They don’t get it. Others don’t either, unless they use Twitter often.

Twitter isn’t just about letting others know what you’re doing through your tweets. The truth is that unless you’re a major celebrity, not everyone cares where you’re going or where you’ve been.

There are a few ways that you can use Twitter to help you grow your business including:

Drawing traffic to your blog. When you update your blog (which you should do several times a week), tweet your latest blog headline and a (shortened) link. The better the headline, the faster your followers will flock to your site.

Sharing articles that may interest your followers. Tweet about articles, blog posts or even photos that will help your followers. I scan about 150 articles a day to find the right ones to share with my followers. If my followers like my tweets, they’ll retweet them, which introduces me to their followers.

Establishing you as the go-to expert. When a writer, reporter or producer is looking for an expert, they may use TweetDeck, HootSuite,  Seesmic, or Twitter Search to find the right person to interview. The same goes for prospective clients looking for a product or service. Twitter is a viable search engine for up-to-the-minute events. While the tweets you find may not be from major news outlets, the links they provide may come from sources you recognize.  This Open Forum article, “Search Marketing, Twitter-Style” gives a good description of how well Twitter works as a search engine.

Growing your online presence. If you’re serious about growing your business, you have to have a Web presence.  Do an Internet search of your name and your company name and if you don’t find yourself, you need to ramp up your online efforts.  Twitter is a good way to do that.

Making new business contacts. I’ve been fortunate to meet some incredible business owners through Twitter including @daveyank, @RightGirl (she’s hilarious) and @TachelleDaniels. We’ve worked on projects together, provided guest posts or interviews for one another’s sites, and found ways to help each other out.

Twitter can help you grow your business if you take advantage of all it has to offer. As for letting others know that you’re on your way to buy frozen yogurt, you may want to open a personal account for that.

Part of the reason is that I’m from a family of five kids which makes me want my own space, my own supplies and as much privacy as possible. This site is called Working Naked, after all.

The other part is that too much of a good thing can be bad. You may adore your spouse but if you spend every day and night with him or her, you may drain the fun out of your business and your relationship.

If you’re still willing to work with your spouse, there are a few ways to keep the peace so no one considers hiring a hit man by closing time.

• Buy duplicate supplies. No one likes to reach for a stapler and realize it’s on someone else’s desk or in another room. Get creative and buy two sets of office supplies in different colors.

• Use separate equipment. There’s nothing wrong with cutting costs, but sharing a computer to save money will cost you in the long run. Whether you use a desktop and your spouse uses a laptop, each of you should have your own equipment. If neither one of you needs to print often, share a printer.

• Leave the room when you need to take a call. Unless you can talk quietly and not bother your spouse while he or she is in the office, leave the room. Anyway, it’s good to get away from your desk throughout the day.

• Use separate desks. Whether you install a long counter with two workspaces or use two desks, keep them away from each other.

• Stay in your own territory. If you and your spouse have different working styles, a neat freak spouse doesn’t want to find stacks of paper on his or her desk. Keep your piles to yourself. If you’re the pack rat spouse and like to work with papers piled everywhere, your picky spouse may drive you nuts when he or she tries to straighten the piles or convince you to toss everything.

• Compromise on the temperature. You may like the office to be as cold as a meat locker, but not everyone likes to wear three sweaters, a hat and gloves to work. Consider using a fan for your side of the room and keep the thermostat at a reasonable temperature.

I’m a firm believer in everyone working together, but not always in the same space.

• Delegate. My friend has a hard time letting go of tasks to the point of micromanaging. When she does delegate, she ends up doing most of the tasks herself or redoing whatever it is she has asked someone to do. Delegating works well if you clearly explain what you want someone to do and then follow up near the deadline date. When someone knows that you’re going to follow up, they’re more likely to do as you ask.

• Focus on the big picture instead of obsessing over small, insignificant tasks. Her retail business is so busy that she rarely finds time to post the next week’s schedule until the weekend. Her employees don’t know what hours they’re supposed to work the following week until late Saturday.  She’s finally agreed to create the schedule a week in advance.

• Listen to the experts. My friend acquired her company from a longtime friend of hers who wanted to retire. Although he doesn’t come to the store anymore, he’s always available to give her advice, share shortcuts and even train her staff. She refuses his help because she wants to prove to herself that she can run the business on her own. When she realizes that her stubbornness is costing her time and money, she’ll accept help when it’s offered and listen to someone with experience.

• Train everyone to cover all positions. She hasn’t taken the time to teach all of her employees how to use the cash register, how to price items or even how to close up shop at the end of the day. That means that every day she has to either open or close her store and can’t take days off. (Her husband already calls her business “the other man.”) When she finally trains each employee to cover any position, she’ll be able to take some time off to recharge.

Take a close look at the way you work. Are you busy or effective?

• Research your competition honestly. Never mislead competitors by pretending to be a client. Instead, set up a Google alert with your competitor’s name in quotes. Each time they’re in the news, you’ll receive an e-mail alert. Check out their Web site to learn more about their products, services and business philosophy.

• Introduce yourself to your competitors. Savvy business people know that there’s enough business for everyone. If a competitor is up to his or her eyeballs in clients, they may send a few clients your way. Or if you’re in different cities, you may be able to partner on different projects.

• Offer to pay for a competitor’s time. If a competitor is willing to offer you advice, be willing to pay for it. While they may not accept your offer, you’re making it clear to them that their time is valuable.

• Talk to people who are using a competitor’s products or services and find out what’s missing. Maybe your competitor is missing something that you could add to enhance your product or service. Consumers will always have a different view of your industry than you.

Take the time to research ways to grow your business, yet make it different from a competitor’s business. No one likes a copycat.

Do you know how your business looks to the outside world? As your client base grows and your business gets busier, you may start to ignore the basics. Take time to look at your business from an outsider’s point of view.

• Analyze your Web site. Does it reflect the tone and style of your business today?  Your product photos and blog should be up-to-date. You don’t need to blog every day but a few times a week is ideal. If you want honest feedback about your site, ask for it. Six months ago I sent a short survey to friends, acquaintances and clients to get their input and insight. Their feedback helped me make a few changes to improve my site.

• Read a few of your outgoing messages. If you were supposed to attach a document, did you? Are there typos? Spell check will catch misspelled words but it can’t tell you automatically whether you’re using the right version of a word.

• Listen to your voice mail message. Can you hear your kids or spouse in the background? Make sure that your voice is clear and easy to understand.  Don’t forget to ask the caller to leave a detailed message that includes their phone number and the best time to return their call.

• Check to make sure the contact information on your business card is current. Business cards are cheap. Instead of crossing out an old phone number, order new cards. Also, make sure that your card is easy to read. A business card I saw last week had a light background, which made the white type hard to read.

Sometimes the image you have of your business can be a bit distorted. Make sure that what others see is a true reflection.

My first rappel down a waterfall...scary, but amazing!

A few weeks ago I spent a week in Costa Rica where I saw incredible plants and wildlife, and took part in more extreme sports (at least they were to me) than I ever have in my entire life. First I sailed across a zip line through the rainforest, then I jet skied across the ocean (note: choppy ocean) and then I went canyoning (in this case, rappelling down four waterfalls and one rock wall) in the rainforest.

Thinking back to my trip made me realize how running a home-based business is like rappelling down a waterfall.

• You’re out of your comfort zone. Just as it’s unnatural to hang onto a rope, push yourself away from the wall and plunge many feet below, starting a new business is unnatural. The way I felt rappelling down the first waterfall seemed as overwhelming as starting my first home-based business. Now that I’m on my third business, starting a new business feels more comfortable.

• You have to trust the experts. I had to trust that our guides at the top of the waterfall had attached the rope to me before they gave me a thumbs up to jump. When you’re running a home-based business, you have to trust that your CPA, attorney, marketing person, Webmaster and anyone else you hire to help you run your business, knows what they’re doing.

• You need to take risks. As I looked over the first waterfall, I questioned whether the risk of jumping off the wall backwards was worth the benefit. (Also, I kept asking myself what in the hell I was doing!) When you’re running your own business, you may think the same thing. If you don’t go out on a limb and start the business you’ve always dreamed of owning, you’ll never know whether or not you could have succeeded. Risks aren’t always worth the benefit but then again, many times they are.

• It’s important to take time to look around you and celebrate your successes. During the first descent, all I could think about was not slamming into the wall. By the last rappel, I looked around and noticed how cool the rocks and water gushing over the side looked. When my feet touched the ground, I was proud of myself for mastering (or at least trying to master) all five rappels. When you own your own business, it’s easy to focus on what’s not working and forgetting to celebrate your successes. They’re there. You just have to look for them.

We ran out of time before we could take on another extreme sport. But there’s always next time.

You’ve heard this phrase, but do you really pay attention to this when it comes to investing in yourself or your business? Many entrepreneurs do not. I know this because I talk with hundreds of women entrepreneurs every month. They are continuously trying to find ways to cut costs, get stuff for free, find someone to trade for services or find a reason why they “can’t afford it” or shouldn’t invest.

Yes, it’s fine and very important to cut costs when you can in your life, business, and in any economic market. However, when it comes to necessary things in the running and marketing of your business or making sales, why would you risk it? Here are some areas where you do not want to skimp or be cheap:

1. The design, maintenance, functionality and updates of your website and entire web presence (blog, social sites, membership profiles, etc.)
2. Hiring assistants and support staff
3. Making a good first impression with whatever that is — your attire, having proper materials and set up at your live events, etc.
4. Your follow-up marketing set-up and processes
5. Technology and software to make things look more professional, run smoother and make it easier for people to buy and connect
6. Coaching, mentors and ongoing learning

Doing so in these areas of your business could result in the following consequences:

• Decreased credibility or worse, developing a bad reputation
• Lack of learning and outdated knowledge
• Lack of the right systems to automate your business and save you time
• Delay in getting stuff done
• Delay in generating more sales
• Missed sales in lack of preparedness, marketing and functionality
• And so much more!

So, hopefully you’re being smart in your decisions and not just watching your pocketbook. This is an awesome time to be in business and do good things. But you have to take your business seriously, not treat it like a part time job or hobby; then you’ll see bigger results!

Katrina Sawa is known as The JumpStart Your Biz Coach who uses online and offline strategies to leverage your resources, contacts and your expertise. Katrina is an author, speaker and coach, has been featured on the Oprah and Friends XMRadioNetwork, and is a regular Business Expert on News 10 in Sacramento. Get her Free Entrepreneur’s Success Kit.



A view of the CPI courtyard and classrooms.

The beautiful Monteverde campus in the rainforest (yes, it’s awesome) includes classrooms (of course), study areas, a library, perfectly landscaped courtyards and stylish yet functional apartments for the students. The CPI apartments and the family’s gorgeous townhouse (the couple has an incredible eye for design) are connected to the school.

Seeing the CPI staff and their owners in action reminded me of a few business tips.

• Listen to your clients. Students often ask about tours and sites to see, so Jonle started a tour division. Now, before a group of students comes to Costa Rica to study, they pick the activities they want to do and Jonle creates an itinerary for them. The students pay in advance and don’t have to worry about paying before every activity.

• Put systems in place to make your business run like clockwork. CPI’s administrative staff and teachers have clear-cut job descriptions and responsibilities. When Carlos and Jonle are away, it’s business as usual and if their staff has any concerns, they can reach the couple easily through their cell phones or Skype.

• Don’t be afraid to expand your business. The peak tourist season in Costa Rica isn’t during the summer when students study at CPI. Instead it’s during the winter months. Rather than leave the apartments empty, CPI rents apartments, called Casas del Toro, to tourists from around the world and organizes tours for their guests.

• Turn subcontractors and freelancers into full time employees when their workload increases. Rather than hire a contractor for individual projects, Carlos decided to hire a contractor full time. The contractor handles projects that are continually going on at one of the three campuses.

Visiting my friends in Costa Rica reminded me of one of the advantages of working from home. You can either stay small or grow your business as big as you want and still be home-based.

Business: Cute Beltz, a line of belts and accessories for children 12 months to 6 years young.

Motivation: No existing product was available. “I could never find a belt for my two-year old. My sister had the same issue while shopping for her son. The items I did find were a nuisance as I had to add notches in the belt or use safety pins, which are dangerous for kids,” says designer and founder, Kristen Ford-Stevens.

Outcome:  CuteBeltz was founded and thriving online in a matter of months. “The response I’ve received from parents has been an ecstatic sigh of relief. They are witnessing their child’s self confidence heighten each time they put on Cute Beltz,” says Ford-Stevens.

Business:

Motivation: A need for privacy. “One day my four-year-old daughter came to me with an intimate item that I thought was hidden quite well in my nightstand.  At that point I realized that I truly needed some discreet storage so I began looking online for something I could keep on my nightstand or dresser.  Everything I found had a padlock or required a small key for access, and in that fruitless search, my idea for ToiBocks was born,” says Dawn Tulman, President of ToiBocks.

Outcome: Sales of Toibocks continue to increase and their fan base grows daily. They encourage their Facebook friends to answer the question: “What do you store in your ToiBock?” which brings out a few interesting responses.

Unlike Duff Goldman and the Charm City Cakes team of friends I described in another post, not every business works when you hire friends.  Before you hire a friend to join your business team, consider these comments from business owners who no longer hire friends.

When I started my home-based business, I hired friends to help me. Doing this was a huge mistake. You do not get the quality of work or respect from friends that you do from hiring previously unknown employees or contractors to work for you. It is very difficult to work with a friend when there is now a boss/employee relationship. I had to fire my friends who worked with me due to poor performance. This of course led to me losing my friendship with those people.

—Peter Geisheker, CEO, The Geisheker Group Marketing Firm

I have learned that friendship has little to do with whether someone is a good employee. Regardless of being friends, someone either has what it takes to be successful in their role or not. I have been sued by a friend that worked with me and I have established a long-term, trusting work partnership with another. I have hired one friend into a role where they were highly successful and another into the same role that failed. Being friends had little to do with their success or failure.

—Randy Mitchelson, Owner, National Web Leads, LLC

Several of my friends are in the PR business, as am I. Having seen some of their work and work habits, I would not hire my friends. In one case, the writing skills are less than optimal. In another, the attention to detail is so meticulous, deadlines may be missed.

—Reese A. Nank, APR, Reputations PR and Marketing

The decision of whether or not to hire friends may boil down to a choice between your business and your friendship.  Would you hire a friend to work for you?