Twitter gives you a couple of options for talking to other users. You can direct message someone, which places a message in his account that only he can see, or you can reply to someone, which creates a message that can be seen publicly.

"@" posts a message to a specific user. This is done by placing the @ directly before the user's Twitter ID. The message will then show up in the recipient's profile page showing updates that reference his name. These messages will also show up in the Twitter accounts for users that follow both users. When creating a message in this way, the label above the textbox on Twitter changes to "Reply to."

Public replies such as described above differ from direct messages. A direct message can be sent by typing "d" followed by a space and the user name of the intended recipient. Unlike public replies, these messages do not show up on the public Twitter timeline. The label above the update box that says "What are you doing?" will change to say "Direct message." When you see this, you will know that you have used the correct syntax.

Is it a good idea to reference other users like this? Yes! Twitter can be used in a few different ways, but if you want to use it as a brand building / lead generation tool, you should engage in conversation with other users. Making reference to other users in your public tweets also encourages others to do the same for you, which helps spread your name and your brand, possibly opening up opportunities online.

The good thing is that Twitter messaging can be fun. Twitter moves very quickly. Serious Twitter users will respond quickly to messages sent their way. And the more you give, the more you get. Just like in every area of business and in life.

About the Author:
Don't pull your hair out trying to manage your Twitter account - do it the easy with with Tweet Later! It automates three important parts of the Twitter process: making posts, following those who follow you, and sending direct messages to new followers. There is a free version with more limited functionality, but the full professional version offers a one week free trial with no credit card needed! Just visit www.trytweetlater.com.For more strategies and advice about using Twitter to promote your business, visit twitterforbusiness.blogspot.com.

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