What does your Twitter feed look like? Try to go to Chris Brogan’s Twitter feed and browse through his latest tweets. If it’s anything like normal, 80% of all tweets will be @-responses meaning a question or response to one specific Twitter user. The key to making connections and building your network through social media is talking, namely small talking. So why does he spend his time doing that?
People have a wealth of interesting input and questions they’d liked answered, but hold back, because obviously we can’t start a conversation of by a deep analysis of a certain point in a business strategy. Also, we’d probably have a hard time doing so in 140 characters anyway. Twitter and Facebook being social media, our conversations are often on public display, so we don’t want to come off as amateurs or as the only one in the class that doesn’t get it, so we end up not talking. This is a mistake.
140 characters is plenty of room for small talk and small talk is what we need to do in order to build a relationship with a person to a level that it’s possible to talk on another level, to compare notes, to cooperate.
Here are 3 things you need to keep in mind and start small talking:
1. You’re not perfect and neither are the people you follow
You don’t have to balance every word and think through every sentence. Just start talking. A good way to get going is to pick ten questions and just answer them. People will appreciate it, even if it’s not haiku.
2. Break the ice
If you need an entry to get someone in conversation, try commenting on what’s happening around them. Read their tweets, their blog, see what interests them and then comment on it. Another good way to go is asking a question. Ask something that is easily answered and “on topic”.
3. Get people talking… about themselves
People love talking about themselves. Show interest in their opinions or their feedback.
Don’t be afraid of “spamming” your Twitter or Facebook feed with your answers. Most of your friends/followers will only see your “non-direct” posts, not your answers.
By interacting with your friends and followers, you’ll build the foundation for the future relationship and get noticed online at the same time. Soon enough, you be in a position to get the input and provide the output that you want.
How does your Twitter feed look? What’s your @-response ratio? Mine is about 50-60%, so not nearly as high as Chris Brogan’s.
Photo credit stock.xchng.
