A mortgage interest statement reports the total amount of the interest, points and rewards on a mortgage for a calendar year paid. It can also be used to report real estate taxes or fees, condo, although this is required information from the IRS. The form is the IRS form used in 1098. If a small business owner directly when purchasing a property financed small businesses each form 1098 to offer, must the payments.
Instructions
1. Calculate the total principal, interest and other payments on the mortgage for the calendar year.
2. Fill the section for the recipient's name, address, telephone number and federal identification number with the appropriate information for small businesses. The small business is the recipient of payments.
3. Fill you the section for the payer name, address, social security number with the appropriate information for the individual numbers the mortgage.
4. Enter the total amount of the mortgage interest against the mortgage applied during the calendar year in box 1. This amount should include only the interest portion of the payment.
5. Giving you the total amount of points paid, if any, in box 2. In small companies the subject property transactions is commercial real estate likely. Reports points in field 2 shall be paid only for a point on a primary residence.
6. Give refunds of interest, in the course of the year in the box 3 too much. Subtract from refunds of payments and include the net amount in box 1 not. Refunds should be reported separately from the payments.
7. Enter the amount of a mortgage insurance premiums paid in the course of the year in box 4.
8. Enter additional payment information in box 5. This can control payments for real estate, condo fees or property address the mortgage concerns.
9. File Form 1098 by March 1 if you are filing on paper or by March 31 if you are electronically submit.
Saturday, 5 May 2012
How to Report Mortgage Interest
At the end of each year, will send your bank, interest form 1098 that shows how much you have paid. Interest rates paid on your mortgage, because you can deduct it from your taxes. Mortgage rates is limited but that is cap the interest that you pay for the first million dollar of your mortgage ($ 500,000 if you from your spouse a separate tax return), which means that for most all of your mortgage interest will be deductible people.
Instructions
1. Enter the amount of the mortgage rates on line 10 of scheme A you have a mortgage with a lender that form 1098 sends you and you a private mortgage you have to step 3.Wenn, such as such as a mortgage by the seller which form 1098 sends no you, report the mortgage rates in lines 11 and continue to step 2 on.
2. Enter the name, address and social security number of the person you your private mortgage lending have see line 11.
3. Other expanded deductions for the year your mortgage interest claimed deduction added and the sum on line 29 of Schedule A. report this amount is transferred Form 1040 and your adjusted gross income will be deducted on line 40A.
Instructions
1. Enter the amount of the mortgage rates on line 10 of scheme A you have a mortgage with a lender that form 1098 sends you and you a private mortgage you have to step 3.Wenn, such as such as a mortgage by the seller which form 1098 sends no you, report the mortgage rates in lines 11 and continue to step 2 on.
2. Enter the name, address and social security number of the person you your private mortgage lending have see line 11.
3. Other expanded deductions for the year your mortgage interest claimed deduction added and the sum on line 29 of Schedule A. report this amount is transferred Form 1040 and your adjusted gross income will be deducted on line 40A.
How Much Interest Is Paid on a Mortgage
Mortgages are money-making investment for lenders, because they require interest, a fee for the use of their money is effective. However this can be a confusing topic for new borrowers. Borrowers, to the interest on a mortgage operation understand why lenders to charge interest, such interest is calculated and why the interest payments change during the term of the mortgage, even though the monthly payment remains constant.
Instructions
1. You, understand why lenders to calculate interest. Interest is from the lenders to inflation, the risk of you not back to pay, to take account of the loan and the Bank profits.
2. Understanding of the functioning of interest. The amount you have borrowed interest every day, you don't pay it back. On a mortgage is interest compounded, or add the balance in your account every month.
3. Understand how interest is calculated. Each month, the amount of interest is, which collects the monthly interest rate on your account at any time the balance. For example, the annual interest rate 6 percent, would the monthly interest rate 0.5 percent. If your current account balance $165,000 were, you would have $825 interest charged.
4. Understand why the amount of the interest paid each month changing you, although your monthly payment stays the same. The mortgage payment is fixed over the term of the loan but the amount that goes towards interest and the amount each month going to the most important changes. For example, would if your monthly payment were $1,000 and you owe $165,000 at 6 percent per year the next month $825 to interest, to go pay with $175, the balance to be paid require. Next month, only $164.825, debt would you so that your interest payment would be $824.13. This means that the $175.87 would go down paying towards your mortgage.
Instructions
1. You, understand why lenders to calculate interest. Interest is from the lenders to inflation, the risk of you not back to pay, to take account of the loan and the Bank profits.
2. Understanding of the functioning of interest. The amount you have borrowed interest every day, you don't pay it back. On a mortgage is interest compounded, or add the balance in your account every month.
3. Understand how interest is calculated. Each month, the amount of interest is, which collects the monthly interest rate on your account at any time the balance. For example, the annual interest rate 6 percent, would the monthly interest rate 0.5 percent. If your current account balance $165,000 were, you would have $825 interest charged.
4. Understand why the amount of the interest paid each month changing you, although your monthly payment stays the same. The mortgage payment is fixed over the term of the loan but the amount that goes towards interest and the amount each month going to the most important changes. For example, would if your monthly payment were $1,000 and you owe $165,000 at 6 percent per year the next month $825 to interest, to go pay with $175, the balance to be paid require. Next month, only $164.825, debt would you so that your interest payment would be $824.13. This means that the $175.87 would go down paying towards your mortgage.
How to Calculate a Mortgage Constant
A mortgage constant is a useful tool for a real estate investor, because it simplifies and clearly shows how much the borrower over a certain period of time to pay. This value is suitable only for the closed, fixed-rate mortgages. The calculation looks difficult, but with correct entered math and exact values, you can determine easily the mortgage constant.
Instructions
1. Collect the required material. Ensure that you the mortgage statement. In this document show your monthly payment-including a breakdown between principal and interest-your balance and your interest rate. Their loan agreement show the original amount borrowed and the confirmation that the loan is closed a variety. A repayment plan confirm your calculations on the mortgage constant.
2. Write the following formula: MC = interest rate / [1 [1 / (1 + interest rate) ^ n]]. The following values MC: Mortgage constant; Interest rate: Mortgage rate; ^ n: exponent of the term of the loan.
3. The following example try. Find the mortgage constant for a mortgage $100,000 with an interest rate of 8% and a term of 20 years (240 months). Use the formula: MC 08 = / [1 [1 / (1.08) ^ 20]]. If properly calculated, your mortgage constant to. 10184 should come.
4. Figure your annual payment simply multiplied by your loan amount the mortgage constant. In the example, this looks like $100,000 x 10184 = $10.184. Therefore, your will be $10.184 annual payment on the mortgage.
Instructions
1. Collect the required material. Ensure that you the mortgage statement. In this document show your monthly payment-including a breakdown between principal and interest-your balance and your interest rate. Their loan agreement show the original amount borrowed and the confirmation that the loan is closed a variety. A repayment plan confirm your calculations on the mortgage constant.
2. Write the following formula: MC = interest rate / [1 [1 / (1 + interest rate) ^ n]]. The following values MC: Mortgage constant; Interest rate: Mortgage rate; ^ n: exponent of the term of the loan.
3. The following example try. Find the mortgage constant for a mortgage $100,000 with an interest rate of 8% and a term of 20 years (240 months). Use the formula: MC 08 = / [1 [1 / (1.08) ^ 20]]. If properly calculated, your mortgage constant to. 10184 should come.
4. Figure your annual payment simply multiplied by your loan amount the mortgage constant. In the example, this looks like $100,000 x 10184 = $10.184. Therefore, your will be $10.184 annual payment on the mortgage.
How Do Work Bonuses Get Taxed?
Get a bonus from your employer can facilitate financial worries, and you immediately think of ways, sensibly used the money. But before your bonus it is imperative spending this money for taxes, by a percentage aside. While bonuses from your regular pay are separated, the IRS sees this money as income and you are obligated to pay income tax on the amount.
Definition of Bonus or Supplementary Income
Bonuses work relate to payment or income from your employer that is separate from your regular pay. Employers give bonuses for different reasons. For example, your employer to the end of the year bonus, which is a part of the company can offer or your individual sales. In addition, can employers create contests that reward productivity or sales to increase and then top producers with a cash bonus. Bonuses are usually an employer way show appreciation towards its employees.
Definition of Bonus or Supplementary Income
Bonuses work relate to payment or income from your employer that is separate from your regular pay. Employers give bonuses for different reasons. For example, your employer to the end of the year bonus, which is a part of the company can offer or your individual sales. In addition, can employers create contests that reward productivity or sales to increase and then top producers with a cash bonus. Bonuses are usually an employer way show appreciation towards its employees.
Withholding tax
Employers are not required, bonus pay wages with regular wages. For this reason, employers can print out a separate examination for bonus payments. Because not income from regular wages include this check, can employers to withhold or pulling off a flat 25 percent of premium testing for federal income taxes. This deduction applies up to $1 million for bonus payments. Employees who will exceed the $1 million mark in bonuses taxed another 35 percent on any amount exceeding $ 1 million.
Alternative method
While employers can exhibit any separate checks, they have to determine the ability of the counting of the sum of the two payments and then the necessary withdrawal based on this amount. In this case, employers calculate the sum of the bonus payment and steady income. Use the sum of the two, employers to determine the standard tax deduction. Employers then the routine rather than deduct payment amount from the regular income and subtract the remaining deduction of the bonus payment of income.
Issue a cheque
Instead of printing two separate invoices can employers decide, give employees a consolidated check reflecting premium wages and steady income. Includes the sum of the two numbers, determine calculation of the tax in this case the standard hold back and then subtract this amount from the single test computing.
Testing
Although the deduction of the tax can also use several methods employers from your income, bonus income with your regular pay is a pot, deposit of income taxes. In the event that your employer too much of your wage is deducted, the IRS will refund this overpayment after you your annual tax return.
How Is Bonus Income Taxed?
Tax Withholding
The IRS has rules that must follow withholding tax employer control of bonus income. How much will be retained and which system is used to calculate this amount, depends on how much bonus income is involved in in the first place. If the bonus in the amount of $ 1 million, employers are obliged to refuse 35 percent regardless of other factors. However, if the bonus income less than $1 million, have employers a number of options if it hold back is a question. This depends on the rule the tax bracket, the number of exemptions you claim on your W-4 form and if the bonus paid with wages is regular within a pay period or handled separately as bonus income.The IRS detailed instructions, how these should be calculated, the IRS Publication 15 (see resources) are outlined. Many employers refuse to be premium on the safe side but only 25 percent of your income. Learn from your employer in hold back whatever system is used. If your employer uses the specific approach, you can a good online calculator to estimate how much will be withheld from your bonus check
What You Pay
The IRS treats bonus income as extra income. You pay the amount of tax income finally on the bonus, if your tax return depends greatly on your personal circumstances. Their entire income and deductions that you use in order that are taken into account at this point. When you use a tax registration software, you need only a few questions to answer and it automatically calculates how much, if any, tax you debt.
The IRS has rules that must follow withholding tax employer control of bonus income. How much will be retained and which system is used to calculate this amount, depends on how much bonus income is involved in in the first place. If the bonus in the amount of $ 1 million, employers are obliged to refuse 35 percent regardless of other factors. However, if the bonus income less than $1 million, have employers a number of options if it hold back is a question. This depends on the rule the tax bracket, the number of exemptions you claim on your W-4 form and if the bonus paid with wages is regular within a pay period or handled separately as bonus income.The IRS detailed instructions, how these should be calculated, the IRS Publication 15 (see resources) are outlined. Many employers refuse to be premium on the safe side but only 25 percent of your income. Learn from your employer in hold back whatever system is used. If your employer uses the specific approach, you can a good online calculator to estimate how much will be withheld from your bonus check
What You Pay
The IRS treats bonus income as extra income. You pay the amount of tax income finally on the bonus, if your tax return depends greatly on your personal circumstances. Their entire income and deductions that you use in order that are taken into account at this point. When you use a tax registration software, you need only a few questions to answer and it automatically calculates how much, if any, tax you debt.
How to Calculate Payroll Taxes on a Bonus
Your employer can issue you a bonus check of during certain times of the year. Sounds great, or? It may be, but taxes are handled by your specific situation differently depending on. Do know get to keep all the details, so you can understand how much of this bonus.
Instructions
1. Bonus checks are also known as supplemental wages. You are paid mostly at the end of the year and the discretion of the employer. Most employers extend premiums than let employees know a way they are appreciated and recognized.
2. The unfortunate thing about premium is controls how they are taxed. It is a flat rate of 25 percent for federal taxes. And depending where you live, there is also a flat rate for the retention of the State. Many try to the 25 percent rule to skip but with little success. Sometimes, you can increase the erlangbaren to your regular review before receiving the bonus. Your bonus check compensation that is deducted for the high taxes. You can adjust your taxes later. Another possible solution is to increase your restraint, after you have received the bonus amount. This method only works if you get your bonus before the end of the year.
3. There is also the aggregate method. Staff encourage this more than the fixed rate. Their bonus check is with your regular review, paid, so it based on the erlangbaren, connected is calculated with the periodic review. Depending on the wage and payroll software is used the system could be the bonus as regular income, treat, you in a higher tax bracket place that can.
4. Some employers are generous enough to do, what has called a "Gross-Up," where your bonus is issued as a separate test, and your net salary corresponds to the amount of the bonus. Meaning, no taxes will be deducted. In this case, the employer pays all taxes, but the amount of the bonus is added to your year to-date result.
5. In the calculation of premiums, you take care, all IRS and State follow guidelines. If you are confused as your bonus check will be taxed, there are several online resources to help calculate. Or contact your Department. In the settlement are trained to deal with such matters. If they don't know the answer, they will know usually where to find you
Instructions
1. Bonus checks are also known as supplemental wages. You are paid mostly at the end of the year and the discretion of the employer. Most employers extend premiums than let employees know a way they are appreciated and recognized.
2. The unfortunate thing about premium is controls how they are taxed. It is a flat rate of 25 percent for federal taxes. And depending where you live, there is also a flat rate for the retention of the State. Many try to the 25 percent rule to skip but with little success. Sometimes, you can increase the erlangbaren to your regular review before receiving the bonus. Your bonus check compensation that is deducted for the high taxes. You can adjust your taxes later. Another possible solution is to increase your restraint, after you have received the bonus amount. This method only works if you get your bonus before the end of the year.
3. There is also the aggregate method. Staff encourage this more than the fixed rate. Their bonus check is with your regular review, paid, so it based on the erlangbaren, connected is calculated with the periodic review. Depending on the wage and payroll software is used the system could be the bonus as regular income, treat, you in a higher tax bracket place that can.
4. Some employers are generous enough to do, what has called a "Gross-Up," where your bonus is issued as a separate test, and your net salary corresponds to the amount of the bonus. Meaning, no taxes will be deducted. In this case, the employer pays all taxes, but the amount of the bonus is added to your year to-date result.
5. In the calculation of premiums, you take care, all IRS and State follow guidelines. If you are confused as your bonus check will be taxed, there are several online resources to help calculate. Or contact your Department. In the settlement are trained to deal with such matters. If they don't know the answer, they will know usually where to find you
How Much Money Can a Small-Business Owner Put in a Retirement Account?
Independent small business owners need to plan and save for retirement like everyone else. This requires that you have enough money to for your provisions account was, but the problem often is how much is that in determining. The problem is further aggravated by the fact that it different pension for self-employed entrepreneurs returns - and each has its own limitations in terms of posts.
Instructions
1. Examine the various retirement plan options available. For self-employed, there are four main types of accounts. Each has its own benefits and maximum permissible contributions. The simple IRA, SEP IRA, solo 401 (k) and the defined benefit plan are the four main types of accounts available. The simple IRA, SEP IRA and solo 401 (k) are probably for most small business owners.The defined benefit plan should be used only if you have or have a significant amount of money to save for retirement. This plan is $195,000 maximum allowable annual contribution maximum of 2011.
2. create you each month can save you a budget, to determine how much money towards retirement. This can a major challenge and for themselves, because they have to fixed and variable business issues and have a good feel for how much excess liquidity that goes directly in your Pocket every month have. Create your budget on the basis of personal income you take away from your company.
3. A set target, a percentage of your money each month and keep it save. Commit the more you save, the better. If you don't know realistically how much you can put aside, set a minimum target of 10% of your income, and shoot for a higher number. A gate between 10 and 50 per cent should be owner feasible for most small businesses. Bodies, which at the end of the range best suits you to save your ability and store every month starting money.
4. Determine to plan retirement at best your needs as a small business owner is. You can your plan based on any number of different criteria how, when, and how they are taxed. Since you are trying to determine to save an amount, you should select a plan based on the contribution limit. This helps to establish you, how much of your own money to save. A simple IRA has a contribution limit of $11,500 for self-contributions, while the IRA can be stored to SEP up to $49,000. The solo 401(k) allows up to $49,000, but with the possibility of a deferral salary $16,500 for tax, plus another 25 percent of income comes.
5. The maximum contribution allowed by the plan you choose through 12 dividieren-- need to determine deposited each month to reach the maximum amount. Compare this number to your original destination. If it is lower than your goal, choose another plan or open several retirement accounts. If it is higher than your goal is increase your goal or your goal and the maximum allowable limit as a series of savings for every month to shoot you. This will gives you the ability to allow your savings as your finances.
Instructions
1. Examine the various retirement plan options available. For self-employed, there are four main types of accounts. Each has its own benefits and maximum permissible contributions. The simple IRA, SEP IRA, solo 401 (k) and the defined benefit plan are the four main types of accounts available. The simple IRA, SEP IRA and solo 401 (k) are probably for most small business owners.The defined benefit plan should be used only if you have or have a significant amount of money to save for retirement. This plan is $195,000 maximum allowable annual contribution maximum of 2011.
2. create you each month can save you a budget, to determine how much money towards retirement. This can a major challenge and for themselves, because they have to fixed and variable business issues and have a good feel for how much excess liquidity that goes directly in your Pocket every month have. Create your budget on the basis of personal income you take away from your company.
3. A set target, a percentage of your money each month and keep it save. Commit the more you save, the better. If you don't know realistically how much you can put aside, set a minimum target of 10% of your income, and shoot for a higher number. A gate between 10 and 50 per cent should be owner feasible for most small businesses. Bodies, which at the end of the range best suits you to save your ability and store every month starting money.
4. Determine to plan retirement at best your needs as a small business owner is. You can your plan based on any number of different criteria how, when, and how they are taxed. Since you are trying to determine to save an amount, you should select a plan based on the contribution limit. This helps to establish you, how much of your own money to save. A simple IRA has a contribution limit of $11,500 for self-contributions, while the IRA can be stored to SEP up to $49,000. The solo 401(k) allows up to $49,000, but with the possibility of a deferral salary $16,500 for tax, plus another 25 percent of income comes.
5. The maximum contribution allowed by the plan you choose through 12 dividieren-- need to determine deposited each month to reach the maximum amount. Compare this number to your original destination. If it is lower than your goal, choose another plan or open several retirement accounts. If it is higher than your goal is increase your goal or your goal and the maximum allowable limit as a series of savings for every month to shoot you. This will gives you the ability to allow your savings as your finances.
What Do You Need to Start a Business as a Dance Instructor?
Always a dance instructor and open a dance instruction company can a profitable company. Dance Studio owners have usually little overhead costs, apart from what they can pay for their installation and the associated costs, such as utilities. Starting a business as a dance instructor on either a part or full - time basis are made can, and requires a combination of dance training and business acumen.
Expertise
Knowledge classified dance instructors to the Bureau of labor statistics as self enrichment teachers. These are teachers, training in non-academic subjects. Dance instructor not necessarily those who a dance lessons companies need to open, but many, these types of companies have a strong knowledge of dance and work as trainers themselves. The Bureau noted that prerequisite for dance and other self enrichment teachers, that they should be experts in their field. With additional training in specialized areas of dance, such as such as salsa, can attract more paying students and to lend credibility to the statement that you provide. A Bachelor's or master's degree can also be far in this respect.
Studio
Although not absolutely necessary, in the business of teaching dance begin, have your own Dance Studio location, offer statement your company credibility offer. Dance studios is quite simple to prepare for teaching. These require usually a reception desk and a large open space for the provision of instruction, although with additional space for an Office can be also useful. Can you create your company by providing instruction in other directories, such as schools, gyms or community centers, until a significant list of customers started. After a Dance Studio will also require that you get required licenses and permits from your local community.
Marketing
A marketing plan is probably one of the biggest keys to success in this industry have, especially if you plan to wait to open your Studio. Dance students need to be aware of so that you can create a steady stream of income your services. You can use your teaching services market in a variety of different places, such as local classifieds, online classifieds sites, and online social networks. Networking with other professionals in the fields of can be a fertile source for potential customers, and good word of mouth is always the best advertising possible.
Capital
Unless you plan to your dance company outside of a Studio environment open lessons, you must get started some start-up capital. Realistically, you should your rent, utilities some research to determine, how much, and other expenses are for a whole year. You must also allows to the cost of licensing. If you are planning to open a certain dance franchise, you will have to get enough money for franchising fees, and all other requirements of the franchise must meet. Getting a small business loan you get from the ground may be the fastest way to raise more capital, the ones you need to get started.
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How to Market Your Small Business on Twitter
If you are not sure whether Twitter ousted soap operas as a time sink or offers some of your best ways to relations with customers to build and improve your business that can brand identity, the answer not surprise. Like all marketing media, or any medium that can be used for marketing offers Twitter results how carefully you approach it and how fully you participate in. Looking over by be to see Twitter ability to connect real people to opportunities, non-traditional appearance the your company-can transform a little at a time.
Instructions
Do
1. Remember that success on Twitter can build slowly, and that trying to hurry it by buying followers or using shady shortcuts doesn't work. As SocialMediaToday points out in a case study of hardball marketing run amok, "There is no magic pill, magic ticket or free ride to success in social media and business."
2. Be yourself. That means two things on Twitter. First, make your tweets sound like the cohesive voice of your business. If you're small, capitalize on your identity as a one- or two-person business and equate your size with a focus on treating customers like individuals. Second, even if you're bigger than a sole proprietorship, assign one person who's good at communicating your authentic value as a business to be your official and singular voice on the service. Keeping your participation real goes a long way toward attracting followers. As Twitter itself suggests, "Share photos and behind the scenes info about your business. Even better, give a glimpse of developing projects and events. Users come to Twitter to get and share the latest, so give it to them!"
3. Balance overt attempts to attract customers with tweets that convey your company's personality without making an obvious commercial pitch. When you do post a discount offer or a special sales event, your followers pay greater attention to it because you're not always explicitly soliciting their business.
4. Use your Twitter presence to gather more than customers. You can share insights with fellow business people, and even find opportunities to barter services, collaborate on a project with community implications, build a network of like-minded entrepreneurs or learn from veteran business owners. Use mentions and following strategically to build a position of authority in your field. Twitter recommends that you "Reference articles and links about the bigger picture as it relates to your business."
5. Think twice about following everyone who follows you. If you're using your Twitter timeline as a place to rub elbows with customers and suppliers, trying to keep up with a long list of people you followed only as a thank you turns your tweet stream into a raging river of who-can-read-all-that. If you do decide to follow back routinely, define whom you'll follow and whom you won't on the basis of attributes you can discern easily, then create original, non-automated thank-you responses in keeping with your focus on authenticity. As Mashable points out in an essay on the American Express OPEN Forum, "If you do decide to follow everyone, authenticity is key. Your followers will be able to tell whether they're talking to a robot or a person — and a real person is always more valuable on Twitter."
6. Leverage your plans for charitable giving into your Twitter strategy. Consider the relationship between Halo Pets, a holistic pet food company, and the twin websites Freekibblekat.com and Freekibble.com. Modeled on the FreeRice microgiving concept, in which visitors correctly define words to add small numbers of grains of rice to the total donated toward world hunger, these two websites donate small amounts of pet food to homeless animals in shelters. Visitors take a daily multiple-choice quiz, and right or wrong, their participation adds to the kibble donation.
New Twitter followers of the charitable sites trigger additional kibble donations, as do new followers of the Halo corporate Twitter account. Followers see discounts on pet food, previews of the daily trivia questions, and other informational and commercial tweets. The relationship unifies two congruent organizations in an endeavor that's consistent with both their goals, and gives the commercial enterprise added credibility for its visible commitment to a cause.
Don't
1. Avoid the "too-much-information," or TMI, phenomenon. If you overshare with your target audience, you may wear out your welcome. Never give your desired customers a reason to unfollow you. As difficult as it is to garner worthwhile followers, it can be many times more difficult to reacquire them, especially if they tell their friends why they stopped following you in the first place.
2. Don't bribe people to follow you. It's one thing to offer special discounts, one-time or longer-term, to your followers. It's another to post repeated tweets about how grateful you'll be for followers, or anything else that sounds awkward, desperate and just plain wrong. Ask yourself if you'd make the same pitch or solicit business the same way if you were on the phone or in the office with the people you're courting on Twitter. If the answer is no, don't implement the strategy.
3. Ignore messages -- formerly direct messages -- and tweets that ask specific questions or offer specific comments at your peril. If someone's taking the time to engage you on specific grounds that relate directly to what you do or what you didn't do, meet her halfway and learn something from how you're perceived, good or bad.
4. Be the powerboat, not the ocean liner. Ocean liners need lots of space and time simply to turn around and move in the opposite direction. Twitter's short, direct communications encourage and foster nimble abilities to move in new directions you weren't expecting to go. Listen to what your customers ask, and don't be afraid to change a bad policy swiftly in response to criticism, or continue a special offer if too few customers found out about it in time.
5. Resist the temptation to tweet about or at an event just because it's different to do so. Different killed the Edsel, a remarkable car with advanced features -- and a grille that looked like a chrome gourami. On a Network Solutions blog, Joe Loong describes five things you don't want people remembering you tweeted about, including two that involve life and death. You don't want to be the company that live-tweeted a child's funeral, or the doctor live-tweeting a kidney operation. Some things need not see the light of day.
6. Don't get into a back-and-forth defending yourself against an accusation of a deal gone wrong from a disgruntled customer who clearly gets more enjoyment out of visibility than you do. Take the high road. In the long run, it's far less expensive to maintain.
7. Sign up for Twitter to help build brand equity for your business, not to become a compulsive retweeter with nothing original to say. If your Twitter output consists of nothing but what other people think, your customers and prospects have no idea where you stand and every reason to suspect you don't, either. The occasional retweet can be a great way to show your agreement with an equally great idea, but think about how annoying “me-too” behavior can be in real life, and avoid being a digital bore.
Instructions
Do
1. Remember that success on Twitter can build slowly, and that trying to hurry it by buying followers or using shady shortcuts doesn't work. As SocialMediaToday points out in a case study of hardball marketing run amok, "There is no magic pill, magic ticket or free ride to success in social media and business."
2. Be yourself. That means two things on Twitter. First, make your tweets sound like the cohesive voice of your business. If you're small, capitalize on your identity as a one- or two-person business and equate your size with a focus on treating customers like individuals. Second, even if you're bigger than a sole proprietorship, assign one person who's good at communicating your authentic value as a business to be your official and singular voice on the service. Keeping your participation real goes a long way toward attracting followers. As Twitter itself suggests, "Share photos and behind the scenes info about your business. Even better, give a glimpse of developing projects and events. Users come to Twitter to get and share the latest, so give it to them!"
3. Balance overt attempts to attract customers with tweets that convey your company's personality without making an obvious commercial pitch. When you do post a discount offer or a special sales event, your followers pay greater attention to it because you're not always explicitly soliciting their business.
4. Use your Twitter presence to gather more than customers. You can share insights with fellow business people, and even find opportunities to barter services, collaborate on a project with community implications, build a network of like-minded entrepreneurs or learn from veteran business owners. Use mentions and following strategically to build a position of authority in your field. Twitter recommends that you "Reference articles and links about the bigger picture as it relates to your business."
5. Think twice about following everyone who follows you. If you're using your Twitter timeline as a place to rub elbows with customers and suppliers, trying to keep up with a long list of people you followed only as a thank you turns your tweet stream into a raging river of who-can-read-all-that. If you do decide to follow back routinely, define whom you'll follow and whom you won't on the basis of attributes you can discern easily, then create original, non-automated thank-you responses in keeping with your focus on authenticity. As Mashable points out in an essay on the American Express OPEN Forum, "If you do decide to follow everyone, authenticity is key. Your followers will be able to tell whether they're talking to a robot or a person — and a real person is always more valuable on Twitter."
6. Leverage your plans for charitable giving into your Twitter strategy. Consider the relationship between Halo Pets, a holistic pet food company, and the twin websites Freekibblekat.com and Freekibble.com. Modeled on the FreeRice microgiving concept, in which visitors correctly define words to add small numbers of grains of rice to the total donated toward world hunger, these two websites donate small amounts of pet food to homeless animals in shelters. Visitors take a daily multiple-choice quiz, and right or wrong, their participation adds to the kibble donation.
New Twitter followers of the charitable sites trigger additional kibble donations, as do new followers of the Halo corporate Twitter account. Followers see discounts on pet food, previews of the daily trivia questions, and other informational and commercial tweets. The relationship unifies two congruent organizations in an endeavor that's consistent with both their goals, and gives the commercial enterprise added credibility for its visible commitment to a cause.
Don't
1. Avoid the "too-much-information," or TMI, phenomenon. If you overshare with your target audience, you may wear out your welcome. Never give your desired customers a reason to unfollow you. As difficult as it is to garner worthwhile followers, it can be many times more difficult to reacquire them, especially if they tell their friends why they stopped following you in the first place.
2. Don't bribe people to follow you. It's one thing to offer special discounts, one-time or longer-term, to your followers. It's another to post repeated tweets about how grateful you'll be for followers, or anything else that sounds awkward, desperate and just plain wrong. Ask yourself if you'd make the same pitch or solicit business the same way if you were on the phone or in the office with the people you're courting on Twitter. If the answer is no, don't implement the strategy.
3. Ignore messages -- formerly direct messages -- and tweets that ask specific questions or offer specific comments at your peril. If someone's taking the time to engage you on specific grounds that relate directly to what you do or what you didn't do, meet her halfway and learn something from how you're perceived, good or bad.
4. Be the powerboat, not the ocean liner. Ocean liners need lots of space and time simply to turn around and move in the opposite direction. Twitter's short, direct communications encourage and foster nimble abilities to move in new directions you weren't expecting to go. Listen to what your customers ask, and don't be afraid to change a bad policy swiftly in response to criticism, or continue a special offer if too few customers found out about it in time.
5. Resist the temptation to tweet about or at an event just because it's different to do so. Different killed the Edsel, a remarkable car with advanced features -- and a grille that looked like a chrome gourami. On a Network Solutions blog, Joe Loong describes five things you don't want people remembering you tweeted about, including two that involve life and death. You don't want to be the company that live-tweeted a child's funeral, or the doctor live-tweeting a kidney operation. Some things need not see the light of day.
6. Don't get into a back-and-forth defending yourself against an accusation of a deal gone wrong from a disgruntled customer who clearly gets more enjoyment out of visibility than you do. Take the high road. In the long run, it's far less expensive to maintain.
7. Sign up for Twitter to help build brand equity for your business, not to become a compulsive retweeter with nothing original to say. If your Twitter output consists of nothing but what other people think, your customers and prospects have no idea where you stand and every reason to suspect you don't, either. The occasional retweet can be a great way to show your agreement with an equally great idea, but think about how annoying “me-too” behavior can be in real life, and avoid being a digital bore.
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