Whether this is your first year as an entrepreneur or you’ve been in business for a decade or more, it can be lonely at the top. Twitter is an incredible tool for connecting with other dynamic, like-minded women and finding support, inspiration and a wide array of resources.

While it was challenging to compile, here is the SheBrand list of 50 Awesome Women Entrepreneurs You Should Be Following on Twitter. All of these ladies have built thriving businesses, powerful brands and a strong online presence. They have clarity around their message and the value they provide. They each have a substantial social media following and are consistent and generous with their tweets.

They are all, in a word, awesome.

There are so many amazing women in the Twittersphere. Who else do you think should be on this list? Please let us know in the comments below.

@adventuregirl: Stefanie Michaels, known to legions of fans as “Adventure Girl®,” has carved a unique niche in the world of travel and entertainment. Her website, AdventureGirl.com, has been utilized by millions looking for tips on exciting places to visit. She is the travel expert for Travel + Escape Channel’s UberGuide series, an eco-travel expert for Hollywood Green for Discovery’s Planet Green and the green lifestyle expert for The Huffington Post. Stefanie is the go-to girl for travel tips and life adventures.

@alibrown: Ali Brown is a powerful voice for women’s entrepreneurial success. As founder and CEO of Ali International LLC, she has created a dynamic enterprise that is devoted to empowering women entrepreneurs around the world. Ali was ranked on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing companies in 2009, named one of 2010′s Enterprising Women of the Year by Enterprising Women Magazine and featured on the season finale of ABC’s Secret Millionaire. Her annual event, Shine, inspires entrepreneurs to think creatively about marketing their businesses.

@AmberCadabra: Amber Naslund is a communications and business strategist, and the co-founder of Sidera Works, a social business consultancy that helps companies adapt to the complex business implications of the social web. Previously, she was the VP Social Stragegy for Radian6, a social media monitoring and engagement platform. She’s the co-author of the best-selling book, The Now Revolution, and her blog, Brass Tack Thinking, has been recognized for excellence in social media and community related content.

@AmyJoMartin: Amy Jo Martin and her company, Digital Royalty, help companies, celebrities, professional sports leagues, teams and athletes build, measure and monetize their digital universe. You may have heard of a few of her clients: Shaquille O’Neal, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Nike, Fox Sports, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Kings and Tony Hsieh of Zappo’s. Amy tweets about innovation, being fearless and how to successfully build a personal brand by utilizing social media.

@AmyPorterfield: Amy Porterfield is a social media strategist who specializes in Facebook Marketing and creates training products to help her clients get real results with social media. She honed her marketing skills at Harley Davidson, and then moved on to Tony Robbins, Traffic Geyser, and finally, SocialMediaExaminer.com, where she continues to blog about Facebook. Amy is also the co-author of Facebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies, and tweets about (you guessed it!), Facebook and social media.

@BrandYou: Cindy Ratzlaff is a passionate brand evangelist, buzz marketer, social media strategist, author and experienced publishing executive. She has developed the marketing and publicity campaigns for more than 150 New York Times bestselling books and is a frequent guest speaker and consultant to major publishers and authors on bestseller strategies. Cindy tweets about how to create more buzz for your brand.

@CarolJSRoth: Carol Roth is a business strategist, content producer, former investment banker and author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Entrepreneur Equation. She has worked with hundreds of companies, ranging from single entrepreneurs with an idea to Fortune 500 businesses, on all aspects of business and financial strategy. Collectively, she has helped her clients raise more than $1 billion in capital. If you like candid, tough-love style, Carol will tell you if you have “Spinach in Your Teeth.”

@CarrieWilkerson: As “The Barefoot Executive,” Carrie Wilkerson and her network of experts have quickly become the definitive resource for helping others achieve extra income and career goals while working from home. And, through BarefootExecutive.TV, she coaches clients to be their best selves no matter what their business model. A mom, author and speaker, Carrie tweets about business trends and success tips, offering strategies for entrepreneurs.

@CindyCrawford: Cindy Crawford may be known to the world as one of the original supermodels, but behind that beautiful face is an exceptionally shrewd businesswoman. She used her fame as a springboard to launch a career that has spanned over two decades and resulted in an exceedingly successful and trusted brand representing beauty, fashion, fitness and home. In addition to her ability to build multi-million dollar businesses, Cindy is also known for her pie-baking, corn shucking and bowling skills.

@DanielleLaPorte: Danielle LaPorte is a writer, speaker, former think tank exec, business strategist and the author of The Fire Starter Sessions: A Soulful + Practical Guide for Creating Success on Your Own Terms. She is also the creator of the online program The Spark Kit: A Digital Experience for Entrepreneurs and co-author of Your Big Beautiful Book Plan. She offers straight-up advice on DanielleLaPorte.com, a site that has been deemed “the best place on-line for kick-ass spirituality.” If you’re looking for a spiritual fix, coupled with sound business principles, then follow Danielle.

@Dolly_Parton: One of the best-selling female country artists of all time and long respected for her instinctive business savvy, Dolly Parton established Velvet Apple Music (BMI) early in her career and owns the copyrights and the publishing for her vast songwriting empire. She owns her own successful record label, Blue Eye Records and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. Dolly’s famous quote, “find out who you are and do it on purpose” is part of the mission statement behind SheBrand. Her tweets are smart, engaging, funny and always inspiring.

@DonnaAntoniadis: Donna Antoniadis is considered a digital, mobile and social media leader and is the co-founder of ShesConnected.com, the first dual profile social network created exclusively for women. Created for busy women, ShesConnected allows women to connect with other women in personal and professional areas. Members frequently convene to share ideas, get advice from leading experts, or access tools that help them manage their lives on the go.

@elenaverlee: Elena Verlee is a passionate publicist with two decades of brand building experience. She is founder of the successful full-service PR agency Cross Border Communications, and PR in Your Pajamas, a blog for solo entrepreneurs and smaller businesses wanting an easy system for do-it-yourself publicity and social media best practices. Elena tweets tips on how to successfully handle your own PR.

@GabbyBernstein: Gabrielle Bernstein is a speaker and the best-selling author of Add More ~ing toYour Life and Spirit Junkie.  She is also the founder of the social networking site HerFuture.com, created for women to inspire, empower and connect. Well versed in self-help and New Age spirituality and a longtime student of A Course in Miracles (Marianne Williamson wrote the forward to one of Gabby’s books), Gabby is known to dole out just the right amount of inner peace and self-love mantras to set you on a renewed and inspired path.

@IvankaTrump: Ivanka Trump is Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions for The Trump Organization, actively participates in all aspects of both Trump branded projects, and has brought the Trump® Hotel Collection brand to global markets. She spearheads the interior design decisions for the hotel properties and provides the creative vision for the brand as a whole. As if she’s not busy enough with real estate and hotel ventures, Ivankaoversees her namesake fine jewelry, footwear, handbag, and outerwear collections.

@jeanchatzky: Jean Chatzky is an award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and sought-after motivational speaker who has created a global platform that is making significant strides to help millions of people battle debt. She is a contributing editor for More Magazine, a columnist for The New York Daily News, the financial editor for NBC’s Today Show and was a contributor to The Oprah Winfrey Show. She blogs daily at JeanChatzky.com about how to make sense of your money.

@juliaroy: Julia Roy is a freelance consultant working with agencies and brands to craft social strategy campaigns that improve engagement and brand awareness. Formerly heading up new media and marketing at Coach, Inc., Undercurrent and Manilla, Julia is now a “real life digital girl” who leads the creation, implementation and measurement of social strategies and campaigns for dozens of brands. She tweets and blogs about the intersection of digital and social, and how brands can best connect with consumers through social media.

@juliettepowell: Listed in Forbes as the ‘ultimate connector’, Juliette Powell is a digital media consultant and co-founder of The Gathering Think Tank, an innovation forum at the heart of digital technology, media and business. She is also the author of 33 Million People in the Room: How to create, influence and Run a Successful Business with Social Networking. A featured social commentator and keynote speaker, Powell’s clients include Nokia, The Knight Foundation, RIM and Cirque du Soleil.

@justinemusk: Justine Musk is a writer who believes that badass creativity is a way of life. Her eponymous blog helps women develop their true voice, be brilliantly productive, and compel their right audience. Only visionaries, misfits, rebels and scandalous women need apply. Justine tweets about writing, creativity, art, technology and social media.

@kriscolvin: Kristi Colvin is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of Fresh ID, a full-service creative agency specializing in social marketing that produces brand-centric, experience-focused websites, applications and marketing assets for brands and individuals. She is a site/identity/product designer, opinionated user/customer/brand advocate, passionate about retail, shopping, food and hospitality businesses, an avid social media proponent, and she loves to tweet. A lot.

@lisastone: A former journalist and media strategist, Lisa Stone launched blog networks and interactive programming for many national brands, including Hearst and Rodale magazines, E! Television/Online, HBO’s Sex and the City, Knight Ridder Digital, American Lawyer Media and Glam Media. As the Co-Founder and CEO of BlogHer, she works across a community of bloggers and sponsors to create opportunities for women who blog to gain additional community, exposure, education and economic empowerment. If you have a blog, or are thinking of starting one, follow Lisa.

@lizstrauss: Liz Strauss is a professional speaker and social business strategist who curates SOBCon, the interactive business strategy summit. She’s also the author of the popular Successful-Blog.com. From a blog post that became a ground-breaking business strategy summit to a business that leads entrepreneurs and corporations to create, identify and leverage unique, real-time opportunity, Liz is a master teacher, an über connector and an innovator with bias toward action. She is considered one of the most influential social media and marketing bloggers in the world.

@lkr: Laura Roeder is a social media marketing expert empowering small businesses using the web to take matters into their own hands. Known for her no-nonsense style, Laura is the founder of Creating Fame, Your Backstage Pass to Twitter and author of Facebook Fame: The Facebook Marketing Bible for The Small Business. Her weekly newsletter, The Dash, is filled with tips and resources to help you simplify and master your social media marketing. One of the youngest entrepreneurs to make this list, Laura was recently named to the Empact100 top young entrepreneurs age 30 or younger list, and honored at the White House.

@LollyDaskal: Lolly Daskal is a leadership consultant and executive coach dedicated to bringing Heart Based Leadership to organizations and individuals. Founder of the popular Twitter chat #LeadFromWithin every Tuesday evening at 8PM EST, Lolly teaches individuals and companies how to evaluate their own stories, core beliefs and assumptions as a catalyst for change. Lolly’s Twitter stream is full of tips and quotes about exactly how to lead from within.

@MamaBritt: As a social media community producer, business coach and radio host, Britt Michaelian is dedicated to helping lifestyle entrepreneurs build profitable businesses. Her own entrepreneurial journey has brought her from artist and filmmaker to child safety enthusiast to lifestyle business coach and social media power house. Her current business focus is on Girlfriend Productions, where she produces social media communities for traditional media outlets such as Friends of Ricki. Britt is a warm and generous Tweeter who engages often and embraces newcomers with open arms.

@ManishaThakor: Manisha Thakor is a personal finance expert, author of Get Financially Naked and On My Own Two Feet, and a passionate advocate for global women’s economic empowerment. Her popular blog Money Zen, offers tips and insights on personal finance for women. Manisha has appeared on The Today Show, CNN, CNBC, NBC Nightly News and Fox News, and she contributes regularly to Forbes and the Huffington Post. Follow Manisha for tips on saving, budgeting, investing and talking money with your honey.

@MariaShriver: Maria Shriver is a former journalist, best-selling author, activist, the former First Lady of California and a member of America’s best known political family. She is an advocate for many social causes and is one of the world’s most influential voices on the shifting roles, emerging power and evolving needs of women. Under her direction and vision, The Women’s Conference in Southern California grew into the world’s premier forum for women. Follow Maria if you are interested in learning how to become an Architect of Change.

@marieforleo: Marie Forleo is part business strategist, part marketing maven and part spiritual ass-kicker with a side of hip-hop swagger. A born-and-raised Jersey girl, she’s created a multimillion-dollar, socially conscious business from scratch, helping women entrepreneurs learn to love and implement powerful marketing strategies. Her B-School program is teaching women around the world how to build profitable online businesses. If you’re ready to learn some bootylicious moves and live Rich, Happy & Hot™, then you’ll want to follow Marie.

@marismith: Dubbed “the Pied Piper of the online world” by Fast Company, Mari Smith is a social media coach, internet marketing consultant, author of The New Relationship Marketing and co-author of Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day. Forbes and Dun & Bradstreet Credibility named her one of the top ten social media influencers in the world. Follow Mari for social media best practices and relationship tools for biz growth.

@MarketingProfs: Ann Handley is the co-author of the best-selling book, Content Rules, and a veteran of creating and managing digital content to build relationships for organizations and individuals. She is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, which provides strategic and tactical marketing know-how and training for marketing and business professionals. She also writes a monthly column for Entrepreneur Magazine. If content creation is a part of your biz plan, then don’t miss Ann’s tweets.

@MelissaOnline: Melissa Stewart is a serial entrepreneur who has had a “home office” since age 5. She is the Founder of SheOwnsIt.com, a site committed to empowering women entrepreneurs by offering resources, support and inspiration. She is passionate about entrepreneurship, addicted to coffee and eternally optimistic. Melissa is a generous and responsive tweeter cheering on her followers with possibility and inspiration.

@nancyduarte: CEO, inspired presenter, gifted educator, and author of best-selling books, Slide:ology and Resonate, Nancy Duarte is a sought-after speaker whose own presentations live up to the expectations established in her books. Nancy and her team at Duarte Design have been transforming muddled mounds of information into clear, visually appealing messages for the last twenty years. Follow Nancy to learn how to incorporate more visual story in your business.

@nataliemacneil: Natalie MacNeil is the Founder of She Takes on the World, considered one of the top blogs in the world, and the author of a book by the same name, geared toward career-minded women and women entrepreneurs. She is also an Emmy-award winning media producer and a contributor to the Huffington Post and Forbes. Natalie tweets about entrepreneurship, women in business, social media tools and dreaming BIG.

@NikaStewart: Nika Stewart launched The Laptop Mom to show busy, overwhelmed entrepreneurs how to leverage their time, create passive income, and build a successful business. A former event planner and interior designer, Nika used multiple social media platforms to build an enormous following and catapult her brand image. Now, as a business coach and speaker, she teaches other entrepreneurs how to do the same. More recently, she launched GhostTweeting.com a done-for-you social media service.

@ninakaufman: Nina Kaufman is the founder of Ask the Business Lawyer and has been demystifying small business law for entrepreneurs, small businesses and knowledge economy-type companies since for nearly 20 years. She is a speaker and blogger and writes for OpenForum and Entrepreneur. Nina’s mission is to break down “legal mumbo jumbo” into understandable and accessible concepts so that entrepreneurs can build healthy, sustainable businesses that support them and their communities.

@Oprah: The product of a broken household, poverty and abuse, Oprah Winfrey has turned her “wounds into wisdom” and is determined to help other women live their best lives. The Oprah Winfrey show proved to be one of the most successful and highly watched TV programs of all time and broke many social and cultural barriers. Oprah is a producer, publisher, book critic, Academy award-nominated actress, international celebrity, and one of the world’s best known living media brands. She arguably has more influence on our culture than most celebrities, politicians, religious and spiritual leaders.

@pamslim: Pamela Slim is a kick-ass business coach and author of Escape from Cubicle Nation. Her blog of the same name is one of the top career and marketing blogs on the web. A former corporate manager and entrepreneur herself for more than a decade, Pam deeply understands the questions and concerns faced by first-time entrepreneurs. She is a fixture on the social media scene and tweets generously about business advice, marketing, martial arts, encouragement and support for soon-to-be and current entrepreneurs.

@PRSarahEvans: Sarah Evans is the owner of Sevans Strategy, a public relations and new media consultancy, and the creator of #Journchat, the first-ever weekly live tweetchat for public relations professionals, journalists and bloggers. Sarah’s Faves is her personal recommendation platform for all things social media and tech. On any given day you may find her recommendation of a new favorite website or app, a cool geek product and/or the hippest Apple accessory. Follow Sarah for info on the newest tools in social media and tech.

@RedheadWriting: Erika Napoletano is a writer and online business strategist with a knack for “unpopular thoughts and blunt advice.” Her blog, Redhead Writing consistently strives to say what others won’t and don’t (but should) about marketing, social media, business integrity and life in general. She’s the author of The Power of Unpopular and a columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine. Follow Erika if you’re ready for some serious sass, humor and brand development advice.

@samanthaettus: Samantha Ettus is an author, media personality and speaker, passionate about helping working moms to design a successful and happy lifestyle. Samantha writes a blog for ForbesWoman and is the bestselling author of The Experts’ Guide book series, which includes four how-to books published by Random House. She is currently working on her fifth book; focused on the working moms’ lifestyle. After speaking with thousands of working moms, she created the first lifestyle program designed to specifically address their needs.

@SarahRobinson: Sarah Robinson is a seasoned business coach, strategist, advisor and speaker who helps business owners and organizational leaders build thriving, successful communities, increase social media effectiveness, and develop a remarkable online and offline business presence. Her blog, Escaping Mediocrity, is about just that – escaping mediocrity in business and life. Interested in living an extraordinary and adventurous life? Follow Sarah.

@shama: Founder of The Zen Marketing Group and author of The Zen Guide to Social Media Marketing, Shama Kabani-Hyder is an oft-quoted social media expert and is often found traveling the world speaking about business, entrepreneurship, and technology. She also hosts her own Web TV show, Shama.TV, which addresses new media marketing topics, trends, people and relevant perspectives.

@ShellyKramer: Shelly Kramer is a 20+ year marketing veteran, biz strategist, brand builder, information junkie, communicator extraordinaire and lover of all things related to digital marketing and social media. She is also the Founder and Chief Imagination Officer of V3 Integrated Marketing and Kramer & Co, both headquartered in Kansas City, MO. Shelly is adept at helping individuals and brands find their voice in the realm of new media and tweets about integrated marketing, brand strategy, social media and anything else that moves her.

@smallbiztrends: Anita Campbell is the Founder of Small Business Trends, and its CEO and Publisher. She is widely regarded as an expert in small business issues and she tweets about small business trends and strategies. She is also the co-author of Visual Marketing: 99 Proven Ways for Small Businesses to Market with Images and Design.

@startupbiztalk: Born in West Africa, Cheryl Isaac came to the U.S. as a teenager and now writes about business – mostly start-ups and entrepreneurs – for Forbes, and is working on a memoir about her survival of the Liberian civil war in the 90s. She is a passionate business blogger and women’s issues advocate. Her tweets capture her work in both capacities, a mix of business-savvy commentary and personal anecdotes.

@startupprincess: Kelly King Anderson founded Startup Princess to empower fellow women entrepreneurs to network, learn, share and mentor one another. A Life and Business Coach, and self-proclaimed “Fairy Godmother” to women entrepreneurs everywhere, Kelly tweets about all things small business.

@suitcasepreneur: Natalie Sisson, aka the Suitcase Entrepreneur, left her hometown of New Zealand in 2006, and has been traveling the world and living out of a suitcase ever since. She helps her fellow entrepreneurs create freedom in business and adventure in life. Working from the road, she tweets about business, social media, online tools and outsourcing.

@terri_cole: Terri Cole is the founder of Live Fearless and Free, a licensed psychotherapist and an expert in transforming fear into freedom. She has spent the last two decades empowering companies, celebrities, professional athletes, performers, supermodels and individuals across the globe to Live Fearless and Free. After her own journey with cancer, death and assault, she spent 15 years exploring the mind-body connection to “demystify” fear, and she now shares her findings with her community.

@toryburch: Tory Burch built a hugely successful fashion empire and brand in a New York second, but don’t overlook her philanthropic muscle. In 2009, Tory launched The Tory Burch Foundation to support the economic empowerment of women and families. Through grants and microfinancing for women entrepreneurs, the foundation invests in the success and sustainability of women-owned small businesses. Through mentoring opportunities, it provides women with tools to achieve their aspirations as entrepreneurs and leaders.

@WomenOnTheFence: Erica Diamond is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of WomenOnTheFence.com, an award-winning blog inspiring women to get off the fence and start living their dreams. She is also a women’s success coach, entrepreneur, speaker, radio correspondent, spokesperson, mentor and Huffington Post contributor. Erica is the author of The 99 Things Women Wish They Knew…Before Starting Their Own Business. She tweets about everything women, mom, success, business and entrepreneurship related, and is a die-hard music lover.

You can follow some of these awesome entrepreneurs individually, or we’ve made it super easy for you to follow all of them by creating a Twitter list. You can access it here: 50 Awesome Women Entrepreneurs on Twitter.

Please let us know who else you think should be on this list and add them in the comments below. Thanks!

Connecting, conversing and helping other people get what they want.

Gary Vaynerchuck, the son of Russian immigrants, grew up in his parents’ liquor store. Turned off by the stuffiness of the wine industry–conceited sommeliers and snobby shopkeepers unwilling (or unable) to educate their consumers – Gary rebranded his parents store to Wine Library, and founded WineLibraryTV.com to make wine accessible and understandable to all who had an interest.

Down to earth, approachable and irreverent, Gary has attracted a following of more than 80,000 viewers a day. In the name of “expanding one’s palate”, he once convinced Conan O’Brien to lick salted rocks and shared samples of dirt and grass with Ellen Degeneres. He often pans popular wines and interrupts his webcasts with rants about his beloved New York Jets. Sure, Gary is extremely passionate about wine, but he lets us into his life and shares his whole personality. Best-selling author of Crush It and The Thank You Economy, this guy is all heart.

This is not your typical wine expert.

How much of yourself are you really putting out there? If you’re not sure, read on.

I like to call these the Three P’s of an Awesome Brand:

Personality. Let us see the real you so that we can grow to trust you. Have a thing for golf? Let us see your swing. Love to bake every weekend? Give us your best recipes, share your masterpieces on Facebook and send goody bags to your clients. Today’s world is growing more cluttered by the minute and our attention spans are shrinking. Don’t be afraid to get personal and give us a peek behind the curtain. Otherwise you’re just boring us with product features, sleepy content and the same old sh*t that everybody else is doing.

Pulse. Your brand is a living, breathing organism and it exists in the minds of your customers. What experience are you creating for those who come in contact with you? How are you connecting with the hearts of your customers? Share your passion and your beliefs and you’ll connect on a much deeper level with those who share similar values. Your customers won’t consider you awesome until you’ve gotten them to FEEL something.

Promise. Being an awesome brand to your target market directly correlates to how well you can communicate that you are the solution to their most pressing problem, and then actually deliver on that promise of value. Harley Davidson promises FREEDOM, Oprah promises INSPIRATION, and Gary Vaynerchuck provides ENTERTAINMENT and ACCESS, to a once stuffy and snobby pursuit.

In today’s digital world, sometimes you only have seconds to make an impression. Sure they’re interested in your head, but you hook them with your heart.

What other ingredients would you add to the recipe for an Awesome Brand?

©2012 Liz Dennery Sanders

Name: Alycia Hall

Website: www.alyciahall.com

Occupation: Life & Wellness Coach

Twitter Handle: @_AlyciaHall

1. What are three words that best describe your personal brand?

Fun, Free and Bright!

2. Tell us why you’re awesome in two sentences or less?

I follow my passion even if I’m scared and support other people to do the same.

 
 
3. What are your three biggest indulgences?

In no particular order:

1) Cappuccinos

2) Fun Shoes

3) The Spa

4. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Bikers who take up a whole lane and don’t let you pass them!

5. If you could have dinner with anyone (living or not) who would it be and why?

My dad who has passed away because we always had a lot of fun together.

6. Why is having a powerful personal brand important to you?

Having a powerful brand is important because it means I am stepping out of my comfort zone and challenging myself. It takes courage to be authentic.

7. What is your #1 marketing tip for fellow female entrepreneurs?

Connect, connect, connect!

Name: Amy T. Wister

Website: www.thestylistonline.com

Occupation: Founder & CEO of The Stylist Online, LLC

Twitter Handle: @thestylistllc

1. What are three words that best describe your personal brand?

Integrity, Compassion, Heroic

2. Tell us why you’re awesome in two sentences or less?

I am an expert at assessing body types and building a wardrobe of shapes that accentuate your assets and conceal trouble spots. Adding style, artistry and color to your unique canvas within your budget is my specialty.

3. What are your three biggest indulgences?

1) Chocolate

2) Southern Living Magazine

3) Shoes

4. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Lack of follow through.

5. If you could have dinner with anyone (living or not) who would it be and why?

It would have to be Mother Teresa. I’d love to hear first hand how she stayed true to her mission despite cultural and political pressures. I would ask what daily practices helped her stay the course, and who her mentors were, and why.

6. Why is having a powerful personal brand important to you?

It’s important to me, because it’s important to my clients; clients’ trust who you are when “who you are” is your brand (no surprises). Your brand is at its best when you consistently role model its characteristics. In order to do that, the characteristics must be aligned with “who you are”.

7. What is your #1 marketing tip for fellow female entrepreneurs?

You are your brand; everyday, everywhere. Be intentional and disciplined about marketing your brand – which means – have a clear message, a plan and set of goals. Most importantly, stick to them!

Social media is personal, but too many people (and companies) are treating it as an impersonal advertising platform. Fail.

There are people on the receiving end of your posts. People who want to connect and engage. It’s called social media for a reason.

1.  Don’t connect Twitter to Facebook. Two different social media platforms, two different languages. Your Facebook Timeline looks ridiculous with a one-sided conversation and all those @ and # signs. Just stop it. Check out Hootsuite instead, and choose which posts go where.

2.  Don’t send an automated DM to new followers on Twitter. It’s impersonal and makes you look like a spambot. You do realize that I’m aware every single one of your followers is receiving the exact same message, right?

3.  If I don’t know you, please don’t send me a personal message on Facebook, asking me to LIKE your fan page. Seriously, I’m not a fan.

4.  Stop sending event messages through Facebook to your entire community. If we haven’t had any previous interaction or engagement, how do you know I’m even a prospect – or interested for that matter. If you and your event are in Des Moines, why would I attend when I live in Los Angeles? Do your homework, otherwise, you’re just a spammer (see #2).

5.  Don’t drink and tweet. That’s right, don’t tweet anything that you wouldn’t want your mother or your ex-boyfriend to see. Tweets are archived in the Library of Congress, so once you hit Enter, it’s out there forever.

6.  Don’t be a narcissist. Seriously, enough about you already. Stop broadcasting your products and services and start listening to what others are saying and engage. Just because it’s virtual, doesn’t mean it isn’t a real conversation with a real human being on the other end.

7.  Don’t tweet the same thing over and over again. One particularly guilty coach I know has tweeted the exact same thing at least 20 times in the last month alone. You might think it makes your social media marketing a little easier, but really, you’re b-o-r-i-n-g us.

8.  If you don’t have the bandwidth to manage multiple social platforms, then don’t. If you are too busy to get social, it is better to be present and engaging on fewer platforms, then absent from or overly automated on too many. You are judged by the frequency with which you update your accounts and contribute to conversations where you can provide value. If the light isn’t on, people will forget you.

9.  Don’t be all business all the time. First, you’re boring us (see #7), and second, the only way we’ll really connect with you is if you show us your personality and heart. Share your interests and passions so we can find common ground.

10.  Don’t be overly negative. The social space in general is extremely positive, with collaboration, conversation and helpfulness being the order of the day. No one likes complainers and whiners. And don’t forget #5: any vitrol you happen to spew will be out in the ether forever, for all to see. Even your mother-in-law.

What’s your #1 social media don’t? Please share with us in the comments below.

©2012 Liz Dennery SandersSimilar Posts:

• Are You Too Busy to Get Social?

Name: Nicole Myden

Website: www.nm-pr.com

Occupation: Owner, Nicole Myden Public Relations

Twitter Handle: @NMPRgirl

1. What are three words that best describe your personal brand?

Approachable, Passionate, Reputable

2. Tell us why you’re awesome in two sentences or less?

Hmmm…how about I tell you why some might say I’m awesome instead! If you were to ask friends, family (and clients) – they would likely describe me as ‘the real deal.’ Some people talk a lot, but I talk – and DO! I’m genuine, approachable, passionate, results-driven, funny and sassy, somewhat of a multi-winning combo here in Los Angeles!

3. What are your three biggest indulgences?

1) Vacations (when I can actually take them)

2) Dinner & a movie (my favorite date night)

3) Chocolate, Shoes & Purses! (don’t these all count as one!?!)

4. What is your biggest pet peeve?

People who show up late.

5. If you could have dinner with anyone (living or not) who would it be and why?

If I could have dinner with anyone (living or not) I would go back in time and have a dinner date with my parents when they met in college. It would be great to get to see and know them when they starting dating, before marriage, before kids, before everything. Who wouldn’t want to spend some time with the people who shaped them?

6. Why is having a powerful personal brand important to you?

When I started my business almost five years ago, I could have selected any name in the world to represent my brand. I chose my name for a reason. I’ve worked so hard over the last 12 years to build a solid reputation in this city and within my industry that people respect. When they see my name, plain & simply, they know they are getting the best of what I have to offer. Everything I do and touch for my clients has my name on it, which means it has my integrity, my honesty, my work ethic…my results. In this day and age, when my industry especially is so competitive, the only way to stand out is to have a personal brand that speaks directly and consistently to the audience you are trying to attract.

7. What is your #1 marketing tip for fellow female entrepreneurs?

Brand YOURSELF!

Name: Claudia Chan

Website: www.claudiachan.com

Occupation: Founder, ClaudiaChan.com

Twitter Handle: @claudiachan

1. What are three words that best describe your personal brand?

Genuine, Passionate, Empowering

2. Tell us why you’re awesome in two sentences or less?

My mission is to ignite women to dream and do big, while creating positive change in the world.

3. What are your three biggest indulgences?

1) Shopping at Whole Foods

2) Wine country vacations

3) Deep tissue massages

4. What is your biggest pet peeve?

When people just take and don’t reciprocate.

5. If you could have dinner with anyone (living or not) who would it be and why?

Oprah is # 1 because she is self-made and built a tremendous empire based on her personal values and instincts.

Richard Branson is # 2. I have read both his books Losing My Virginity & Screw Business As Usual. I admire his relentless perseverance and big picture thinking in building Virgin Group, and his focus now on championing social entrepreneurship to solve our world’s problems.

6. Why is having a powerful personal brand important to you?

Recently I launched ClaudiaChan.com as a new kind of website and voice for women that features over 100 exclusive interviews with women leaders and visionaries (from Christy Turlington to Zainab Salbi)…as well as empowering causes and events that we believe women should know about. My personal brand is literally my business brand, and like any business – developing a powerful brand that’s clear in its mission and values is very important to me.

7. What is your #1 marketing tip for fellow female entrepreneurs?

Everything you do is marketing, such as managing your team, dinner with friends, shopping for everyday necessities, books/magazines you choose to read, TV programs you watch etc. These are all opportunities for you to market your business and think about how you can relate or draw inspiration, ideas or research for your business.

There’s a popular saying that you either have to spend time or money to build your business. When you don’t have the budget, you’ll be putting in more time. Thankfully, putting in the time allows you to connect, engage, create and converse – all offering the opportunity to build your brand and your community.

A brand is built through the total experience that it offers – everything from your communications and logos to customer service, the quality of your products and services, and the way you answer the phone. All of these associations with your brand are called touch points.

The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create effective brand touch points for your clients. In fact, some of the most powerful touch points are simple and inexpensive (when was the last time you paid for a firm handshake and a smile?)

ALWAYS ask yourself, how can I do a better job of creating a total brand experience for my client? What is she experiencing through my brand touch points?

Here are 21 low to no-cost ideas for enhancing your total brand experience for your customers:

1. Use the back of your business card for your brand message. Offer something of value that brings people directly to your website.
2. Use your email signature for your brand message and link to your website, recent press, blog posts and social media platform.
3. Set up a profile on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and/or Google+ and get busy connecting and engaging. Use Hootsuite to manage your content distribution.
4. Set up a Facebook business page to share industry trends, tips and ideas.
5. Run a monthly contest through your Facebook business page.
6. Use your signature color whenever/wherever possible – tissue paper, note cards, labels, pens, gift boxes etc.
7. Purchase the url (domain) for your name and point it to your business website (if the name of your business is different than your actual name).
8. Write a monthly newsletter or weekly tip and send out to all of your past and current clients.
9. Create a “signature” talk – a specific topic that you are an expert of and can give valuable information in a one hour presentation. Offer to give your signature talk to business groups, Chambers of Commerce, non-profits and associations that are aligned with your target market. Make sure you have information about your signature talk on your website, blog, newsletter and the back of your business card.
10. Write articles pertaining to your area of expertise and post them to article submission sites online (your author bio for these sites will start showing up on the first page of Google search before your know it!).
11. Write guest posts for well-known blogs in your industry. Better yet, write posts for blogs that are complementary to your industry, but not necessarily competing with you.
12. Use your outgoing voice mail as a branding opportunity.
13. Add your talks, workshops, events etc. to your local news service’s free online calendar of events.
14. Stay in touch with your current and prospective clients with cards – birthday, holiday, anniversary etc. Pick a special occasion that you love to celebrate and send a custom card to everyone in your database.
15. Reward people for sending referrals. I am a big fan of sending gift cards with a thank you note – Starbucks, Container Store, Barnes & Noble, AMC Theatres etc.
16. Join a group – networking, philanthropic, cultural etc. Find one that resonates with you and attend two meetings or events each month.
17. Always ask your clients for testimonials – these can be used on your website, in marketing materials and on sales pages.
18. Create a testimonials document that consists of 10-20 of your best testimonials, and give to all potential clients and anyone who inquires about your services.
19. Develop a simple “Speaker’s Kit” (your bio, photo, one sheeters of signature talks, testimonials) and send it to at least five program chairs, event planners and association heads each month.
20. Create a valuable tool in your area of expertise (checklist, e-book, roadmap, mp3 interview, etc.) and give it away for free on your website.
21. Host a free monthly call for your community to answer questions about your area of expertise. Use a free service such as www.freeconferencepro.com.

What other tips would you recommend? Please add them in the comments below.

© Liz Dennery Sanders 2012Similar Posts:

• Get ready for your weekly sugar fix
• Have You Checked Your Online Reputation Lately?
• Take Control of Your Social Media Marketing

Name: Aliza Sherman

Website: www.techwithaliza.com

Occupation: Writer, Speaker, Tech Passionista

Twitter Handle: @alizasherman

1. What are three words that best describe your personal brand?

Honest, Generous, Smart

2. Tell us why you’re awesome in two sentences or less?

I’m enthusiastic about life and about my work, getting my biggest rewards from empowering others. I am constantly learning and love what I do.

3. What are your three biggest indulgences?

1) Room Service – I love staying in hotels, and especially love ordering room service.

2) Dark Chocolate – Dagoba Eclipse is 87% cacao. It is really dry, and I know it must be good for me!

3) Red Wine – I’m pretty much the Queen of Cheap Red Wine and am always finding the under $12 bottles and doing taste tests. But sometimes, I indulge in a bottle over…$20.

4. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Meanness. I just can’t stand it when others are unkind, and I hate it when stress in my day or other factors lead me to being unkind, even for a moment. The world would clearly be a better place if we fully eliminated meanness.

5. If you could have dinner with anyone (living or not) who would it be and why?

I want to sit at a table with women who are doing incredible work to better our world. I was lucky to interview Dame Anita Roddick by phone but would have loved to sit and chat with her face to face. I’d probably just go down the list of women awarded Nobel Peace Prizes and would be honored to sit at a table and witness their wisdom and power. Aung San Suu Kyi, Tawakkol Karman, Wangari Muta Maathai. In the States, we tend to be so insular and provincial about our role models. But the world is full of amazing people, amazing women doing truly great work. Of course, I would be so enthralled with the conversation that I would probably forget to eat a thing!

6. Why is having a powerful personal brand important to you?

Who I am and what I do every day defines my brand. If I want people to trust me, to believe that I can teach them something meaningful about how to use technology, then I have to use it well myself. Without trust, everything I do will fall flat. Trust is the core of any great brand. I try to work from the inside out. If something comes from a genuine place, it is a solid foundation for a more authentic brand.

7. What is your #1 marketing tip for fellow female entrepreneurs?

Believe in yourself first and foremost. If you don’t, why should anyone else?

Name: Yolanda A. Facio

Website: www.RedHotMomentum.com

Occupation: Entrepreneur, Business Owner

Twitter Handle: @yolandafacio

1. What are three words that best describe your personal brand?

Clarity, Integrity and Pride

2. Tell us why you’re awesome in two sentences or less?

I work hard to provide clarity and intention for my Red.Hot clients.  My mission is to constantly work towards a place of integrity, to take pride in everything I create, and to inspire others to do the same by embracing who they are.

3. What are your three biggest indulgences?

1)  “Fur pile” time with my furry babes

2) Trail running

3) Reading, reading, reading

3A) Donuts…

4. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Repetition.  If I have to repeat myself that means someone isn’t listening.  If I ask someone to repeat themselves, it means I’m not listening.  It’s poor form.  Listening well is a largely ignored skill.

5. If you could have dinner with anyone (living or not) who would it be and why?

Madeleine Albright. When Saddam Hussein refused to comply with UN inspections in the period following the Gulf War, Albright criticized him. The Government-led Iraqi press then published a “poem” calling Albright an “unparalleled serpent” but she didn’t back down.  Instead at a meeting with Iraqi officials shortly after the publication of the poem, she showed up with a serpent broach on her lapel and a brand was born.

6. Why is having a powerful personal brand important to you?

Having a personal brand means I can be true to myself and my intentions.  In turn, it gives people a reason to engage with me and the hope is that my personality and values will keep them engaged.  It’s all about differentiation.

7. What is your #1 marketing tip for fellow female entrepreneurs?

Embrace who you are and allow your customers to do the same.  Your personal “Why” will speak louder than any gimmick.  Align your actions with what you believe and your customers will become raving fans.