As I write this post, my second computer monitor, the one dedicated to Twitter, is distracting me.  Why is it distracting me?  It’s fun.  I enjoy getting to know people in like fields and learn about what they are thinking and doing.  I enjoy the real folks I can relate to that talk about the off-color things that happen to us all as life unfolds.  Tell me about how your baby just barfed down your shirt.  I get it. I prefer that to: “How to Make $8000 a Day, Here’s How.”

This relates to Family First Entrepreneurs because these social tools are, and will be, powerful marketing tools available to us all at a very low cost.  The cost is time, which is of huge value to us as a group, and we must consider it before launching ourselves into the social world. Social marketing tools definitely take time.

The other issue to consider is Twitter’s newness and unproven track record: its ability to turn nothing into something.  I have gone “all-in” on the belief that success with my book ONO is possible with Twitter as a key tool.  I do see three times the traction on Twitter as I do on Facebook in terms of traffic to my blog.  So I am seeing positive results as I stumble around.  Our site traffic and preorders of ONO continue to grow.  At this point, it’s working for me.

Stumbling is what it feels like, but I know when I am on Twitter it feels friendly, insightful, helpful, but most importantly, real.  I have built real relationships on Twitter where people I have met are rooting for the success of ONO and Family First Entrepreneurism.  I am thankful for that and enriched as a result of the communications.

Most of the self-professed Gurus teaching Twitter and social tools in general had something before they started, and they are selling the one thing that sells well in this space: help with social marketing.  I feel skeptical of the Gurus in this space, but I read what they write and find their information valuable.  I just don’t take it as end-all advice.  To lighten it a bit, I think in some ways we are all still guessing on Twitter, it’s just too new.

So how do I feel about my Twitter experience so far? I would say overall, I love it.  My only concern is, that as I dedicate more and more time to my followers, I wonder if it will be worth it, financially.  As with anything in the social space, I hate to talk about financial return, but it is my duty to my family to use my time well.  I must have a return on investment. They spell love T-I-M-E and I can’t be frivolous with it.

Do I advise that you get on Twitter? Definitely.  Start building your following now. When we do figure this out, you’d better already be on the bus.  Watch the time you spend and build relationships, as you build your following.  Real people attract real people, so be real.  Use that as your base and you will learn as you go.