strategy to produce results. Here are 10 tips to help you succeed.  
  1. Find your voice and be authentic.
  2. Reply and retweet. Keep your message to 120 characters or less so it can be easily retweeted with attribution to you. 
  3. People are more likely to follow you if they think you will follow them back.
  4. Provide value to your followers, not chit-chat.
  5. Tweet links to articles or blog posts with helpful, interesting or entertaining content.
  6. Don't use auto-responders to welcome new followers. Many people consider those messages "spam."
  7. Less is more. Don't tweet if you have nothing to contribute.
  8. Create an account on Bit.ly or a similar service so you can track your Twitter referral URLs.
  9. Ask your followers to subscribe to your e-newsletter.
  10. Success isn't measured by the number of followers you have. Are your followers truly interested in what you have to say?
Twitter is a free service. If you're interested in what's happening in Atlanta, follow us on AtlSkyline. Our PeachtreePro account covers public relations, social media and other topics. Join the conversation!
TipsTips for Working With a Graphic Designer
 
Do you have the time and/or talent to do a professional job producing a brochure, newsletter or other marketing piece? Here are eight tips for working with a graphic designer on your next project. 
  1. What are your goals for the piece?
  2. Who is your audience?
  3. What action(s) do you want them to take?
  4. What mood are you trying to convey? Do you want your readers to feel happy, eager, concerned or generous?
  5. How do you want your organization to be perceived?
  6. What are the budget and specifications for the project? Share them at the beginning of the process.
  7. Do you have examples of pieces you like? What is the common denominator? 
  8. When circulating the piece to others for approval, make it clear that you are asking them to check whether the piece works, not whether they "like" it. Ask them for "corrections" rather than "changes."
SeniorsDon't Discount Social Media for Seniors 
 
According to Pew Research, use of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter byCouple With Computer Web users ages 50 and older has almost doubled from a year ago. Many use these sites as a way to reconnect with people from their past and to obtain medical issue support. Most use e-mail to connect with friends, families and colleagues.
 
One-half of Internet users ages 50-64 and one in four users ages 65 and older now use social networking sites.
 
Click here to learn more about the research.

ScarecrowsAll We Need is Dorothy and the Tin Man

If you're in Atlanta during October, check out Scarecrows in the Garden, an annual tradition at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Individuals, organizations and companies create wild and wacky scarecrows that are scattered throughout the garden.
 
Both Sylvia Small Communications & Marketing and client First Montessori School of Atlanta will participate in this fun event. We give our entry an A: he's Awfully cute!  
BangGet More Bang for Your Buck 
 
We all know the value of doing something once and using it multipleMagazine Cover ways. Congratulations to client MOSAIC Group [Architects and Remodelers] for snagging the cover of Atlanta Home Improvement magazine in August!
 
The same remodeling project has been featured on the Bob Vila Website and in Remodel Atlanta magazine and the print and online versions of the Atlanta Journal/ Constitution.
Sylvia Small
Sylvia Small Communications & Marketing LLC 
Phone: 404.841.8168