Twitter: How to Set Up Your Legal Nurse Consulting Account

Attorneys are flocking to Twitter. So are over 4,000,000 other people who have signed up for this site along with your technologically-advanced potential attorney-clients.

What Is Twitter?

Twitter is the fastest growing social media site on the web today. It is taking the Internet by storm with about 10,000 new users per day signing up to participate in this Internet revolution.

Twitter is best described as a micro-blogging platform. You are limited to 140 characters each time you do an update, which initially, may seem a small amount. However, as you become an experienced Twitterer, it’s amazing what you can fit into 140 characters.

That said, Twitter is like one huge chat room with as many people as you choose to connect with…in your case, I’d focus on attorneys and other Certified Legal Nurse Consultants.

So let’s get started and set up your Twitter account.

How to Set Up

There are a few things that you should be aware of when organizing your legal nurse consulting account. Even if you have an existing account, consider these tips to improve your Twitter experience.

Go to http://www.twitter.com. If you don’t have an account, then you will need to register, otherwise login as you usually do.

Registration

The Twitter screen will ask you for your full name.

The next box asks you for a username. This is where you need to give some thought to how you are going to represent yourself and your legal nurse consulting business on Twitter. Using your name or business name is up to you.

It isn’t critical that you register your own name, but I would advise you to if you can, particularly if your name is an unusual one. I’m sure the last thing you want is someone else impersonating you or your CLNC^® business on Twitter, or anywhere else for that matter.

If you wish to register your business name, then you can do that also. Just make sure you use your own name in the sign up process so you are identifiable and connected with the business name you register.

You are now asked for your email address. Email addresses are linked to accounts and you will only be able to use your email address once. For every Twitter account you register, you will need a different email address.

Be sure to fill in the Captcha letters you see and click Create My Account.

The next screen asks if you want to add any of your email contacts. You can skip this step, or Twitter will search your email address book to find all your friends and business contacts who are already on Twitter.

If you opt to have Twitter search your contacts, then the next screen presents those contacts who already Twitter and asks if you would like to follow any of them. Choose some if you like, but be selective. Social media sites like Twitter can consume a lot of your valuable time.

When you click Finish, you will see your very own Twitter account. You are logged in and ready to go!

Your Settings

On Twitter it’s important to fill out your Settings. You’ll find the access to this at the top right of the screen, fourth link from the left.

On this page you will notice there are some tabs across the top. We’ll cover each tab in detail.

Account Tab

The information you entered when you set up your account shows on this screen, but now it’s time to enhance it so people can find you and your legal nurse consulting business on Twitter and you also make yourself an interesting person to be followed.

People will use the information you enter here to make that decision. Beware that much of what is entered is searchable on Twitter and through various third-party applications.

One thing to note is that you can change your username at any time on this screen. You just have to enter your password to do so. Although it can be done, it can confuse your follower base, so I wouldn’t recommend doing it on a weekly basis.

First select the correct time zone.

Then add your website in the “More Info URL” box. Make sure to include the http:// prefix.

Now fill out your “One Line Bio” box. You have 160 characters here to “sell” yourself as a CLNC^® consultant. Take some time and include your USP.

Add your location so people can search and find you if you are in their same area.

English is the default language in the language box.

Then you’ll see a check box titled, “Protect updates.” This is included if you want to have a private account and you wish to approve followers. NEVER turn this on if you intend to use Twitter to meet new attorney-clients. They won’t bother to request permission to follow you unless they know you personally.

You can now save your settings, but note here that there is also a link to delete your account should you ever wish to do so.

Password

This tab lets you change your password if you want.

Devices

You can enter your mobile phone number here if you want Twitter to send updates to your phone. Personally, I can’t think of anything worse, particularly when you get close to a thousand followers.

Notices

You can have Twitter “nudge” you with a text to your mobile phone if you haven’t updated in 24 hours. What a pain!

The Replies function is an interesting one and will determine what tweets you see that are prefixed with the @ symbol. This is how you direct a tweet to a particular individual or your attorney-client. Read the great help-screen explanation on this, before you make your decision.

The rest of the notices are self explanatory.

If you are new to Twitter and you are following someone and they are following you, Direct Messages can be sent that won’t appear in the Twitter timeline. They are private messages between you and the other person only.

If you are an infrequent user of Twitter, it may be worthwhile to switch on receiving notifications by email so you can respond. Otherwise leave it off as it will just fill up your email inbox with more clutter.

Likewise, the notifications that you have a new follower also clog your email and I would leave it off unless you like the buzz of knowing someone new is following you.

Picture Tab

This is really important. When you open this page you will see the small avatar on the screen which is the default for Twitter.

Add a professional photo of yourself to stand out for a good first impression. This is often more important than your name when people are scanning Tweets.

Design Tab

Here you can change your Twitter page background from the default. Select from the options Twitter provides or you can upload your own background.

You can also change all the colors if you wish. Again, the point is to change it to demonstrate you have taken some time setting up your account.

A note here worth mentioning is that with the plethora of Twitter client applications out there, many people don’t even look at your Twitter page anymore. Still, it is one component of your presence on Twitter and is worth doing well.

Just make sure you save your changes, and you’re done!

Well, that’s it for the setup. The last thing to do now is to click on Home at the top of the screen and send your first Tweet. Something like, “Hi, I’ve just joined Twitter and am looking forward to meeting interesting people” is a good first one to send. Just type it in and click the Update button.

You are up and running! You now have the official “cool factor” of being a CLNC^® consultant who is up-to-date with this social media site.

Guest Blogger Profile

Brian Horn is an Internet marketing consultant who specializes in search engine marketing, site optimization, social media marketing, link building and web data analytics. Brian has consulted with Vickie Milazzo Institute for over three years.

Brian also speaks at seminars and conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada on how to use the Internet to improve business.