This week we would like you to meet our new “Twitter Partygoer of the Week” — @toothfairycyber: a self-described “chatty Certified Dental Assistant” whose website is both “whimiscal and informative, designed to make you smile!” And she’s a great source for these very cool tooth fairy pillows! Here’s what the Tooth Fairy had to say:

Name: Tooth Fairy
Twitter ID: @toothfairycyber
Website: www.toothfairycyberspace.com
On Twitter since: 2009
I attend Twitter parties because: It’s fun to meet sweet and interesting new folks to follow or gain as believers. There is also a sweet exchange of information, they can be both FUN and educational!
My most memorable party was: An @theonlinemom twitter party was most memorable since I won a Netbook!
The person I would most like to get a tweet from is: ” Ellen ”
My main reason for using Twitter is: I love to communicate and help others with PR and promo. At the same time bringing attention to Dental Health, baby tooth stem cells through my “Toothfairycyberspace” spot in the web!
My biggest Twitter and/or Twitter party tip is: Have FUN with the questions and get involved with other party guests, interact even if it’s sometimes “off topic”.
When I am not on Twitter, I am: Flying through Facebook or crawling along in the world wide web!

Thanks, Tooth Fairy!

If you would like to be featured as our Twitter Partygoer of the Week, just fill out our quick form on TweeParties.com. Our only requirement is that you have attended at least one Twitter party!

This week we would like you to meet our new “Twitter Partygoer of the Week” — Robyn, a self-described ‘cloth diapering, baby wearing, breastfeeding, contest winning mom’ who has won big!

Name: Robyn
Twitter ID: @glassfishie
On Twitter since: 2009
I attend Twitter parties because: I win stuff!
My most memorable party was: #healthychild when I won a $600 air purifier!
The person I would most like to get a tweet from is: The party host saying I won
My main reason for using Twitter is: To attend Twitter parties and enter contests
My biggest Twitter and/or Twitter party tip is: “Favorite” any interesting tweets with links you would like to see so you can go back and look at them later after the party.

Thanks, Robyn!

If you would like to be featured as our Twitter Partygoer of the Week, just fill out our quick form on TweeParties.com. Our only requirement is that you have attended at least one Twitter party!

I’m one of those people.

In a movie theater, I have to do everything I can to suppress my chatter. As the film unfolds, I want to talk about it. When watching t.v.—be it a football game, documentary, reality show or drama—I feel the need to add discussion to the mix, most often to my husband’s chagrin.

But apparently, I’m not alone.

Last week at the NewTeeVee conference, a Twitter executive spoke about the low-cost way for shows to incorporate “a social and community element” to watching t.v. by bringing viewers together via Twitter during a show (from PC World article). And it just might pay off: according to a study mentioned in that article, 60% of t.v. viewers surf the net while watching shows.

Through the use of a common hashtag, Twitter can unite people of similar interests and engage them in discussing the same topic. Pick a unique hashtag, and a date and a time—such as the time a new show premieres—and you have a live event viewers can participate in. By offering a Twitter party or chat that occurs while a show is in progress, you will only adds to the viewers’ experience. If someone feels they cannot participate in both, then so be it; however, for those who crave some discourse during a commercial break, the combination is a marriage made in virtual heaven.

Last week, I co-hosted a Twitter party during the airing of a PBS Documentary. The purpose was to encourage discussion about the issues that were addressed in the film. Twitter parties and live t.v. events go hand-in-hand. I’ve seen Twitter parties and chats organized for the Super Bowl, The Oscars and Emmys, MTV Music Awards, Project Runway, Comedy Central roasts, Top Chef, and even one this week for Bobby Flay’s Throwdown.

In the old days, people used to gather around the water cooler to discuss the previous night’s episode of Seinfeld. Now Twitter is the new water cooler, but instead of having to wait until you meet the gang the next day at the office, now you can log on and share comments live and in real-time. This presents a tremendous opportunity for networks and those presenting the shows: to engage people who are interested in your program and get them to chat about what they see on Twitter, thus spreading word of the discussion to their followers. You can even take it a step further and include ‘calls to action’ during the party, such as asking them to become Facebook fans or give them special offers from an advertiser.

Don’t have a t.v. show? No problem! Create your own by adding live, streaming video to your party via UStream or LiveStream (which now can stream directly to your Facebook page). Invite a guest speaker, celeb spokesperson or showcase your products via streaming feed to give your viewers something to watch while participating in the discussion.

Twitter events that coincide with t.v. programs offer the shows an even greater opportunity to connect and entice viewers and enhance viewers’ overall experience. And for people like me, I can ‘discuss’ all I want while keeping my trap shut, thus saving my marriage.

Tags: live tv show event, livestream, twitter chat, Twitter party, ustream

This week we would like you to meet our new “Twitter Partygoer of the Week” — Sara, a blogger who joined Twitter to connect with people and who won a great prize along the way!

Name: Sara Phillips
Twitter ID: @Doodle741
On Twitter since: Over a year?
I attend Twitter parties because: They are FUN!! (and prizes are a HUGE plus)
My most memorable party was: One where I won a $350 hotel stay (7 days)
The person I would most like to get a tweet from is: Anyone - I love getting tweets!
My main reason for using Twitter is: To win prizes and connect with people.
My biggest Twitter and/or Twitter party tip is: Have fun!

Thanks, Sara!

If you would like to be featured as our Twitter Partygoer of the Week, just fill out our quick form on TweeParties.com. Our only requirement is that you have attended at least one Twitter party!

You probably already have a Twitter account for your business and regularly send out tweets that are informative and helpful to your followers. You might reply to all inquiries and use your Twitter account as a venue for Q&A, customer service or a mode to distribute news and information about your company. But is simply sending out tweets and replying to your followers enough?

One of your main goals for using Twitter for business should be interaction. That’s what social networking is all about: being social. So how do you get your followers to interact with you? Here are five easy, cost-effective steps you can take to convert your followers from being passive readers of tweets to active participants in a conversation.

Hold a Contest Nothing generates more buzz online than word that a company is giving something away. Have a contest and you’re sure to get people tweeting. Encourage your followers to take some sort of action to help spread the word about the contest, either by retweeting or posting the contest info on their Facebook page. Be sure to keep in mind any legal terms and conditions that you will need to adhere to for your contest to be legit. And remember to post your contest guidelines somewhere on your website and link to it in tweets so the rules are easy to follow and view.

Give a Special Offer Make your offer one that’s nearly impossible for a fan to refuse. And make exclusive to Twitter followers or Facebook fans only. With a special offer made just for them, you’ll make them feel special and glad that they’re ‘part of your club’ and following you. It might be a discount, a freebie or a ‘two-for one.’ Regardless, an offer distributed to Twitter or Facebook users alone might help you generate more followers or ‘likes’ and help create a buzz around your offer that can have far-reaching effects through social sites.

Have an Event Throw a Twitter party or a Tweetup as a way to open the lines of communication in a fun, interactive way. Pick a date, time and hashtag, as well as a theme. Invite an expert on the subject of the party to join you as a guest host to help answer questions of those in attendance. Give away some prizes during the party to generate more attention while promoting it and attracting more people to the event. A Twitter party can be a fun and informative event that not only gives your followers the opportunity to learn from you and interact with you in real time, but gets them talking about your business before, during and after the event. (For a guide to the differences between Twitter parties and Tweetups, click here).

Seek Opinions Another great way to engage your followers is to ask them for their input. Often TweeParties has asked our followers about what they like or don’t like about Twitter parties, things they would like to see change, what some of their favorite events have been like, etc.. The feedback we have received not only has shaped the way we host parties, but it also has helped us stay connected with our followers and better understand their needs and expectations. It’s a win/win situation: you engage your followers in a conversation, and you gain valuable feedback that you can apply to make your business even better. You’re also showing your followers that their opinions matter.

Make Them Feel Special People like to feel that they are part of something special. Everyone wants to be a VIP. This last point calls on you to make your followers feel that they are part of a select group or club. They’re your followers so they must be an awesome group of people, right? Make them feel that way by creating special offers or giveaways just for them; let them be the first to learn of any news or changes within your company or with your products or services; and always do what you can to respond to their tweets in a timely manner. Give them a peek at the ‘face’ or personality behind the Twitter avatar. Let them know that there’s a person (or persons) behind those tweets and that you’re hearing what they’re saying. Make a connection and you’re sure to feel the love in return. Or hopefully, feel the love in the form of more tweets and retweets about your business.

Tags: Engage followers, social media tips, Twitter, Twitter party

This week we would like you to meet our new “Twitter Partygoer of the Week” — Mimi, a blogger who specializes in family-friendly product reviews. Here Mimi tells us about herself, including the fact that giveaways at parties are nice, but that she attends more often as a way to connect with others than win something:

Name: Mimi
Twitter ID: bigguysmama
Website: http://marvelousmomreviews.blogspot.com
On Twitter since: January 2010
I attend Twitter parties because: Sure we all like to win things, but these parties are where I connect the most with the people I follow. It’s the place where we socialize.
My most memorable party was: Probably the #FeelGood party with @ResourcefulMom and @NaturalizerShoe
The person I would most like to get a tweet from is: Ashton Kutcher. Only because I know he has millions of followers not because I’m a freaky follower. I don’t even follow him. =)
My main reason for using Twitter is: Connecting socially. I use it as an extra entry into my giveaways, but I enjoy the connection I’ve made with a number of ladies.
My biggest Twitter and/or Twitter party tip is: Use a custom grid if possible. I use TweetDeck because it makes following the hashtag, host(ess), conversation so much easier!

Thanks, Mimi!

If you would like to be featured as our Twitter Partygoer of the Week, just fill out our quick form on TweeParties.com. Our only requirement is that you have attended at least one Twitter party!

This week we would like you to meet our new “Twitter Partygoer of the Week” — Amy Byrd, a mom, advocate for farming, healthy foods and the love of life. Here she describes a memorable party during which she snagged a cool gift for her son on his birthday:

Amy Byrd, a.k.a. @waylandcook

Name: Amy Byrd
Twitter ID: waylandcook
Website: http://creativecookingonanbudget.blogspot.com/
On Twitter since: February 2010
I attend Twitter parties because: I like to meet new people and occasionaly win something.
My most memorable party was: The Lands End party where my son won a back pack on his birthday.
The person I would most like to get a tweet from is: Alton Brown
My main reason for using Twitter is: To socialize and talk about cooking.
My biggest Twitter and/or Twitter party tip is: Just enjoy and socialize! You win some, you lose more.

Thanks, Amy!

If you would like to be featured as our Twitter Partygoer of the Week, just fill out our quick form on TweeParties.com. Our only requirement is that you have attended at least one Twitter party!