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I resisted as long as I could – partially because my understanding of it was somewhere around zero, and partly – OK mostly – because I thought it was going to be a waste of my time.

I was wrong. Way wrong. Way, way wrong.

After a brief, but intensive education by my friend Jeff Jarvis, author of “What Would Google Do?” and continued prodding by Kadro Solutions CEO Rick Johnson, I completely changed my opinion. And made a plan of action.

I registered. I obtained my name (Gitomer). And I tweeted three times in the first 24 hours. At the end of the first day, I had more than 300 followers. At the end of the first month, I have almost 5,000 followers. At the end of one year, I hope to have 100,000 followers. And I’m doing it without gimmicks, spam or reporting news (other than mine). I have a Twitter strategy and philosophy.

I bought the Web site, www.itweetthereforeiam.com, and immediately posted a picture of me, Tweety Bird (the original tweeter) and a few of my fellow staff members in full “Tweety” pose.

It also has a link to my Twitter page. It’s for fun, and attraction.

Everything else I do has a link to my Twitter page, especially my e-mail magazine, Sales Caffeine, and the front page of my Web site, www.gitomer.com.

I intend to use Twitter to provide readers and followers with thoughts, help, answers and information they will find both useful and profitable. Useful and profitable enough to re-tweet to their followers.

Here are a few examples of my tweets so far:

• The strongest salesman on your team is a testimonial from a loyal customer. Testimonials are proof. Gitomer

• It costs no extra money to be friendly. How friendly are you? Gitomer

• The importance of asking the right questions lies somewhere between sale and no sale. What are you asking? Gitomer

• The two BEST places for a sales appointment: Breakfast and lunch. Relaxed atmosphere and no interruptions. Gitomer

• Friday is the least productive workday. Most people slack off, eyeing the weekend, and then complain about a lack of money. Gitomer

Notice my name is at the end of each tweet. That’s because those quotes are mine. I wrote them. I don’t quote other people. I quote myself. When I get re-tweeted I build my own brand and awareness, and gain new followers.

Here are a few of my ideas for future tweets (Feel free to use them, or alter the strategy to suit your situation):

• Post a daily sales tip.

• Give information as to my travels and where people can register for my public events and see my live seminars.

• Post information regarding new ideas.

• Post personal recommendations of every sort – from restaurants to books, from people to places, from shops to hotels. Maybe even airlines. Maybe.

• Ask for information and help when I travel to a new city.

• Create local gatherings.

What is Twitter? It¹s a chance to deliver short personal messages to business connections and friends to let them know what you’re thinking and doing.

What are you thinking about today? What are you writing about today? What are you blogging about today?

What are you tweeting about today?

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2009 Jeffrey H. Gitomer