Are you being ignored in the Twitter playground?
Last week I got an email from someone who saw me speak on the subject of using Twitter for small businesses. It was titled “Help Please – slightly ranty and desperate”.
Having been a Twitter for some months, this small business owner was feeling like a child coming home and saying “no-one wants to play with me”. She was frustrated that she didn’t seem to be able to attract new followers, nor be able to get her own tweets retweeted.
This is what I emailed back:
Sounds like you need to stop focusing on the numbers and start focusing on the results that you are looking to achieve on Twitter. Twitter is never going to be successful as a business tool if you are only trying to increase your follower numbers and increase the number of Retweets you get.
Step away and take time to sort out a strategy for Twitter. What are you trying to achieve, who do you want to be connecting with and what impact is Twitter going to have on your business?
If it feels like no-one wants to play with you, it is probably because you are hiding in the corner. Most children ignore children who do that, don’t they? Get out there, introduce yourself, have conversations – join in with the party and people will want to play with you.
The following day, I got tweet back from this small business owner. It simply said:
“I was missing out the “social” bit of social networking. Thank you!”
That’s exactly right! The all important word is social.
If you feel you are being ignored, then don’t wait to be asked to play. Start your own games and join in with the party.
Too true! It’s called “Social” Media for a reason, it should be social first and business second. If people feel they can connect with you as a person, they will support your business. You wouldn’t go to a cocktail party, walk up to a group of people and start reading out a script to them, would you? Hopefully, you would listen first and then engage with people first!
I’m famous! Admitedly it took a while for the penny to drop. I’m all mellow now… and to enjoy my moment…I was the “ranty and desperate person”
Julia
Thanks for stopping by and confessing it was you, Julia :O)
Haven’t got into Twitter yet, still getting to grips with Facebook, but it’s as well to be reminded about the “social” part of social networking. I know that women book with me because they know and like ME first, and consequently want to try what I offer, so it’s all about being a friend. Nicky, you’re right about the cocktail party analogy..getting to know people first is what’s going to work!
I love your articles Karen! They keep me focussed, and help me feel I’m not working all alone at making my business a success!
Thanks Anne and I think your Women Out Walking is a great example of how to use a Facebook Page – in fact here is the link for anyone interested http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Women-Out-Walking/374437803958?ref=ts
oops – try that again:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Women-Out-Walking/374437803958?ref=ts
So true! It’s SOCIAL media, so many people miss the point. Far better to have 10 people following you that want to listen to what you say than 100 people ignoring you 🙂
Nice to hear that other people are also advising common sense strategies to small business owners 🙂
Thanks Claire – that’s very lovely of you to say.
Charlotte Baker kindly left me this comment on my LinkedIn profile, which I thought would be useful to share here as I hadn’t come across this hashtag as yet:
Charlotte Baker: Oh there is still so much lurking going on!
Any easy way to get into the conversational habit is joining #watercoolermoment organised by @e_nation at 11am every morning. Chatting is what it is all about so you have ‘permission’ to join in
Kare, great article as always! The key word is definately “social”. And I reckon its the quality of your followers (NOT the quantity) that really make the difference!
Hi everyone
Confession they say is good for the soul but bad for the reputation. I have had to unfollow several people so I could really enjoy those who I enjoyed following. It was very hard but I have since started enjoying tweeting again. As I can follow tweets without the clutter of just links.
It’s so important to keep it social or else it becomes a drag.
Personally I think it is a good idea to map out your twitter strategy even if it is on one side of A4 and it will vary depending on the size of your business. For example I am working with a global brand and they are spending some time on this and only allowing nominated employees to tweet on certain subjects. They have to get the tone right and agree what can be put in the twitter domain, what can not.
Conversely a small business owner has no such restrictions.
But…the power at our fingertips can create an instant result that backfires if we tweet with no prior thought. This is your business, be considered. You are not at the pub with mates!
So, thinking about what you want to tweet and what is going to elicit a good response or even non-response is so important. I have recently unfollowed people who thought that poor humour dressed up as a racist joke was ok and using expletives was fine.
And don’t get me started on spelling mistakes and punctuation!!!
Twitter is not a business channel like say Dm when you can be more overt in your intentions. It is a social tool that can be used for business if you can blend disseminating useful messages (tips) with some conversation and blog links plus an overt sales message thrown in. I sell masses of my books through twitter just by referencing my amazon status or retweeting positive messages from readers. However I blend this with lots of tips and woffle on my daily antics with the odd world exclusive on the hens. I also personally reply to everyone who writes to me, especially the readers who write in each day asking me questions about my book This does take time but I eschew auto responders.
Imagine you were at a party. You would try and engage in a variety of conversations and would show an interest in the people that interested you. Twitter is not that dissimilar but always press the delete button if you tweet in haste. Don’t repent in leisure!
Thanks for the great insight! I think we can all relate at one time or another to being that twitter or kid on the playground.
Twitter should be a fun and engaging thing to do! Not I have to do this.
Make it fun and make it mean something to you and be about something you are passionate about.
People will sense this and follow and RT too!
Aloha
familyforest
http://familyforest.wordpress.com
Thanks for the recommendations, I love the expression putting the ‘social’ in the social media to make things work….simple but effective!
Joy
Honestly – I so #feellikejulia. I posted a photo of a Golden Eagle that we took next to the road the other day, and Twitter ignored it. Guess it needs to cats or puppies?