Flattery will get you everywhere

I've always wanted to be on a celebrity list which is why I was delighted to fulfil that ambition last week.

Logging onto Twitter, I spotted a tweet directed at me from online retailer Glasses Direct. 'We've added you to our Top 10 glasses wearers list - fancy free glasses for life?,' it told me. Clicking a link I was directed to the company's blog where low and behold, I discovered that I'd made it on to the company's top 10 list of 'online personalities' it wants to enter a promotion to win a pair of glasses every year for life.

And it wasn't just any old list; oh no, it included the darling of the Twitterati Stephen Fry and Biz Stone, the co-founder of Twitter!

Once my head had stopped growing and I'd dealt with the amazement of my colleagues that me, the lowly editor of BusinessZone.co.uk, had made it on such a list, it got me thinking about what a clever tactic Glasses Direct had employed.

Us humans love being flattered; particularly us media types so courting high profile online figures (if I say so myself!) is a good PR tactic.

All business owners would do well to go down the same route. Celebrity backing for your product is an an age old marketing ploy but it still works. And in the modern world with the likes of Twitter around, it's much easier to get in touch with the big names.

So next time you're running a promotion like Glasses Direct, tweet at some celebs and you never know you might get a bite.

Oh and yes, I did enter the competition.