With Twitter becoming such a powerful force on the social media scene, there are those who get it and those who don\’t get it.
There\’s a certain number of the \”don\’t get it\” crowd who will invariably take an outright aggressive posture and make a statement like this…
\”Twitter is a waste of time. Who cares what you had for breakfast?\”
Many on Twitter will hem and haw about the content of the question, almost embarassingly stating that most tweets do not focus on the more mundane aspects of our lives.
However, I feel it is important to tackle the question head on without embarassment. In fact, I\’ll go out on a limb and say that the more mundane tweets are actually critical to building a successful Twitter following, and leveraging that following for your business.
Allow me to make my case.
Twitter is popular because it goes to the core of one of our most important needs… connecting with others of our species.
Chat rooms, message boards and instant messaging have thrived because people need to engage in relationship with other people. While our mediums for communicating have changed in the information age, our basic needs have not.
The more active a chat room or message board, the more fulfilling for the members. It\’s the constant give-and-take that gives it value and makes it somewhat addictive. In fact, it\’s the reason we now call message boards \”online communities.\” Members of the site begin to feel like family, and are often distraught if the forums are unavailable for a time.
We see the same reaction when the Twitter \”fail whale\” makes an appearance. Our lines of communication with the outside world are severed and we feel all alone. Perhaps we find solace knowing that we are not alone in our feelings. There are thousand upon thousands of others who depend on Twitter and feel a sense of disconnectedness when they are not, well… connected.
So what is it about Twitter that draws people back again and again? Why do people feel such a strong sense of community?
The answer is simple… and perhaps surprising.
Donuts.
No, I\’m not off my rocker and you don\’t need to suggest I use spellcheck.
Donuts are what makes Twitter so successful.
This will come as a great surprise to many who don\’t like donuts (though I suspect that even the most ardent health nut would like to snarf a chocolate glazed donut every now and then.)
You see, I tweet about a great many things.
Sometimes my tweets ask questions and sometimes they answer questions.
Sometimes I tweet a news link I\’ve discovered and other times I\’ll point people towards a cool web tool.
Sometimes I encourage others in my tweets and other times I\’ll retweet something someone else has posted.
The varieties of tweets are numerous and I try to be unpredictable with both the content, timing and frequency of my tweets.
With approximately 45,000 Twitter followers, I receive @ replies to almost every tweet I post.
However, it is not uncommon for some tweets which I think are important to fail to engage people. They just don\’t feel compelled to reply.
For a site that has its basis in relating with others, it is sometimes surprising to encounter dead air in response to a tweet.
This leads me to a tweet I recently posted shortly after enjoying a chocolate donut.
\”Twitter Poll: What is your FAVORITE kind of donut? (mine is chocolate for sure…)\”
The @ replies to me came fast, furious and with great passion.
\”MoneyforSchool@joelcomm blueberry cake glazed … yum yum\”
\”Mageela@joelcomm classic glaze. Nothing better.\”
\”splatnuk@joelcomm Bear claw – oh man now I\’m donut-hungry…\”
\”EdHudson@joelcomm Blueberry\”
\”mphillibert@joelcomm this is bad, I have 2 Boston Creme and Coconut LOL Melanie\”
And the list continued.
In fact, I received PAGES of @ replies to this tweet. And it all became quite clear to me…
The mundane tweets are far more significant than anyone has given credit. Here\’s why.
Relationship finds its foundation in establishing commonality.
When we discover that someone has a friend from our hometown, our ears prick up and we attempt to find out if we know their friend.
When we ask for restaurant suggestions in a city, locals will chime in with their favorites, hoping that you will have enjoyable experiences at their recommended establishments.
And when one of us experiences a tragedy, those most likely to come forward with compassion and understanding are those who have had similar experiences.
Commonality in the human experience is a starting point for relationships. We are drawn to people who think the way we think, like the things we like and have been to the places we\’ve been.
When I innocently made a tweet about donuts, I received a massive outpouring of interaction with other Twitter members. I tapped into a shared experience that so many people could relate to. Not only that, but they were EAGER to relate to the experience. Donuts! Yum.
So why is this imporant?
My mundane tweet was not about donuts. It\’s was about connecting with a large number of people quickly and effectively.
It was about getting them to interact in a way that would endear them to me further. After all, if Joel Comm likes donuts, he must be a pretty good guy.
If we analyze the four phases of successful marketing, they are:
1) Like me
2) Know me
3) Trust me
4) Pay me
In almost all instances, you can not circumvent this process if you hope to sell your products or services. People will not pay you until they trust you. They will not trust you until they get to know you. And they will not get to know you if they don\’t like you.
When we tweet about our favorite food, cute things our children say, pet peeves of our spouses, an article we just read or any number of other seemingly mundane activities or thoughts, we give people an opportunity to like us. After all, we are drawn to people who share experiences we can identify with.
Not only that, but sharing small pieces of our daily activities also helps people to know us. For example, one might think, \”Aha! Joel likes CHOCOLATE donuts. I\’ll remember that in order to tempt him to meet me for coffee one morning!\”
Knowing someone opens the door to trusting them. We trust ourselves with our experiences and are far more likely to trust others who we can identify with.
And finally, trust opens the door to doing business together. If you trust me, you are far more likely to purchase something from me.
Those who don\’t get it, totally miss the point about Twitter.
Twitter may be a good many things and it may be easier to make a list of things that Twitter is NOT.
But the one thing that it IS is a relationship-building tool which allows millions of people to connect faster and more efficiently than ever before. This happens when we bond with others and relate to them through shared human experiences.
So go ahead. Don\’t be afraid to tweet that you are taking your dog for a walk. It\’s ok if you want people to know that you haven\’t shaved today. And I won\’t balk if the subject matter of your tweet is french fries. I\’ve done that as well, and I can tell you that people WILL engage with you.
How much more likely are they to interact when you DO have a product or service you want to introduce to them via a tweet?
Bring yourself to Twitter, in all the uniqueness that is you. People will appreciate your authenticity and seek to engage with you.
Everyone likes the guy who brings donuts to work.
In your own way, I suggest you bring your donuts to Twitter. The common ground they will give you will pave the way for great relationships in the days, weeks, months and years to come.
Oh, and one more thing…
Make mine chocolate, please. :-)