Listed under Blog Please add your views, ask questions...

Follow Andy Crichton on Twitter

What is this Twitter milarkey? Let me explain what has happened since I started participating “properly” in Twitter in mid-December as acmasterpainter, and then make up your own mind if there is any value in it for you or your business.

1 – I have received professional first hand advice about using Earthborn clay paint. @ecopainterbtn

2 – I was introduced to one of the country’s leading paint analyst and colour matching experts @paperspaints He has since advised me on the most suitable colour ranges for a hand-painted Shaker kitchen that I have been asked to quote on.

3 – I have been put in touch with a local photographer @fotofacade who specialises in architectural photography. The examples of his work are stunning, and in the coming year, I hope to employ him to provide professional photos for my website.

4 – There are a number of interior designers and architects from around the country who now follow what I am posting about work and other interests via Twitter.

5 – I am closely following developments with @ProjectBook who are using Twitter to bring together the country’s best craftsmen, so that owners of listed and historic buildings have a pool of professionals to choose from.

6 – And I can keep up with what is going on in the USA, via professional people who live literally in the same part of town that we lived in till last year, like designer @plaidiguana. And of course, I follow the best painters and decorators from coast to coast, from @ApogeePainting in Oregon to @rodeickpainting in NC.

Amazingly, I have interests outside of painting and decorating, and Twitter has made it possible for me to get the inside story on climate change from a real climatologist at Manchester University, and gain all sorts of insights and tips from scientists, venture capitalists, socialites, environmentalists… in my village, in Cheshire and all over the UK… I am also glued to updates about the garment industry and real life conditions for weavers and women in Cambodia from my favourite Twitterer, Ingrid, at @LilouColours

Currently 62 127 people in Twitter are interested in what I post on my website – my approach to painting and decorating, examples of my work. And when I find interesting articles outside of painting, I use Twitter to publicise them so those people following me can read, enjoy, comment, and recommend to their own pool of fans / followers.

And this “engagement idea”, is the crux of how Twitter can help you build up a network of people who genuinely share the same interests as you inside and outside of business. Seriously, I have met so many likeminded people on Twitter, decorators, designers, all manner of professionals who talk a similar language to me, and are really willing to share their expertise.

If any aspect of my Twitter experience appeals to you, then sign up for free and jump in. Search for @acmasterpainter and I will gladly help you with any questions.

And ProjectBook have written a great introductory summary of the hows, whys and wherefores of Twitter for business which will get you underway in the right direction. They also run half day course on effective marketing with Twitter

If the last 3 months are anything to go by, Twitter really is a simple and rich way to network and develop meaningful relationships in and out of your business. Feel free to Retweet this page!

Twitter logo is from IdeaChampions article Twitter gets it

Share this page with friends and colleagues

About Andy Crichton

Andy completed City & Guilds Advanced Craft in 1984. Scraping off wallpaper, rubbing down woodwork & re-decorating every square inch of a 5' x 10' panel, he never realised how lucky he was to learn the old school way - till now, when he draws on all that training to hand-paint kitchens & advise on decorating. Luckily he is still learning & enjoying the trade...

full work profile: contact info, work photos, articles, video...