Twitter is a phenomenon.  There are millions of users, 
thousands of blogs on how to use it effectively, and 
hundreds of add-on products.  All for an unintentional 
product that was never designed for the traffic it now has 
to carry. Every vendor has a profile, every consultant is 
promoting their services, and every publication is using it 
to try and stay relevant.  There are press conferences on 
twitter, special price promotions are released on twitter, 
and leaders of big channel organizations are trying to stay 
connected to their far-flung organizations through 
twitter.  To dismiss it as merely trendy and personal is to 
miss the point.  Everyone who matters is trying to figure 
Twitter out. Its like the world's biggest cocktail party 
and all the important people have been invited.

Mike: 

As always, you have summed up the situation in a very
succint and interesting way. I remember crazes where
people ran out to purchase pet rocks, cabbage patch
dolls and all sorts of other short term sensational
phenomenon. The interesting thing about Tritter is that
they have successfully built a huge database that is
relying on them far too much. As Twitter changes ...
and it will ... its success will be on how it leverages
this massive following and how it provides more
functionality. 

Twitter has already received $57 million in venture
capital and still their CEO Evan Williams says that 

Twitter is a phenomenon.  There are millions of users, 
thousands of blogs on how to use it effectively, and 
hundreds of add-on products.  All for an unintentional 
product that was never designed for the traffic it now has 
to carry. Every vendor has a profile, every consultant is 
promoting their services, and every publication is using it 
to try and stay relevant.  There are press conferences on 
twitter, special price promotions are released on twitter, 
and leaders of big channel organizations are trying to stay 
connected to their far-flung organizations through 
twitter.  To dismiss it as merely trendy and personal is to 
miss the point.  Everyone who matters is trying to figure 
Twitter out. Its like the world's biggest cocktail party 
and all the important people have been invited.

Robert

Great topic, Twitter is a conduit to link many of the best
Web 2.0 solutions together.  I use Twitter to tweet messages
to my 2200 followers, which in turn hits my 1500 followers
on Facebook.  Does it equate to business?  Sometimes, it
does increase awareness and it is great for marketing.  I
can always share my Conficker story on how we leveraged
blogs, twitter and traditional media to inform and educate
Alberta business to why your business is secure with a TBA
versus just a VAR.

We also leverage Twitter to give a running commentary on
issues and link people together at a conference.  Just
search #HTG to see what is happening at the HTG Summit in
Dallas this week.

Twitter, Facebook, Blogs etc all have a place in the TBA's
marketing strategy also you better know it, your clients
will ask about it and if you are a true TBA you will share
the benefits and the potential security concerns.  

The majority of VARs and IT Professionals may tell their
clients to block it, TBA's will educate their clents.

It is time to start tweeting.

Stuart Crawford
Calgary, AB
http://www.twitter.com/scrawforditm

Stuart:

I am getting there. I have a Twitter account and as of
today, I am promoting it a bit. I am trying to learn
how to use it effectively for business purposes. Like
online publications, emails, websites, blogs, social
networks, and so on ... it takes me awhile to get on
board, but once I do, I try to do it right. Like I
said, I am getting there. Any help anyone can provide
to me, will be greatly appreciated.

Robert

Great topic, Twitter is a conduit to link many of the best
Web 2.0 solutions together.  I use Twitter to tweet messages
to my 2200 followers, which in turn hits my 1500 followers
on Facebook.  Does it equate to business?  Sometimes, it
does increase awareness and it is great for marketing.  I
can always share my Conficker story on how we leveraged
blogs, twitter and traditional media to inform and educate
Alberta business to why your business is secure with a TBA
versus just a VAR.

We also leverage Twitter to give a running commentary on
issues and link people together at a conference.  Just
search #HTG to see what is happening at the HTG Summit in
Dallas this week.

Twitter, Facebook, Blogs etc all have a place in the TBA's
marketing strategy also you better know it, your clients
will ask about it and if you are a true TBA you will share
the benefits and the potential security concerns.  

The majority of VARs and IT Professionals may tell their
clients to block it, TBA's will educate their clents.

It is time to start tweeting.

Stuart Crawford
Calgary, AB
http://www.twitter.com/scrawforditm

 I think Twitter alone sounds like a glorified IM.  But 
putting it into the social networking explosion, it's 
almost like a new diet/recipe: a dash of Facebook, a dash 
of myspace, a dash of youtube, a dash of AIM, a dash of MSN 
IM, two a dashes cellphones/IM/texting/etc.. and a healthy 
dose of alka seltzer, pepto bizmo and other medications for 
the parents/adults/elders around the kids!  So in a 24 hour 
period how do they manage this, sleep, work, school, etc?

I  Did a Google on 'twitter results'and saw this [Results 
1 - 10 of about 18,600,000 for twitter effective. (0.42 
seconds)]: 
1) http://www.doshdosh.com/ways-you-can-use-twitter/
17 Ways You Can Use Twitter: A Guide for Beginners, 
Marketers and Business Owners

Some great comments. I think Twitter came about just at
the right time in regards to having all the stars lined
up just right. I am really interested in seeing where
they take it next. That is where the genious has to
take control.

What Twitter adds to communications is to allow you to 
listen to folks that matter and turn OFF others. 
Conversations - 2 way - are good - for example Linked In 
etc. Now if only we could turn OFF those that do not matter 
in conversations/groups - lets say some wanted to FOLLOW 
Robert in the Trusted Business Advisor Group and wanted to 
turn OFF Dennis - communications would be much improved.

Twitter to Cell Phone is interesting - I've always wanted 
to send out a message to all who know/follow me that I am 
at XYZ Pub on my third Scotch - Join me.

Interesting comment. I just got an email from a company
in Israel called iSkoot that does exactly what you are
talking about (I think), in regards to Twitter to Cell
or for that matter just about anything and everything
to cell.

The hard part will be turning people off. Guess I will
have to rely on my personality, or lack thereof, to
help me in this regard :). 

 I think Twitter alone sounds like a glorified IM.  But 
putting it into the social networking explosion, it's 
almost like a new diet/recipe: a dash of Facebook, a dash 
of myspace, a dash of youtube, a dash of AIM, a dash of MSN 
IM, two a dashes cellphones/IM/texting/etc.. and a healthy 
dose of alka seltzer, pepto bizmo and other medications for 
the parents/adults/elders around the kids!  So in a 24 hour 
period how do they manage this, sleep, work, school, etc?

I  Did a Google on 'twitter results'and saw this [Results 
1 - 10 of about 18,600,000 for twitter effective. (0.42 
seconds)]: 
1) http://www.doshdosh.com/ways-you-can-use-twitter/
17 Ways You Can Use Twitter: A Guide for Beginners, 
Marketers and Business Owners

What Twitter adds to communications is to allow you to 
listen to folks that matter and turn OFF others. 
Conversations - 2 way - are good - for example Linked In 
etc. Now if only we could turn OFF those that do not matter 
in conversations/groups - lets say some wanted to FOLLOW 
Robert in the Trusted Business Advisor Group and wanted to 
turn OFF Dennis - communications would be much improved.

Twitter to Cell Phone is interesting - I've always wanted 
to send out a message to all who know/follow me that I am 
at XYZ Pub on my third Scotch - Join me.

I always come down on the side of over communication of 
valuable information that has a learning message to our IT 
industry, expand knowledge of individuals,and helps 
business in tough times. NO JUNK MAIL PLEASE ! As Einstein 
stated , Knowledge is Powerful.

We live in different times. A revolution of information is 
happening real time. We have come a long way since the 
power of IBM's Word Prosessing - Power Typing - the 
Selectic Typewriter..the paperless office...Revelutionary !

Our Grandparents lived in an era of Horse & Buggy, Flight, 
Man on the Moon,the Computer Age ..we live in an era of 
Linked-In, Twitter, Social Networking..I can't wait to see 
what my 10 Grandchildren say....I need to go..I need to 
seek some technical computer assistence from my 5 years old 
grandchild....Knowledge is Powerful !..I'm sure he could be 
the next Einstein, or cure cancer....

Really interesting comment. Once upon a time I was the
youngest full professor in Canada's history ... or at
least that is what I was told. At that time in my life
I fully agreed that it was impossible to provide too
much information. 

Now, 30 years later, I spend about 10 hours a day, 7
days a week online answering emails, reading blogs,
keeping up with business networks, etc. I think I am
possibly a recipient of too much information and a
provider of too much information. 

That being said ... I have a 5 year old granddaughter
and a 4 1/2 year old son ... both of whom seem to know
more about computers then I do. 

Cheers.

I always come down on the side of over communication of 
valuable information that has a learning message to our IT 
industry, expand knowledge of individuals,and helps 
business in tough times. NO JUNK MAIL PLEASE ! As Einstein 
stated , Knowledge is Powerful.

We live in different times. A revolution of information is 
happening real time. We have come a long way since the 
power of IBM's Word Prosessing - Power Typing - the 
Selectic Typewriter..the paperless office...Revelutionary !

Our Grandparents lived in an era of Horse & Buggy, Flight, 
Man on the Moon,the Computer Age ..we live in an era of 
Linked-In, Twitter, Social Networking..I can't wait to see 
what my 10 Grandchildren say....I need to go..I need to 
seek some technical computer assistence from my 5 years old 
grandchild....Knowledge is Powerful !..I'm sure he could be 
the next Einstein, or cure cancer....

Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, chat, myspace.  Do we need more ways of 
communicating with each other, or can't we just meet face to face, or over the 
phone, and communicate with feeling, instead of just 140 characters.  

Since when has my life been shrunk down into 140 characters.  Enjoy your 
family, your friends, exercise, and mother nature.  Things that are part of who 
we are, part of our soul, and not just 140 characters! Stop the madness and get 
a real life!

Ian: 

You sum up my feelings pretty acurately. However, since
the Trusted Business Advisor program is supposed to be
about looking forward and so many people are asking me
about it ... I am going to start to really explore it
and see what it can ... and cannot ... do. 

I will fill you in as we go.

Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, chat, myspace.  Do we need more ways of 
communicating with each other, or can't we just meet face to face, or over the 
phone, and communicate with feeling, instead of just 140 characters.  

Since when has my life been shrunk down into 140 characters.  Enjoy your 
family, your friends, exercise, and mother nature.  Things that are part of who 
we are, part of our soul, and not just 140 characters! Stop the madness and get 
a real life!