How To Catch All of Your ReTweets and Mentions On Twitter

Did you know that the @Replies Tab in Twitter only lists the Tweets that begin with "@yourname" but doesn't include any tweets that contain your handle inside of the Tweet? For example - the following Tweet (although it contains @axiompr) would not show up in my @Replies tab because the @ isn't at the beginning:

If you aren't watching your stream constantly, there is no way to catch everytime someone ReTweets you or mentions your name. There is probably a lot you are missing out on. How can you be sure to not let these valuable interactions slip by unnoticed? The answer is simple and will help you become a much better Twitter user.

Step 1. Go to www.search.twitter.com . This great tool will allow you to search for people who are talking about what you are interested in, which in this case is your handle.

Step 2. Search for your term. When I search for "axiompr" (my handle is @axiompr) the search will bring up all the times "axiompr" has been Tweeted. This will find not only my own Tweets, but those times when someone else ReTweeted me or used my handle in the middle of their Tweet.

Step 3. Click "Feed This Query" at the top right of the page. Now, anytime that someone ReTweets you or mentions your handle within their Tweet, you will catch it. This is also a great way to be alerted on other key terms, to keep track of hashtag conversations, and to become aware of opportunities that you may have not known about.

Axiom is Hiring!

Wanted: A candidate who can work a minimum of 30 hours per week for a stipend-paid internship. Best candidate for the position must possess fire-in-the-belly initiative and won’t shy away from being stretched across multiple communications projects, i.e. results lists, product pitch follow-ups, and idea generation for a number of home and garden, hospitality, consumer tech, and automotive clients.

We’re also looking for someone who has confidence; it’s a no-brainer for delivering messages over the phone, in meetings, and via e-mail. Due to our small office environment, ideal candidate must demonstrate independent work ethic, so it’s preferable to have previous internship/class experience in marketing, PR, journalism.

But the biggest thing you must possess… is a love for emerging media platforms and technologies like FriendFeed, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and a number of blogs that benefit Axiom’s clientele. This doesn’t mean you know of them-- it means you use them and understand how businesses can market their products by leveraging multiple social networks. Like to write about social media? Good. You’ll be a daily contributor to our Daily Axioms blog and assist in developing strong word-of-mouth buzz for our guerrilla marketing adventure, the Phone Booth.

If that sounds like you, @ reply either Drew or me on Twitter and we’ll send you off to the guy who hires!

Axiom Marketing Communications is based in the Twin Cities. Only locals may apply!

What is helping Kindle succeed?

I know exactly 0 people who own a Kindle. A lot people I know probably have not even heard of it either. But it is succeeding.

A report came out last week that said Kindle is selling at a pace quicker than the first generation iPod. The rumors about Kindle 2 are spreading like wildfire today.

Why do you think Kindle is succeeding?

Here are some of the responses. Leave some more of your ideas below in the comments.

Interactivity: working for social media popularity

I’m not going to regurgitate Amber Naslund’s stellar post on creating a social media system. I blogged about my own ideas about a week ago, returning limited results by a showing of no comments. You have to wonder… what makes people on Twitter popular enough to be mentioned on Twitter’s most influential Tweeters list? It has everything to do with interactivity.

Interactivity is not a one-way streak; it’s mutual. So why does everyone think someone is going to comment on their blog when they’re not out there working for it? I’ve finally figured it out from my aggregator tool Feedburner that Daily Axioms’ highest blog traffic comes from guest commenting. It’s then that I realize my comments matter, and also when I receive e-mails from the blog authors themselves hoping I come back and visit soon.

You’re probably wondering why I’m using Twitter and blogs interchangeably. Umm… if you haven’t figured out that one leverages the other… yikes. That’s a sure-fire indicator you need to create a social media system. Twitter is used a lot for link building purposes with the help of Tiny URL or some other shortener. It makes sense that, since the space is so short itself, quick links would be a viable option.

There really is no set path to being the best at interactivity, but avoid fragmenting spaces like Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook, etc, so as to look like an expert. Let your interactivity with people on these spaces be the deciding factor of whether or not someone considers you’re worth listening to when it comes to social media consultancy. It’s #followfriday, so if you’re not following this person, you’re missing out on conceptual and hands-on understanding of interactivity.

Time to take the interactivity test
If you answer “yes” to one of the questions below, you need to create a social media system—goals for yourself that will help you thrive at interactivity:

1) Are you skim-reading blog posts and searching for something to say?

2) Are you looking desperate on Twitter by vigorously reading the first feed page and @ replying those people with “haha” or “good post!”?

3) Are you searching for the top Twitter users with more than 1,000 followers and @-kissing them (more on this term later, but you can guess what it means ;)?

4) Are you on LinkedIn joining all the social media groups and then using them to build your credibility on your profile?

5) Are you trying too hard overall, meaning are you finding the lack of “natural” in what your next move is?

I’ve answered “yes” to all of these except 3&4 because I know better now. What about you?

101 Things That Will Add Value To Your Resume

I got motivated to write the following post for two reasons: 1.) Even if you have a job, you should be keeping your eyes open for your next position as well as how you can improve your resume 2.) Looking for a job is tough work and while it can seem like you are getting nowhere, it is important to remember that there is still so much opportunity out there. I have been there. Keep heart and stay positive.

My hope for this post is to answer the following question:

What could I add to my resume that would help me get a job?

Many people go through the routine (especially when jobless) of submitting resumes and cover letters, waiting to hear about the position, and then repeating the cycle if success is not found. What if, in addition to continuing to pursue jobs, we could add more value to our portfolio of experience? It's exciting to think of all the chances that we have to improve our future. Here are 100 suggestions for things that could add value to your resume (thanks to everyone who contributed to compiling this list):


Volunteer
1. Volunteer at a local food organization.
2. Start a charity.
3. Raise $10,000 for a charity.
4. Build a house with Habitat for Humanity.
5. Walk dogs at the Humane Society.
6. Work for Meals on Wheels.
7. Organize a craft project at a nursing home.
8. Give some of your time at an elementary school as a field trip assistant or lunch room monitor.
9. Help at an after school program.
10. Volunteer for a political group.
11. Go on a volunteer vacation.
12. Volunteer to be a book reader at the public library.
13. Organize a neighborhood trash clean up project.
14. Tutor immigrant children.
15. Coach a little-league team.
16. Help out at a church youth group or youth retreat.

Skills
17. Learn Spanish.
18. Learn Chinese.
19. Learn German.
20. Learn HTML.
21. Learn CSS.
22. Learn Flash.
23. Learn inDesign.
24. Learn how to convert computer files between different formats.
25. Learn how to use Technorati.
26. Learn how to use Friendfeed.
27. Learn how to use Feedburner.
28. Become proficient at Twitter.
29. Set up a LinkedIn profile.
30. Write a helpful book.
31. Learn Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
32. Learn the ins and outs of how Google search works.
33. Learn how to use an Apple.
34. Become comfortable with RSS Feeds and RSS Readers.
35. Learn how to put together a social media press release.
36. Learn how to put together a traditional press release.
37. Take a course in accounting.
38. Master Google Analytics.
39. Understand the differences between Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.
40. Get comfortable with PowerPoint.
41. Learn how to track click-throughs on links.
42. Learn how to use all the Google tools.
43. Learn how to use a picture camera - digital and film
44. Learn how to use a video camera.
45. Learn the basics of audio recording.
46. Practice communication and building relationships through email.

Relationships
47. Get a mentor in your field.
48. Attend a Social Media Club/Social Media Breakfast in your city.
49. Build a relationship with an influential blogger.
50. Sign up for HARO.
51. Seek out recommendations from the top people in your field.
52. Join a public speaking group.
53. Have one meaningful conversation with someone each week on Twitter.
54. Attend free social media seminar teleconferences.
55. Create a networking group on an online community.
56. Start a discussion forum or group in LinkedIn.
57. Join an association within your field.
58. Get involved with the alumni association of your college.
59. Find the people that are passionate, meet them, and get involved with what they are doing.
60. Practice your elevator speech about yourself.

Projects
61. Put together a movie project.
62. Get featured as a contributor on an online video series, blog, or column.
63. Build a useful and highly used Facebook application.
64. Start a blog about your passion.
65. Write a short blog post that gets the point across.
66. Write a very detailed blog post that requires a lot of research.
67. Be the first to talk about a hot topic.
68. Improve your Google search results for your name.
69. Find a creative way to show what you've done (go beyond just telling).
70. Successfully pitch a story that gets placed in your local paper.
71. Give case studies of your projects with quantifiable results.
72. Plan a large community event.
73. Freelance a writing project.
74. Start a blog about job searching.
75. Build a profitable Squidoo lens.
76. Teach a community education class.
77. Discover your niche within your field and become the expert in it.
78. Be a guest speaker in a high school class.
79. Meet with your local newspaper and give them an idea for how to make money.
80. Find something you can do in 1 hour that takes other people 2 hours. Show how you do it.

Resume Tweaks
81. Identify 2-3 areas of expertise to bullet-point on top of resume.
82. Buy www.yourname.com.
83. Be a Purple Cow.
84. Don't put these 6 words on your resume.
85. Make sure to have a professional sounding email address.
86. Take a Myers Briggs test.
87. Find a way to fit your resume all on one page.
88. Create a consistent online brand.
89. Consider a creative resume design.

Be Well Rounded
90. Read more books.
91. Learn to play guitar.
92. Take a cooking class.
93. Join a sports league.
94. Join a book club.
95. Start a club.
96. Read Mashable, Techcrunch, and other blogs daily to learn more ways to be ahead of the curve.
97. Become comfortable with talking about a subject on video.
98. Grow a garden.
99. Teach yourself a skill that doesn't relate to your field of work, but is difficult to learn.
100. Join a choir.
101. Finish a marathon.