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Jan 31 |
Twitter and MeTagged Under : TwitterPosted in Twitter by Sian |
Just over a year ago our SEO consultant – Webmentor.ie – advised us to sign up to Twitter. I thought it was a really silly name and didn’t actually hold out much hope for it but I signed up anyway. You can read here how great it has been for Whatswhat.ie but this blog is how it has been for me personally.
Originally I followed a lot of Irish based people as it would be good for business. Not realising a lot of these contacts would become good friends too. At the time Whatswhat.ie were looking for sales people – self employed commission only agents. This sparked some odd comments from some guys which felt a bit like an attack on me and suddenly I had a few twitter ‘friends’ jumping to my defence. I hadn’t met these people but they there just when I needed them. Three of the people that stood out at that time were @tony_frattaroli @grainnesherlock and @giftsandvoucher. Since then we have all met and they have become firm friends in real life.
After many years of a great social life in London I moved to Dublin 6 years ago and then down to the country 18 months ago. I live in a ‘cul-de-sac of fields’ according to my friends. I love my quiet life now and rarely go out – it really suits me and I’m very happy with the dogs, cats and great neighbours. I work from home and I’m online 99% of my day. So Twitter is ideal for me as I can chat to friends and businesses online without having to go out and network – I leave that to my business partner, Barbara Gordon, who is known as the Queen of Networking.
One Friday in August three of us on Twitter were all drinking Pinotage and we got tweeting saying we should have a #twineup. Twineups have become quite infamous on Twitter since – most Fridays in fact 
We actually arranged a twineup to drink Pinotage in real life and they have become very close friends too – @mrs_schregardus and @mrs_bopp
That evening I also met @claireboyles who has become a good friend too. Besides the fab advice she gave me for LinkedIn – and helping to finish off all the lovely food we had lol – I am now dog-sitting for her. I have the lovely Goldie at my feet as I type – she’s fitted in brilliantly with the other dogs and even Bruce the cat.
Since then we’ve had a couple more #twineups and @elainerogers and @springlamb have visited too. There are a couple more Twitter ladies I’ve spoken to/texted on the phone a few times and we’ve emailed – the plan is to meet up next month and I really can’t wait to see @tipperary_lass and @orbeeque.
So I have found twitter to not only be great for business but have also met some very good friends through it and often have a laugh. I’m sure the Six Nations rugby will be fun again too. When I had Appendicitis recently I couldn’t believe the amazing support I had from my Twitter friends and even people I didn’t really know. I have listed more of my twitter friends below, some I have met in real life and some I haven’t met yet. There are lots more and if I haven’t included you I’m sorry but bear with me as I’m finishing this quite late at night. Give me a nudge and I can add your name to the list.
@fionaashe @budsandberries @jonathanpurvis @vintageireland @miriamahern @craigy1 @Nialldevitt @fredchannel @lostfoundpets @dublins98dave @irishsmiley @celaV @primaryposition @woodaledesigns @paraic @soaperstar @aileenwilliams @garrendennylane @schregardus @evertb @padmali
If you aren’t on Twitter and want to start then come and say hi to me. I’m @whatswhat_sian and I’ll introduce you to a good crowd.
If you are on Twitter have you found it great for making friends too?
Lovely post Sian and your friendship to me has been invaluable. Thanks Twitter
Twitter shows just what a small world it is as some of your Twitterfriends I actually know from the ‘real’ world!
Sián,
Lovely post and you said it very well!
And, thanks, for mentioning me too
I love it that with Twitter, there are no barriers and it is an open world.
Tweet you soon!
@IrishSmiley
Lovely post Hun xx
Great post Sian and thanks for the mention too – looking forward to meeting you sometime. Twitter proves that the world really is a small place and great to see the support Melanie got on Twitter over the last week.
Excellent post Sian, I’m so happy to have met you all through Twitter. A lot of people will know my recent ordeal with the media, the support of people on Twitter (friends and people that don’t know me) was incredible. I’ve had a huge amount of low moments over the last week, and each time I was able to log on and get words of love and encouragement. Don’t think I’d be coping so well without that.
I think this whole thing has been a surprise to a lot of people in the media .. The Power of Twitter
Mel
x
What a lovely post, I am a reasonably new Irish businesswoman (2 years) tweeting from @outsidermag and this made me smile. I feel like I know most of you from reading your updates from bed first thing every morning!! (My significant other berates me for it, but I say its just like getting the newspapers!) I love twitter for keeping in touch with others in the same boat and also we get tonnes of ideas for the magazine from all the posts. was shocked and horrified about what happened to Mel last week.
Here’s to Irish twitterers!!
vanessa
hi sian, a great post and glad to know that I am not the only one who truely feels the very real human aspect of this virtual twitter world. The fact that we are all friends virtual or otherwise is a tribute really to you yourself to be honest. The sincerity, hilarity and general twit talk that we mange to cram in over those 145 characters regularly amazes me. As I posted on your facebook wall you are the true Twitter Queen and long live your/our virtual twineups.
Thanks for all my twitter mentoring over the past months and to the 257 followers whose foundation started with you firstly and whatswhat a close second.
Felicity or aka twitter budsandberries
Hey Sian,
Thanks for the mention – you have been so generous with your time re-tweeting the posts from the site and even bringing some to the attention of people you know in the specific area. Having seen the fruits of your social petworking effort in terms of followers and re-tweets, I think you deserve your own regal title your majesty, queen of petworking
Joe
Thank you for all the kind comments and loving the title “Queen of Petworking” – that suits me down to the ground. Thanks again
Hi Sian, Thanks for the mention. Your post about Twitter on Bloggertone went down a treat
http://bloggertone.com/marketingideas/2010/01/29/twitter-and-my-business/
Keep up the great work