In the spirit of sharing instead of dumping for #followfriday, I decided to share 14 people to follow on Twitter here. These are just the tip of the iceberg, for sure. I follow lots of people because there are so many fascinating, amazing, inspirational people out there. If you think you should be on the list, just send me a note @jeanniecw on Twitter!
To make it easy to follow all of these folks at once, here’s a list on Twitter: myfollowfriday
If Twitter isn’t your thing, these people are fascinating in other places, too!
Because you have to, or you’re missing WAY too much:
@ginidietrich Gini and I found each other through about 3 different paths at once. It was destiny. Gini is a top-notch PR pro with great expertise around social media, franchise communications and biking in crazy conditions. She’s also a true friend to many.
@swoodruff Steve is uber-smart in all things pharma, but it’s his natural way of enlightening all of us that’s his real gift. He gets social media, good wine, and communicating in ways that enrich the entire communication. He’s also a rightfully proud papa. Steve’s the man.
@jpetersen Jesse is the WordPress wizard. Seriously. This dude rocks. And he’s a super nice person to boot.
@twalk I have way too many good things to say about Tim here. If you want to see how to use Twitter to truly engage with people and make an impact, follow Tim!
@ambercadabra It’s become almost cliche to recommend Amber for Follow Friday. But it is without a doubt the easiest recommendation to make. Amber’s holistic approach to social media puts her head and shoulders above many “gurus.” Plus, she engages with people in a warm, authentic way.
@billcusick I am sure it’s not a surprise I recommend Bill. He’s my brother, so duh. But he’s also a smart thought leader on customer experience issues, and now an author. In fact, don’t just follow him on Twitter. Buy the book! All Customers Are Irrational
@blfarris Brad is so knowledgeable about all things small business. He consistently shares great content, both from himself and others.
@hooshy So since Hooshna and I had connected so authentically on Twitter, the first time we met in real life we hugged! She is that great, plus an expert B2B marketer.
@csrollyson Chris is one of those super-smart guys who you don’t think will be as nice as he is. He’s doing some very cool stuff with social media strategy for large enterprises.
@bmaldonado Barbara is queen of all things promotional and also a super connector. She’s been a great contact both on Twitter and in real life.
@shellykramer Here’s what I love about Shelly – she really listens and shares. She is of course a smart branding/marketing cookie, but always genuine and kind and always, always learning, which I admire.
@thescottbishop Scott is great at connecting the dots with marketing and connecting people through innovative groups and ideas. If you haven’t already, join Scott’s group Chicago Twitter & Social Media on LinkedIn. It’s great!
@elizabethsosnow Elizabeth really understands PR for professional services, promotes great content and is generous with knowledge.
@bradlawless Brad is not only a great communicator but also a creative social media innovator. Recently, he was a big part of #bfdeals, which helped us all track the best deals on Black Friday!
This list is really just a small sample of the amazing connections I have made on Twitter. To paraphrase Twitterville author Shel Isreal (@shelisrael): While we meet in virtual places, the relationships are real.