How Twitter Can Help You Get More Assignments

Just this past week I got an interesting note from a very savvy and forward thinking PR professional.

Hi Tim,

Feel free to check it out at www.twitter.com/fairmonthotels.

I instantly clicked on the link and joined their Twitter feed. Within seconds I was scanning information that might have been of service to me had I been researching an article about hotels, Canada, or luxurious travel destinations.

The “tweets,” as the micro-updates are called, continued to roll across my eyes on a daily basis and so far have been on topic, informational and keeping me in the loop of what the hotel chain is doing.

So why the big deal?

Because it is yet another way travel writers can stay ahead of the curve and use social media to snag stories, formulate ideas and create relationships.

Just incase you aren’t quite sure what Twitter is, and don’t worry most don’t, it’s premise is very simple. Users set up an account and answer the question, “What are you doing,” in less than 140 characters. Users can then follow other users and read their feeds as they are updated. Some folks use the site to blast personal information, while others use it to have conversations, share links, and in this case, help potential writers know what’s going on.

I have been using Twitter for a few months now and have already made two connections that have led to freelance work.

So take a moment and sign up. I’ll post a list of people I would recommend following next week and I’ll even start up a Written Road feed for instant updates on job openings, blog post, and other cool stuff we find out about.