Those who want to be, if not ahead of at least on the curve, can find an easy iPhone app builder or an easy Android app builder and start figuring out ways to best reach their customers. Here’s one I found doing a simple search—which I may try and use for 4dancers to build an app in the coming year.

Keeping up on smartphone technology, social media and other ways to advance your brand is always a good idea, and you can make an app work for you in many different ways, depending on your needs. After all, the more channels through which people can reach you and learn about your studio/company, the better!

Get your hand-silkscreened canvas ballet bag now–before supplies run out! I have made 7 of these unique tote bags and will be selling them for only $8 each! Get one for yourself, or as a gift for someone you know–they make a great bag to cart your dance shoes and miscellaneous gear back and forth to the studio, or even to show your love for dance and “go green” at the grocery store.

I got into silkscreening a while back and have been working on developing dance designs for the past couple of years. It’s a long process from photograph to finished product, but I now have several screens and I’ll be sharing the designs with the dance community over the summer months. The nice part about these bags is that you will never see them anywhere else–these are all my own designs.

Soon I’ll add t-shirts to the mix as well, so keep checking back. I’d love to hear what people think about the design–and I’d love for you to help me spread the word!

Here are the specs:

Canvas (cotton woven)

Navy Blue

10.5 x 12.5 inches

$8.00 (plus $2 shipping and handling – continental US prices – inquire about overseas…)

If you’d like to purchase one of these bags, drop me an e-mail at info(at)catherineltully(dot)com and we’ll work out the details.

Thanks!

Part of the enjoyment is because I understand the basics. Chris Brogan (of social media fame) wrote a great introductory post about Twitter for those who have not yet investigated it in much detail. (If that is you, check it out.) It can help make sense out of all the noise.

Those of you who have been around for a while may want to branch out (bad pun–see picture) and learn some of the fancy ways to use the site. There are deeper ways to use Twitter, according to Brogan, and I like what he has to say about that as well. I consider myself an intermediate user, since I know a good deal about it, but I know that there is always more to read out there.

Social media in general is constantly evolving and changing. Keeping up with it all can be a real challenge–but it can also be worth it. If you utilize sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, try to learn something new about them once in a while to help maximize your presence there. Believe it or not–it can actually make networking online more fun!

How do you use Twitter? Are you an avid tweeter or do you shun the idea of it all? Would love to hear some voices from the dance world on that one!

Do yourself a favor and take a peek when you have a few minutes to dedicate to networking.

One of my favorite products for the dance studio is the Ballet Terminology Wallpaper Border.  This beautiful border is 30 feet long with no repeats, and available in six colors.  You can display 31 essential terms above your mirrors. This visual display of terminology will reinforce and accelerate your students learning. Teachers enjoy pointing out the written words as they teach.  I no longer have to bring a white board or make posters when I introduce a term.

Dance Teacher Press also has a lower cost option of Ballet Terminology Banners.  They give the look of wallpaper border, but are made up of 18 cardstock cards.  (Think of the alphabet above the chalkboard in school.)

For more information on this product and other Dance Teacher Press items, visit their online store.

Disclosure

When I first started using social media to promote 4dancers, I did so grudgingly. I joined Twitter and scratched my head at how I was supposed to use it. I certainly didn’t think I’d enjoy it.

Using Facebook as a tool also lacked appeal for me. After all, the majority of my friends on there were actual friends and family.

LinkedIn seemed to make the most sense. After all, it was more of a “professional” site, designed to showcase your resume and develop connections.

So what happened?

The unexpected.

I wound up forming some pretty decent bonds with people in the dance world on Twitter–despite my lack of enthusiasm. I found a real sense of community there, and met up with those I probably would never have come across otherwise. I learned about newer dance styles, such as krumping, and met dancers outside of the mainstream. And it was wonderful.

Facebook actually wound up being fun in a different way. I found that my friends and family would comment on my posts and stay more in touch with what I was doing. It’s nice to know that they are out there, and it’s also an easy way to keep them updated on what I’m up to.

LinkedIn? Well, surprisingly, out of the three I use it the least. The site that I figured would be the most useful as a business tool is actually the one I find a chore to keep up on. The part I enjoy the most is the Dance Writers group that I started and manage, along with David from Ballet for Men and Henrik from Tights and Tiaras.

So I guess what I’m saying is that if you’re not using Facebook and Twitter to advance your career–you might want to give it a shot. You can do a little at a time like I did and learn as you go. I’ve found I really enjoy my time on these two sites. You might be surprised to find that you do too.

If you haven’t already, join up with 4dancers on Twitter and see what I’m talking about…

Today just a quick update regarding the new look on Facebook. If you aren’t really quite sure what is customizable and what isn’t, Mashable has a great overview of the features that are now available for your profile. Personally I like the old way better, but it looks like the change is here to stay, so learning how to work with the new layout is probably a good thing…

CNN reported today that LinkedIn gains a new user every second. That’s pretty powerful. Designed to be a professional networking/social media tool, this site can help you establish a presence in a way that Facebook and Twitter can’t. LinkedIn is a great way to keep those in your field informed about what you are doing–especially those who you know well. Think of it as a kind of “online” resume with the power to update your status to those in your network.

If you haven’t yet started using this social networking tool, why not begin working on your profile today? You don’t have to complete it all at once, and it can be a terrific resource for you to use as a dance professional–whether you own a studio or are a member of a company. Want to know more? Here are a few facts I recruited from the site itself for your information:

+ Executives from all of the Fortune 500 companies are members of LinkedIn

+ Approximately half of the members on LinkedIn are outside the US

+ There are members in about 200 countries world-wide

+ LinkedIn currently has over 80 million members

So how do you learn more about Twitter? You can do endless Google searches, or you can try out a site that is designed to give you the information you need. Try TwiTip and see what you think. It has a “starters guide” as well as sections for “getting followers” and “news”. Make it easy on yourself and take advantage of the fact that there is a ton of information in one spot that you can learn from.

And…if you haven’t already, join 4dancers on Twitter!

If you are new to LinkedIn, or are not sure of how to operate in a social media savvy way, check out this resource for some great tips on professional networking on the web. It’s well worth a small investment of time to make sure that you are operating within the framework in a way that moves you forward–not one that holds you back.