Archive for Twitter
A new spin on Automated Direct Messages on Twitter
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve written a few times about automated direct messages on Twitter (Should You Send an Automated DM to New Twitter Followers? and Using Twitter: Another Look at Sending Automated Direct Messages)
An automated DM in Twitter is when you use software to automatically send a direct message to new followers. I was (and still am) against them because everyone knows they’re automated and are often annoying to the receiver. They do nothing to help the receiver get to know, like and trust you better. Getting people to know, like and trust you is your main purpose with marketing.
However, I recently received this automated DM and this is the exception to my no auto-DM rule. Why? Because it made me laugh – which is clearly the goal. It is poking fun at how most people craft these types of messages and instantly made me like the sender a little more. Therefore, it did the job.
What do you think? Leave a comment please.
Andrea J. Stenberg
What you should post to Twitter or Facebook
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If you’re a micro-business owner (where YOU are your business) it can be a challenge to figure out what to post to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
You don’t want to be sharing what you ate for lunch or when you went to the bathroom.
On the other hand, you don’t want to be too promotional either; that turns people off. You need to find a balance.
What’s your social media brand?
No, I don’t mean your logo or your photo – although that’s part of it.
It’s how do you want people to think of you. If you’re a micro business – providing a product or service where your expertise is what sets you apart – then you probably want to be seen as an expert. You want to be the “go-to” person in your field.
How do you do this?
Be a resource
Provide useful information that your customers – and potential customers – need and want. You don’t have to create all the content yourself. Provide links to articles and blog posts that provide useful information. Using Google Reader and RSS feeds can be a great way to quickly and easily find content to share.
Someone who does a great job of this Read More→
How to Look Bad in Twitter
Posted by: | CommentsRecently I noticed a wine expert had started following me on Twitter. Since I a) like wine and b) like to follow new people, I followed him back.
I then wrote him a DM (that’s
direct message – which is private on Twitter) asking him what his favourite Canadian wine is. At about the same time I received what is obviously an automated DM from him, thanking me for following and asking me to click a link and leave a comment about a wine I recently tried.
That was a week ago. There has STILL been no response to my message, which wasn’t automated. And his automated DM is still sitting at the top of my DM inbox, reminding me that he hasn’t bothered to answer my real message.
Remember, using Twitter (or any other social media tool) is about building relationships. It’s about giving people a chance to get to know, like and trust you enough that they want to deepen the relationship by visiting your website, having a conversation or visiting your store. By sending me an automated DM and at the same time ignoring my message to him, he missed a chance to let me get to know him better. And forget about like & trust.
You probably know that I’m against automated DMs (if not, please read this article http://ow.ly/4ujEb). However, if you are going to ignore my advice and send them anyway, please, please, PLEASE have the courtesy to read your own DM inbox and reply to anyone who sends you a message. If not, you’ll end up looking like a jerk.
Andrea J. Stenberg
Follow me on Twitter and if you send me a message, I promise to reply. And the reply will be from me, not a bot, not an assistant, not even my kid, but me.
And if you haven’t done so yet, please check out the free internet marketing ebook I co-wrote with @sos4business. Internet Marketing 101: Discover Three Simple Things You Can Do Now to Grow Your Business Online will help you jump start your online marketing. Get the free ebook at http://29daystogrowingabusiness.com
