Top 10 Reasons your company should NOT Be "tweeting"

Mainstream media is in an orgiastic frenzy of coverage about Twitter. Everyone's Tweeting these days it seems, from celebrities to CEOs according to CNN, The View, Today, the NY Times, the Wall St Journal and just about everyone else. Each of them covers Twitter like it's some overnight phenomenon that came out of nowhere, although Twitter has been gaining traction for three years and now has over 14 million members.

So, Should your company be on Twitter? Not necessarily.

Top 10 reasons not to join Twitter:

1. every Tweet has to be approved by legal. Twitter is a social network where conversation is fast and interconnected. If you have to wait a day, or even a few hours for your 140 character Tweet to gain legal approval, Twitter will be the wrong platform for you.

2. you plan to use Twitter like a giant RSS feed, broadcasting nothing but headlines, deals. People follow people they find interesting. If all your Tweets are a one-way street: Block!

3. you think using Twitter is a social media strategy. It's a tactic, a tool, not a strategy. It works if you already have an online following who'll view your Tweets as a way to interact with your company on a human level

4. you think it's a good idea to have someone tweet as if they are the president of the company. Authentic and transparent are the keys. It's fine if someone besides the CEO tweets for your company, as long as they say that's what they're doing

5. you are not going to respond when people direct tweets at you. Twitter is like the new watercooler. If you walked out to the water fountain and talked non-stop to people gathered there, they'd certainly be happy when you left. Ditto for Twitter.

6. you think paying for followers might be a good idea. Followers are earned on Twitter. Be interesting, make only every 10th Tweet about you and you'll gain and keep a following.

7. you think all that matters on Twitter is getting a lot of people to follow you. Quality trumps quantity.

8. you want to protect your updates. If people have to ask permission to see what you're posting on Twitter, you're defeating the purpose - which is conversation.

9. you plan to track Twitter with Google Analytics. Google Analytics won't give you true tracking. You need to track the urls you post with a service like budurl or bit.ly and use one or more social media tracking tools so you can get real-time stats on Twitter

10. You think you can market to people with whom you have no relationship Listen first. Monitor what's being said about your brand, your industry, your products. Then join the conversation and become part of the community. Then your occasional marketing messages will be accepted, or at least tolerated because you also add value to the community.

The clothes off there back!

How would you like to own an autographed article of clothing worn by your favorite celebrity, and at the same time, also have the great feeling inside of knowing you've helped a great cause?


The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation is an organization that hosts charity auctions showcasing today's hottest celebrity attire. Items are put up for bid to the public with proceeds going to benefit children's charities.
Clothes Off Our Back was founded by actors and philanthropists Jane Kaczmarek ( whom you will remember as Lois from "Malcolm In The Middle" and Judge Trudy on "Raising the Bar") and Bradley Whitford (Josh on "The West Wing," and Danny on "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") whose efforts, along with their celebrity and designer friends have helped improve the lives of children across the globe.

Items up for grabs include things by such big name stars like Adam Sandler, Aisha Tyler, Akon, Angela Bassett, Angelina Jolie, Anna Friel, Avril Lavigne, Barbara Walters, Beyonce Knowles, Brooke Burke, Carmen Electra, Carrie Underwood, Cate Blanchett, Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Clay Aiken, Courtney Cox, Coolio, Danica Patrick, Debra Messing, Denise Richards, Donald Trump, Donna Karan, Eva Longoria, Eva Mendes, Fergie, Gwen Stefani, Jenna Fischer, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Biel, Joss Stone, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightly, Kim Kardashian, Kim Cattrall, Kirsten Dunst, Lindsay Lohan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mandy Moore, Maria Menounos, Maria Sharapova, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Matt Damon, Michelle Wie, Miley Cyrus, Milla Jovovich, Nicole Scherzinger, Nicollette Sheridan, Paris Hilton, Penelope Cruz, Rachael Ray, Rachel McAdams, Rena Sofer, Scarlett Johansson, Sheryl Crow, Simon Cowell, Snoop Dogg, Tina Fey, Tommy Hilfiger,Wyclef Jean, Vivica A. Fox, 50 Cent..... The list just goes on and on and on...a who's who of hollywood!

The auctions aren't strictly clothing related either, like:

- A Little Black Dress Marlot bottle of wine from the wine rack of Elisha Cuthbert Signed

- Hilary Swank's Custom Designed RODO Shoes (when a woman is willing to part with a pair of shoes, you have to snatch them before she changes her mind!!!)

- "Dancing with the Stars'" Karina Smirnoff Autographed iPod Nano

Item i've got my eye on is a pair of jeans, autographed by the cast of "How I met your mother" one of my favorite shows, have to keep my fingers crossed on this one as there are already 16 bids on it though!

The charities that will be benefiting from the auctions held between June 2008 and May 2009 are:

Feeding America (formerly named America's Second Harvest - the nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization), The Art of Elysium (which enriches the lives of artist and critically ill children), H.E.L.P. Malawi (spreading hope, education, love and protection to the children in Malawi) and Hope North (displaced children in Uganda find a new home: education, recreation, vocational training and communal living).

Over 500 celebrities and 200 designers have participated in Clothes Off Our Back auctions since its inception in 2002, helping raise nearly $3 million for various children's charities.

Take a peek over at Clothes Of Our Back, and get the clothes off the back of your favorite celebrity, you'll be getting a great deal, and supporting some really great charities.