Twitter to Users: ‘Get a (Social) Life!’
Hey Newman, enjoying the posts. What’s your take on Twitter? -Mark in San Francisco
Twitter streams are overflowing with loud, unsolicited advertisements for all sorts of random stuff. And while I won’t begrudge someone for attempting to raise awareness about their e-book, that approach really misses the point.
What business people and trade show exhibitors don’t typically realize with Twitter is the potential for connection. Sure, it’s not the same as engaging someone face-to-face, but when are you going to be face-to-face with Demi Moore (@mrskutcher) or the CEO of Zappos (@Zappos) or the Chief Technology Officer at Cisco (@Padmasree). Even with a “connection” to Cisco, Padmasree Warrior wouldn’t take my call or respond to my e-mail. But Demi and Tony and Padmasree are actively involved in the Twitter community and responding to tweets—especially if they’re clever or funny or helpful.
This is the equivalent of getting invited to “that party” and having a chance to start a dialogue and charm influential people with your personality. More to that point, you wouldn’t walk into that VIP party and immediately say, “Here’s what I’m selling!” They’d shun you instantly (if you didn’t get kicked out altogether). But through a genuine conversation, talk might turn to what you do, and that person or the company that person represents might very well recognize a need for your services.
Twitter “conversations” are just as relaxed. It’s fun and often silly, but you can get work done within this budding medium. It’s just important to remember that Twitter is inherently a social model, not a business one. The business comes later … just like in real life.
This holds true for the flipside of the equation, too. Recently, Zappos posted the following tweet:
http://twitpic.com/f4pqp – Coolest. Toilet Seat Cover. Ever. (Never thought I’d use those words together)”
The other day there was a message about cool outfits Zappos employees made out of duct tape. (http://bit.ly/4P3h) And while Tony Hsieh just seems like a genuinely cool guy to hang out with, what’s subtly happening is he’s building brand loyalty. After months of connecting with Tony, how much more likely will you be to log on for that next pair of shoes or stop by if you were to see a Zappos booth at a trade show?
That’s because if you were at a trade show and you knew that a close friend of yours had a booth, you would stop by. You wouldn’t just go to the trade show and blow off a friend. A regular common experience with another Twitter feed will foster that sense of fellowship—even if it’s a big corporation. That’s powerful stuff. Certainly much more powerful than 140 characters overtly trying to sell me something.
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Good points, Ken. Lots of noise on Twitter, but lots of opportunity to make connections. To really make that work, though, you have to be consistent and persistent, especially if you want to get the attention of someone who’s got hundreds of thousands of followers (and is following about the same amount).
Chances are I won’t get into any sort of continuing or meaningful conversation with Demi Moore or Shaq – and certainly won’t run into them where I hang out – but if I follow them and see what types of interactions they have and what amuses them, it increases the odds they might actually notice me (thinking that is something that I actually *care* about!).
But that type of interaction may mean something to a person I meet via Twitter that I find at a tradeshow or convention – and stop by and introduce myself…”hey, it’s me! @tradeshowguy!”
Like most things, you get out of it what you put into it. Bottom line: it’s a deep, immediate and far-reaching communications tool and I don’t think any of us have figured out what it REALLY can do!
Can we use Twitter for educational activities?
I agree that Twitter ads need to be a little bit more indirect. I know Twitter is a great way to help build your network, but moderation is the key to success.