There is a running joke around the office about my "love" of twitter. So, it was not surprising when my colleagues asked if I will run out and buy a Ford after the news that twitter will be incorporated into future Ford Motor Co. vehicles. (And, the answer is no, by the way.)

But, in all sincerity, as a public relations professional who loves to connect with people and needs to stay tuned into the latest industry news, twitter has been very helpful. Here are a few simple examples of how you can use it:

• Follow publications that are relevant to your space to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the industry. On my personal twitter account (@ABBYBUTT), I recently started a B2B publication list… check it out – and if you are an editor or a publication and I missed you on the list, certainly let me know!

• In addition to following the publications, be sure to follow and interact with the individual editors, too. They sometimes post what they are working on and if they are looking for experts. I encountered that recently with Amara Rozgus at Consulting-Specifying Engineer.

• Use twitter to connect with people and companies you’ve never met – it’s a great way to get to know them. When I’m attending tradeshows or conferences, I can search on twitter ahead of time to see who else is attending. For example, AHR Expo is coming up at the end of January in Orlando. If you do a search on twitter for #AHR or ASHRAE, you can see who will be attending and if there will be any “tweetups” around the event.

• If you are on a webinar or at an event that mentions a #hashtag, search for that hashtag on twitter. There are many discussions that take place before, during, and even after events that can be valuable to engage in, too.

Not convinced twitter is for you? Maybe it isn’t. It’s not for everyone. Perhaps it’s my love of interacting with people combined with my passion for new technology that makes twitter a perfect fit for me.

Who knows…maybe someday I will end up getting a Ford after all!