As I continue my journey into the new world of social media, I tend to hear one common theme; that a lot of people are still having a hard time understanding the value and business potential of Twitter. Generally, those who don’t understanding Twitter will have the same response, “I don’t care that so and so is getting a hair cut!”
Last evening I attended a networking event and stayed late, getting into a discussion with a person whom I had just met about the value Twitter. My focus was less on trying to convince this person that he/she should be using Twitter, and more on helping this person understand the concept. The conversation ended with the person stating that they would give it another look, but I wasn’t convinced personally that I had done an adequate job in explaining its value. Driving home I realized that I needed to do a better job in describing this medium and decided that I needed to create an easier way for people to get a picture in their heads. After all, I’m a veteran sales guy, who has spent most of my professional career selling intangible services which requires a strong ability to create a vision of the outcome in the minds of my prospects.
So here’s my explanation for those who just can’t get the concept and value of Twitter.
First of all, in addition to being a business person, I am a musician. I have played trumpet for nearly 40 years, having taken private lessons in public school, played in numerous school and commercial bands, as well as receiving a Bachelors Degree in Music. Music has always been an important part of my life and I’m happy that I’m still at it. In other words, I know how to play the trumpet, but more than that I understand and know how to play musically.
Using my favorite instrument, the trumpet as an example, anyone can pick up the instrument and make some sort of sound. But the experienced player knows how to make music whereas the untrained person attempting to play the trumpet only makes noise. More than likely no one would listen to the untrained person regardless of how many times this person tries to play. Twitter is similar in that there are certainly a lot of people saying things that have little apparent value which would cause anyone viewing general twitter communication as just a lot of noise. So where do people find value in Twitter? By finding those people who are communicating information in an area or issue that is important to you and has value.
Need another example?
Suppose you are totally addicted to playing golf. Your full time job is working in an office, shuffling papers and answering the phone. But you absolutely love golf and it dominates your thoughts almost 24 hours a day. So, you’re out shopping with your wife or partner at a large department store. He or she is shopping for shoes or something that you have no interest in and the buying process will undoubtedly take a while. However, this is a huge department store with a large sports section, including a full array of golf gear. Where do you think you’ll end up? More than likely in the sports section looking at golf gear. Like Twitter everything else in the store is of little interest to you and like the prior example just a lot of noise. When first entered the store you notice a sign that instantly grabs your attention displaying “Sports Department this way”. This also happens within Twitter messages that may include the golf, along with a link to a larger web site or blog that provides greater depth on the subject. But it gets better. A friend sees you walking buy and he/she is with their significant other, suffering through a demonstration on vacuum cleaners, and asks where you’re headed? So you tell them that you going to the sports department to look at golf gear. In Twitter this is similar to a re-tweet where you are passing a message, to people that you are connected with, containing a brief message suggesting a link to more information on a subject of mutual interest. And that is the key, finding people who are interested and passionate about the same area interest. These are commonly called communities of interest. People who communicate within these communities of interest understand that the objective is to ADD to the conversation, not to dominate it.
OK, so what does this have to do with the business application?
Have you ever heard the phrase,” The more you give the more you will receive”? Social media is not about instant gratification but rather the nurturing and ongoing development of building trusted relationships. Twitter is a way of sending and sharing short messages to people who share common interests. Yes, occasionally people will announce that their going on a vacation or met a celebrity, but isn’t that what friends sometimes do?
The first step is to find and begin listening to those people who share your interests. A simple way to do this is through SearchTwitter.com. Here you can type in an area of interest and begin to find people who share the same interest. Begin following them and when appropriate join the conversation. I promise that you may be surprised at what you may learn.
