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: @HamtilConst

Twitter Bio: Hamtil Construction is proud to be building a tradition of quality construction and remodeling St. Louis, MO.

Company Name:  Hamtil Construction LLC

City/State: St. Louis, MO

Main Website: hamtilconstruction.com

Facebook Page: facebook.com/hamtilconstruction

Admin Name:  Paul Hamtil

LinkedIN Profile:  linkedin.com/in/paulhamtil

LinkedIN Company Page:  linkedin.com/company/hamtil-construction-llc

Klout Score: 43

Followers: 815

Following:Follower Ratio: 0.79

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

I started the account in December of 2010, but didn’t actually tweet for several weeks. I wanted to sit back and observe what in the world was happing on twitter and how other people were using it. It took some time to figure out who to follow and what I was going to be tweeting. If I remember correctly, my first tweet was “Happy New Year!” in 2011.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

My first obstacle was buying into the fact that Twitter, among other social media, was going to be beneficial for me and my business. After deciding to finally take the plunge, the next obstacle was to crack the Twitter code.

I remember thinking,

What’s up with all the pound sign word things?

As well as,

am I going to get a virus if I click on this weird looking short link?

Alas, no virus has been had yet, and now I understand what hashtags are and how to decipher them. The only other issue I had was with the background design I have. It seemed to take a long time to work it out.

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

No schedule; I just try to tweet every day. Having a consistent presence is important to me. I might tweet two times or ten times a day, depending on how busy I am. I do use scheduling frequently to set up posts for the next day, and then I monitor replies and such via my phone through the day.

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

Don’t put too much emphasis on how many followers you have or are following. Take time to carefully build a network of people who will add value to your experience. People will unfollow you; don’t take it personally. Be social and engage with people through comments and RT’s.

Also, you may want to do some initial learning on Twitter via Mashable’s Twitter Guide:

5. What is your favorite hashtag and why.

While I don’t frequently use many hashtags, one of my favorites is #stl. Short for St. Louis, I use it to connect with people in my local area of service in an effort to be relevant to potential clients. Another favorite, if I may self promote, is #100RMtips. I created it to use during a campaign I started where I will be tweeting 100 remodeling tips in 100 days.

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

I owe a lot of credit to @Clamstorm – my friend Matt, a fellow business owner and commercial real estate investor who planted the seed in me for Twitter back in early 2010.

Once I began using twitter, I picked up a lot from @Clamstorm and other people such as @SLSConstruction, @Splintergirl, @RigginsConst, and @BobBorson to name a few.

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

For business related ideas, I learn quite a bit from @smallbiztrends and @ducttape. Some other favorites I could suggest are @LeahThayer, @HibbsHomes, @SomeChum, and @BuildingMoxie.

Additional Comments:

While it took some time to embrace Twitter with an open mind, I am grateful to have done so. The connections I have made with other industry professionals have proven valuable. Twitter has become a solid component of our social media and marketing efforts, and it has paid off.

Thank you so much to Bridget for inviting me to participate! I appreciate it!

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