Blogs

First, let me establish that I am a right-brain creative technophobe. If you find Twitter obtuse, we could be BFFs.

I had to overcome my Twitter aversion in order to market the humorous real estate book I wrote because, per many social media gurus, it is the best social media platform (and least expensive, and quickest) for getting the word out about your service or product. There's a reason Guy Kawasaki, Apple's chief marketing evangelist for the Mac, maintains a follower base of 2 million plus and tweets up to 10 times a day.

So when there's a simple way to get followers on Twitter, something you can do just once (or better yet, have someone else do it) and have it keep working for you, I must share: it's your banner.

The banner, aka masthead or header, is the first impression you make and is almost as important as how often and what you tweet. To engage followers you need to look follow-worthy, and you do that with an image and words that speak to people - that show you have common interests and that following you will be interesting.

Unruffle those feathers! You do not need to create the banner yourself. There are several services (I used Fiverr.com) that will do that for you for about $25, and the result will fit Twitter's size parameters. If you've authored a book, include a picture of it. Don't worry, though, if you don't have a book (it won't be conspicuous by its absence); just tell the designer that you want some graphics to indicate that you write. If you have a cause you're passionate about and you want to put it "out there," include a relevant logo (if permissible) or some reference to the issue. The more avocations or interests you display in your banner, the more diverse a follower base you'll attract. Think about what kind of audience you want.

In my instructions to Fiverr I said I needed a colorful, upbeat Twitter banner that would appeal to book lovers, business people, and those who like to read positive, inspiring quotes. I wanted to identify myself geographically, so I included a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge. If you need ideas, look up other authors' Twitter pages and see what they did.

As the great philosopher Woody Allen said, "80 percent of success is showing up." A great banner will ensure that you show up well.

- Cathy Turney

Cathy Turney is the author of Get 10,000+ Twitter Followers - Easily, Quickly, Ethically. Her humorous tell-all about the real estate sales industry, Laugh Your Way to Real Estate Sales Success, won the American Business Association Stevie Award for Best Business Book of the Year in 2015. She is a contributor to Huffington Post, tweets at @CathyTurneyLafs, blogs at www.CathyTurneyWrites.com and emails at Cathy@CathyTurney.com.