This article is my interview with BrothaTech a small business owner using social media to grow his business worldwide by digitally spreading the word, one ‘like’, one tweet, one connection at a time.

Who is BrothaTech?

He’s Terrance M. Gaines, a well-known national technology blogger who loves talking about and sharing his knowledge LIVE on SiriusXM Radio, Channel 169 The Power, every other Monday on “The Mario Armstrong Show” – a fun, entertaining talk show about our Digital Lifestyle.

Why is it important for a small business to understand how social media can increase its exposure?

…Because it’s free.

For small business owners with big ideas (and small budgets), social media is THE new ‘word of mouth’ for people looking to use marketing and promotion to expand their business.

To get started, all it takes is time and “stick-to-it-tive-ness” – That stuff cost exactly nothing. You can hone your skills by attending seminars, conferences, or even taking classes, which may however include a fee.

All it takes is some time to learn the “lay of the land”, get the lingo down, examine how others in your field are doing it (and network with them) and before you know it, you have a social media marketing plan.

Why do you think social media, in general, is so important to promoting a small business today?

The cool thing about social media is, if you have a brand/product specific to your area like a gourmet crab-cake boutique (guess you can tell he’s from Baltimore), you can drill down to only those local customers who would benefit the most from your product. But, if you want to expand your reach, you can also network and partner up with another gourmet/specialty chefs to gain national or worldwide recognition as “the best in your field.”

Why did you choose Twitter as part of your marketing strategy?

I specifically chose Twitter to promote my business simply because it is fast. I tend to get long-winded when I want to explain or share something, so using Twitter keeps me on point. Conversely, I have a short attention span, so the information that is typically shared on Twitter are links to blog posts, articles, and other snippets of information that are generally one page in length. That means I can read something, examine what it means to me (and how I can use it), keep it moving.

What are your specific results from using social media?

I have made TONS of connections and formed very valuable networks using all forms of social media. These social media connections have tremendously increased the traffic to my website/blog, I have landed several radio and TV interviews and received numerous opportunities to be a presenter at conferences, workshops, and other events.

Terrance M. Gaines, a.k.a BrothaTech, is a Technology Lifestyle Expert (think Tech Life Coach) that empowers people through technology. You can hear him blabbing about techie stuff on various blogs, LIVE on SiriusXM Radio, or you can follow him on Twitter @BrothaTech to learn how he can empower you through technology.

Photo courtesy: BrothaTech.com

2 Comments

Terrance Gaines on October 8, 2010 at 10:44 am

Again, you make a “Brotha” look real good!

Thanks for the write-up!
- Tonya R. Taylor on October 8, 2010 at 2:54 pm
  
  Hey @BrothaTech, thanks for making it easy to make a “Brotha” look good! Keep using your passion to assist those who want to embrace all that technology has to offer. You are just what the world needs to make technology less “scary”.