January 2015

How to write your Twitter bio

Twitter bio

My Twitter bio.

It’s harder to write something short than something long.

So this blog post looks at how to write your Twitter biography, which is only 160 characters (equivalent to a tweet of 140 characters plus 20-character username).

It’s relatively easy for a business-owner to write about their business. After all, you are immersed in it for eight or ten (or twenty) hours every working day. The trouble is, you need to write your bio in language that will represent your unique brand identity AND appeal to your target audience AND stand out from your competition AND maybe include a call to action.

Here are some tips to help give your bio more impact…

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By Jackie Barrie, ago

New EU VAT law: What a nightmare!

SleepingHave you heard about the EU VAT law that took effect on 1 January? It’s a nightmare!

Anyone selling digital products to EU consumers now has to collect VAT at the customer’s rate instead of their own, with the option of using a Mini One Stop Shop (MOSS) to submit quarterly returns and payments via a central point instead of separately to 28 member countries. This applies even if you only sell one item worth £1.00.

The trouble is, sole traders weren’t consulted when the decision was made. We only found out about it a few weeks ago. And we’ve learned the law is impossible for us to comply with, particularly in the UK with its £81,000 VAT threshold.

I’m caught up in this so-called VAT MESS even though my business is B2B, because if I sell to an EU customer who’s not VAT-registered, I have to treat them as a consumer.

I have spent hours researching possible solutions, and have actually lost sleep over it (which is most unlike me). To save you time, here’s a summary of the key points I’ve discovered.

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By Jackie Barrie, ago

Simple guide to Google Hangouts

HangoutsYou might know that Google Plus is a social/business network, somewhat similar to Facebook.

Many people wonder why they should reconnect with all the same contacts all over again, just on another platform. They ask what content they should share that differs from updates they already issue elsewhere.

But Google Plus offers a unique – and free – way to hold and broadcast video conferences. For me, this is the main reason to use it.

Like many of Google’s interfaces, the process is not as straightforward as it could be. This article includes the key steps to follow…

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By Jackie Barrie, ago

Discover a little-known LinkedIn secret

TapYou probably know that LinkedIn is a massive business database. But do you know how best to tap into it?

At the top of every LinkedIn page is a dark grey search bar.

The default is set to search ‘all’, as you can see by the three-line ‘list’ icon on the left beside the drop-down arrow.

LI 1

Click the word ‘advanced ‘on the right – this will open a new ‘people’ search window. (more…)

By Jackie Barrie, ago
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