Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: AZDuraWrap

Twitter Bio:  Large Scale Shrinkwrap packaging, shipping, and storage solutions for machinery, aircraft, inventory, boats, vehicles, scaffolding, and construction sites.

Company Name: AZDuraWrap 

State: Arizona

Main Website: http://azdurawrap.com

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/AzDuraWrap

Admin Name: Cyndi Ricca

Klout Score: 46

Followers: 603

Following:Follower Ratio: 1.05

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

Saturday, July 18, 2009.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

Choosing whom to follow was a challenge, at first. As a business, you think you want to follow and be followed by people that may need your services or products, but twitter will quickly teach you that no one is here to be sold to. Twitter is truly about interacting, connecting, and, eventually, word-of-mouth exposure will follow. You must establish relationships first, tweet interesting or funny content, and be willing to push forward another’s agenda in kind. Over time, your stream grows and evolves into a great mix of friends and mentors and your agenda morphs along with it.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I would say I average four to five tweets a day but there are those days when a discussion warrants more input and equally, days when I may not have much to add. While I don’t have a set schedule, I try to pay attention to the busiest time for my industry which seems to be between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and between 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. With hootsuite on my phone, I’m in constant contact and can join the conversations at any time.

4. What is your recommendation to new people on twitter?

Watch first! Follow a variety of people and brands that interest you, and then watch the conversations, interactions, and tone of your stream for at least a week before engaging. There is a rhythm to Twitter which is unlike other social sites and it takes time to catch on to how the conversations work. The best description of Twitter that I’ve heard is, it’s a giant cocktail party and you should behave as you would at that party. This is especially important for business accounts. Be helpful, gracious and most importantly, authentic. I also never RT (retweet) a link without first checking it.

5. What is your favorite hashtag and why.

I have two favorites! As one of the original creators of #FBLT (Facebook Liking Tuesday), I would have to choose that one. After a discussion on Twitter, about Facebook and the lack of an identified community within the construction industry, several of us decided to create such a community by directing industry account managers to each other’s Facebook Pages. It has turned into a great group of businesses engaging with, learning from, and supporting each other.

My other favorite is definitely #tinyfabkidney which has been tracking the journey of @DiyaMarketing to find her Mom (#tinymom) a kidney. I became aware of this when my friend  @TheFabulousOne offered to be tested, found she was a match, and proceeded with a successful surgery on Tuesday, April 19, 2011. Best Twitter story ever!

6. Did you have a twitter mentor? How did that come about?

It’s very helpful to follow a few social media consultant accounts like @jaybaer and @MariSmith. They both offer great information, tech tips, and statistics to help you further your agenda.

Having said that, my true mentors were some of the very first accounts I followed with great people doing an excellent job combining their personalities with their message. @pinchel, @mlanger, @lafinguy, @lafingal, and @sundt are a few that come to mind that have helped me either directly or indirectly.

I’m naturally drawn to funny people and while it’s certainely not a must-have, I tend to look for a sense of humor when choosing whom to follow. All of the above mentioned accounts share that trait and, at times, our “off hours” conversations are entertaining, to say the least.

7. Can you recommend a twitter account that we should be following?

Tough call, this one. As @sundt said, there are many great ones out there but I would have to go with the ones I’ve mentioned that make me laugh. The ones that, though we’ve never met, I could call, say I had a flat tire, and know they’d be on their way. Or at least they’d better be! 😉

Additional comments:

Twitter is not magic, it’s a tool. Creating an account and sending out what amounts to as advertising will harm your business rapidly. Instead, show up, be real, and engage.

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