Twitter is a great device for connecting with people. It can be lost in translation by the Social Media Elite what Twitter is supposed to be. They ignore the rules of traditional networking and just do “push” advertising through an Automatic Direct Message when it does not work.
There seems to be a trend for the Auto Direct Message Rant on Blogs. I know that I am not the first. This one is going to show you the good and bad of what Twitter can do for you or your organization. People seem to forget that an AUTO DM is a version of Spam and interrupt advertising. This is what, Seth Godin, speaks against, in his book Tribes. In today’s society, interrupt advertising isn’t working and it is counteractive against the rules of networking.
If Twitter is the combination of a cocktail party and message board. Why would you give out your contact card at the start of an event and NOT bother talking with the person? That does NOT build contacts and it is rude. These are going against all things networking in person, so why are you doing this online? If you have never commented to them on Twitter or even if you have why are you sending out these AUTO DM’s when you don’t even know who you are sending them too?
I have had two circumstances where I have met the person live and received the Auto DM. This is what ticks me off the most because I have made a connection with them and they don’t even consider me as a contact. When I went to a Social Media MI meeting I came across a person that is a Social Media expert. He Auto DMed me saying to join his Facebook page. Well if he had paid attention then he would have known that I was already on his Facebook page and would NOT have sent me the Auto DM. Then I could not respond back because he didn’t follow me. So that was horrible in all sense of the connection. Why would you want to connect with someone that is ignoring you in the Social Structure? He even has my business card but probably could not pick me out of a line up. Even if I were to comment on his pages and blogs.
Then I got an Auto DM when I first started. I didn’t have a clue and it said that I was his favorite. Well, that was a bad choice of words because when I ran into him at a Tweet Up he had no clue to who I was or what not. I thought I was his favorite. At the same time, I started to follow him for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So he said, “I was his favorite,” that is when I knew that it was an Auto DM. I checked him on it but he said,”I guess you don’t like Auto DM’s and that it is an efficient way of keeping contact. I disagree and believe that it goes against everything networking and connecting. How can you be someone’s favorite if you know nothing about them? If you took time to find out about them then you would know what was going on in their head and building relationships.
Which leads me to the good. Through Twitter you can build relationships that helps your business just by listening. I tweeted that I was looking for a 1950s Cadillac in Detroit. So Robyn Henderson who happens to be a member of the GMBlogs account on twitter and was online at the time. She happened to see my request and offered her service. It turns out that the Detroit Institute of Arts is the location for the Leukemia Ball the signature fundraiser for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. That picture was perfect and they donated 12 pictures and I also had use of the archivist. Which would cost a lot of money if you were to get the copyright and paying the archivist for his services. It was a great experience and I recommend anyone to go to the GM Heritage Center. You can learn a lot and the place is available for private parties.
Twitter can be used to gain contacts and I have had a lot of good experiences but then every time I get an Automatic Direct Message I want to Unfollow them for that reason. Social Media is NOT about interrupt advertising. It is about networking and building valuable contacts either in your industry, your neck of the woods, or common interest. Think about how you network in person and translate to the online world. You might wind up more successful in your business practice because you will gain everyone’s respect by not acting like Spam.
Great post and I agree with the automatic DM’s. What is your take on a twitterfeed from your blog? I currently use it for my personal blog and think it is a great way to automate some of your content to twitter, but I still think you should be involved in conversations and not just pumping your stuff out. Agree or disagree?
I have a twitter feed on my blog and on My Myspace page. I don’t think it is as bad as something automated because it is just demonstrating your interests. So people know more about you and your interests.
It is just like any other link and it is another connection. What if someone has no clue to what Twitter is. I think it demonstrates what it is and maybe could help someone join Twitter that may not have had the chance because they do not know what it is.
Ugh. You KNOW how I hate the AutoDM’s! And that ass you met at that meeting, horrible! I hate when these people DM you yet you can’t DM back because they don’t follow you. It’s SO RUDE.
I like how you called ADM “interrupt” advertising, because that is exactly what is going on. Great observation.
Most of the auto DMers are hacks. They are not educated business people, they haven’t studied marketing enough if at all, and they aren’t reading the required authors like Godin, Brogan, et al. When I get an ADM I know the sender has failed my litmus test. They go in the “bad egg” pile and I usually unfollow immediately. I don’t need their type of spew.
I know. I met both of them at two different events. I know that I am a rookie but that just makes me more impressionable. I just hate that there isn’t respect going on. They should make it more like a networking meeting where you find common interests and less push advertising. That is what gets you pushed away. Know your audience before you push something on them.
It’s hilarious to see so-called experts continuing to abuse the channel with their own brand of spam. The auto-DM really ought to be outlawed!