GET READY TO WIN PRIZES
IN THE HANGING OUT WITH BARBARA SHER LAUNCH PARTY

You can do this. Don’t worry if you have never used Twitter before. Or if you tried it and could not figure out what to say or read. Just follow these simple steps.

You need a public Twitter account to win any of the terrific prizes I want you to win. It’s easy to create one.

Already have one? Most Twitter accounts are public, but if people must ask your permission to follow you, you have made yours private. You can set up a second, public account using a different email address after you sign out of Twitter.

Here is how to get yourself a public Twitter account:

1. Decide how you want to be seen on Twitter. Everyone has a full name (in bold letters), a username (it follows the @ sign) and a picture (you can upload any JPG, PNG, or GIF file up to 700 KB in size). When anyone mentions you or writes to you on Twitter, they will use your username. Here’s an example of a bunch of folks already on Twitter:
   Providing a photo is optional. Without one, you will look like an egg:
   Eggs can win prizes. It’s OK for starters. And a little less hassle.
2. Got your Full Name picked out?
   Go to https://twitter.com/
3. Fill out this form:
   – Do NOT use the same password you use for anything important, like your bank account or email.
   – Write down the password you choose somewhere where it won’t get lost.
   – You must use an email address at which you can receive a confirmation email.
   
4. When you click on the big yellow button, you get to choose your Username, which must be unique, so look for the suggestions Twitter offers if your favorite is already taken:
   
5. When you get all four green check marks, click on the big yellow button. Now you have a Twitter account. Look for this button in the upper right corner if you want to change any Settings (including adding a Profile picture or changing your Location, Bio or Website) or to get Help:
   

That’s all. You now have a Twitter account! And you won’t even need to visit the Twitter website to participate in the party.

Here is how to join the party on April 28th at 2 pm:

1. Go to https://tweetchat.com/. This is one of several tools for focusing on one discussion at a time on Twitter. It’s not the only one you can use for the party, but it’s the one I recommend.
2. Type BarbaraSher (our party hashtag) in the box at the top of the page and press the Enter key to go to the chat room. (If you are logged out of Twitter, you will be asked to log in again through TweetChat first, using your Username and Password.)
   
3. Every Tweet anyone posts on Twitter that contains #BarbaraSher will be displayed here for you to read.
   If you see one you want to reply to, click on the  symbol and add whatever you want to say to that person. You will see the number of characters remaining in the top right corner. It’s less than the usual 140 for Twitter, because TweetChat will automatically add #BarbaraSher to everything you Tweet while in the chat room. When you are done typing, click on the update button.
   
4. Think someone’s said something worth repeating? Use the Retweet  button. You can add a comment or not.
   
5. Or you can type a message to the group in the chat room and all who follow your Twitter account. Type it in the same box and send it the same way. This is a good way to capture and share helpful things you hear on the call. Remember that every message, retweet, or reply adds another 5 cents to what I will send to the great folks running the Himalayan orphanage and health care program.

So, who wins prizes?

The first prize of the party will go to someone who sent messages in the days and hours before the party, inviting others to join the party. Just remember they must contain #BarbaraSher to count. You can see what others are posting by visiting the #BarbaraSher chat room at any time.

The rest of the prizes go to those who share juicy tidbits from the phone call, who retweet or reply to good stuff from other partiers, and who provide great answers to questions my prize-awarding assistant (@partybizconnect) will post throughout the party. These questions will start with a question number like Q1.

One more really great benefit:

You are going to meet wonderful people at this party. Hover your mouse over any Username in TweetChat and click the Follow button that pops up. This will add them to the people you are connected with on Twitter.

Go try it now. If you have any questions, post them here before the Launch Party.