10 Reasons I’m Not Retweeting You

May 7, 2011 by Pamela 4 Comments

The key to succeeding on Twitter is influencing people. Your influence can be gaged in many ways. Inspiring retweets is one.

Sounds easy, right?

Actually, garnering retweets can be a daunting task, and those who accomplish this goal have one thing in common: they tweet with retweeting in mind.

Here’s 10 reasons you’re not being retweeted:

You don’t follow the 140 character rule. Traditional retweeting (RT @username) has to follow the 140 – (username + 6) rule. Savvy users don’t use Twitter’s auto-retweet function, especially if they want to include their own comments.
You don’t read what you’re sharing. Remember, you are the last line of defense for what you post. If you don’t click others’ links to ensure you’re not retweeting a scam or virus, why should people trust you enough to retweet you?
The site you link to includes an auto-popup or overlay, begging me to take action. This appears before I’ve even read a single line of the page; in fact, it usually covers the page so I’ve no choice but to take some action. My action, of course, is to close the window and move on—without sharing your tweet with my followers.
You cuss. I’m no prude, but I find no reason to cuss in a professional, social media environment. Even when quoting someone you should substitute characters (like ***).
You are too political. Tweeting for sales, business, and influence should be void of an overly-political voice, unless your target audience warrants such discussion. In fact, I never retweet political statements on principle—I know that a portion of my followers would be offended no matter what the statement.
The page to which you link is loaded with grammatical errors. I’m a professional, and my followers trust that I’m sharing information for a good reason. Broken English, spelling errors (sure, they happen, but there’s a limit to what’s acceptable on a per-post basis), and lack of punctuation doesn’t represent “me”. If you’re retweeting sub-par content, it reflects poorly on you.
You abuse the term “Please RT!”. Unless the issue is urgent, you shouldn’t be begging. Accept the fact that people can decide on their own if your comment warrants a retweet.
The content of your tweet doesn’t interest me. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. One cannot expect everyone they follow to only tweet topics of interest. Understand this and it will be easier to accept not being retweeted.
The page to which you link requires registration. Even if it’s free, we simply don’t have the time to register at every site we visit. Find another source, or write your own post (avoiding plagiarism, of course).
You don’t use the appropriate hashtag. Even though I’m following you, I might not be interested in everything you have to say, or, I might not be on Twitter when you tweet something interesting. The chances of me seeing your tweet increase if you’ve used a hashtag on which I search.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking Twitter is just a “free-for-all” and “if you tweet it, they will come”. There’s a reason key tweeters are recognized and respected, and they didn’t build their reputations overnight. They did this, in part, by tweeting with retweeting in mind.

Have any “I won’t retweet…” stories of your own? Post a comment!

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: communication, marketing, social media, twitter

Follow Friday 5: Take a Break…

April 22, 2011 by Pamela Leave a Comment

Each week I pick 5 key folk to follow on the web (and Twitter) based on a selected topic.

You can learn a great deal about engaging your users from these food and drink related companies:

Dunkin’ Donuts (@dunkindonuts) From social media contests to interacting with customers via Q&A, Dunkin’ Donuts shows you really can boost sales via social networking. Like them on Facebook, too!
Starbucks (@starbucks) Okay, so I’ve never gotten a reply from the many tweets I’ve sent their way, but I do see them interacting with their customers throughout each day. Another example of engagement = sales.
Whole Foods Market (@wholefoods) This company has really set the bar high for competitors. Where they really succeed, though, is allowing local stores manage their own accounts. Talk about interaction! Find your local store’s Twitter account.
The Veggie Grill (@veggiegrill) This account is a great example of how local restaurants can engage their customers. Tweets are managed by co-founder Kevin Boylan, who likes to wake you up with interesting news, provide customer service and make you laugh. He calls Wednesdays Veggie Grill Virgin Night – challenging customers to bring new folks through the door. (I found this great post that explains what I’m talking about.)
Taco Bell (@tacobell) You don’t have to like the food to appreciate this company’s Twitter account. Taco Bell knows its target audience. Even in the wake of a lawsuit (dropped, by the way) they launched aggressive ad campaigns, ultimately demanding apologies (view the PDF). This rallied up more supporters, and they’re happy to have them. I especially love that when someone asked what a menu item looked like, Taco Bell promptly uploaded a Twitpic. Very cool.

Of course, there are plenty of folk worthy of mention. My picks are based on current trends and my experience. Know a foodie-type account we all need to follow around? Share your thoughts in the comments box!

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: #FF5, facebook, social media, twitter

Social Media is Just a Fad…

April 18, 2011 by Pamela 2 Comments

That’s an argument I hear often, especially from small business owners. There are few, though, who actually believe this. The bulk of them use it as an excuse for not taking the time to find ways to engage people.

There are two factors that can equate to success in the social world: luck and risk.

Luck

Don’t believe in luck? You should. It’s what makes online campaigns go viral. You could argue that it’s really the marketers and producers of content, but, you’d be wrong. Sure, they play a role in the process, but it’s luck of the draw that shoots a video – say, Rebecca Black’s Friday – through the roof.

Consider your own social media accounts. Unless you follow or friend a handful of people, chances are you’re missing more than half of the goods. Even lists and bookmarks can get overloaded with content, and, let’s be honest, you’ll never have enough time to read every article and watch every video your favorite folks share.

It’s more about luck because search results will never return “everything”, so you take the chance that when you look at your stream something important is being shared. You take the chance that you don’t miss a post that’s going to trigger an A-Ha moment.

Risk

Risks are taken by companies and professionals. They put money and time behind a campaign, taking the chance that a certain percentage of followers are going to see posts as they happen. They pray that people will share the content (via RTs and Facebook posts). This includes the media and blogs, which – usually through RSS feeds and search engines – can shine a brighter spotlight on the message.

The ultimate goal is total saturation… Let’s call it the “Charlie Sheen Effect” because his rants and #winning attempts are a perfect example of what companies want to do. Well, most companies aren’t looking for controversy, but they are seeking to become trending topics. Who wouldn’t want to gain a million followers in just over a day? Who wouldn’t want people of all walks of life sharing a specific message? Who wouldn’t want to experience this type of domino effect?

Guy Kawasaki calls “nobodies” the new “somebodies”, because it only takes a few traditional folk to get the ball rolling. The time (and money) spent by companies trying to influence those key nobodies stems from belief in a product or service. Still, the investments are a risk because there are far fewer “viral” success stories than actual attempts.

It’s Not a Fad

Social media, however, is not a fad. We’ve been using it for centuries. Word-of-mouth is a form of social media, as are forums and blog posts. People will always want to learn new things and share information, and companies will always want to influence people to buy their products. We may not always use the same tools (technology allows for new methods), but we’ll always be a social world.

If you’ve been putting off using today’s social tools to engage existing and potential customers, what’s the real reason? Is it the risk factor? Or are you so scared you won’t get lucky you’re not even willing to try?

Filed Under: Ecommerce, Marketing, Social Media Tagged With: facebook, marketing, Mistakes That Kill, social media, twitter

Follow Friday 5: Social Media Gurus

April 15, 2011 by Pamela 5 Comments

Each week I pick 5 key folk to follow on the web (and Twitter) based on a selected topic.

The rules and trends of social media are ever changing. It makes sense to follow people who stay on top of the latest happenings. Here are five of my favorite tweeters focused on our social world:

Social Media Examiner (@smexaminer) makes it fun to learn. I love these guys because they break everything down into easy-to-understand language and supporting graphics. Visit site–>
Mirna Bard (@mirnabard) is a social media consultant who focuses on reality rather than excessive hype. I’d followed her for several months before I won a consult, which was used to publicize my husband’s film efforts. Mirna’s strategies are realistic and she makes concerted efforts to understand people’s needs and goals prior to full project planning. Mirna also gets people engaged by asking questions rather than relying on shady statistics. Visit her site–>
Mari Smith (@marismith) knows Facebook! Seriously, forget all those other “help” groups and sites out there, because Mari already has it covered. From the very basics to in-depth campaign creations, Mari’s resources are top notch. (On a personal note, lots of newcomers treat Mari like she IS Facebook support. She’s not. All the more reason to buy her books and/or user her services). Visit her site–>
Tweet Smarter (@TweetSmarter) teaches, helps and analyzes all things Twitter. Dave and Sarah’s articles and posts are quite useful and they’re great at culling through all the garbage out there. If you want to truly understand Twitter from many angles, follow these fine folks. Visit the site–>
Craig H. Collins (@craighcollins) is a social media consultant and coach. He posts regularly on Facebook and other social sites, focusing on providing a service to customers and potential clients. Visit his site–>

Of course, there are plenty of folk worthy of mention. My picks are based on current trends and my experience with their work. Know someone we all need to follow around? Share your thoughts in the comments box!

Filed Under: Ecommerce, Must Read Web, Social Media Tagged With: #FF, facebook, social media, twitter

Gearing Up for Social Media Success Summit 2011

April 14, 2011 by Pamela Leave a Comment

Social Media Success Summit 2011 (SMSS) is right around the corner. I’ve already started clearing off my desk to make room for my feet so I can kick back and listen to some key players in the social world. (Yes, even those who consult spend time and money to stay in-the-know.)

From May 3-26, more than 20 key players in the business will be sharing their methods, predictions and statistics. I attended the summit last year and walked away armed with tons of new ideas, some merely triggered by case studies totally unrelated to my work.

The organizers make it simple. Presentations (which include Q&A) are scheduled throughout the month, which helps ease the burden of information overload. If you miss a session, or just want to see it again, you get access to replays. SMSS is actually the first online “big” event I’ve attended where I didn’t feel pressed for time to get in and out of education panels.

Many of you have been asking me if the summit is worth the cost. Since no travel or accommodation costs are involved – no one is going to judge you if you’re sitting in your jammies eating M&Ms (yes, guilty) – there’s no worries about connecting flights or lost reservations.

But, seriously, if you want to gain more customers and brand recognition, it makes sense to understand what tools are available, how to use them, and how some companies went about making their mark. The sessions are designed to guide you down a logical path. It’s also a great opportunity to hear speakers you might not otherwise have the chance to experience.

Of course, like anything else, if you can walk away with just one, really good idea, it wasn’t at all for naught.

Learn more…

I pay for my own attendance to this event. However, I do use an affiliate link in this post.

Filed Under: Ecommerce, Social Media, Tools I Love... Tagged With: Ecommerce, facebook, marketing, social media, twitter

The Interesting “Sizzling Fajita” Effect

April 13, 2011 by Pamela Leave a Comment

On Monday, uber-consultant Chris Brogan—who often uses personal experiences to teach or engage his followers—challenged us to find a way to create a chain reaction for online purchases.

In his concise, logical post, Brogan explains how an order of fajita’s passing through a restaurant dining room triggers more orders (ooh, the sizzle; ooh, the smell—its enough to make me want to head to On the Border right now).

Brogan’s idea is to offer incentives to customers if they tweet their purchase.

Know what? It could work.

There are already social sites that allow users to share their purchase information—what they bought and how much they spent—but such services require users be connected (much like you must be friends with a Facebook’er to see what he/she is sharing). Brogan’s concept is similar, but provides for broader reach using platforms most of our friends already use. The question is—as he puts it—how do you tempt others to follow suiy when they can’t “smell the fajitas”?

Some of Brogan’s loyal followers have posted creative ideas, the most compelling being offering a small discount (like 5%) if someone agrees to tweet or like their purchase in real-time. Some online stores already have “I just bought” tweet functionality built-in, but, for most, there’s no real way to confirm if the shopper actually completes the task. Thus, a real-time discount would require some development work if the store owner wants to prevent rewards hitting those who don’t hold up their end of the bargain. For some shopping carts it could mean generating coupons for a future purchase.

Instant gratification (discounts now, rather than later) is a great way to close sales. The way I see it, social media could easily play a big role in not only finalizing purchases, but bringing more people in the door.

What say you? Is live-tweeting what you’re buying worth a discount? Are consumers willing to share their purchases with the world?

Chime in below.

Filed Under: Ecommerce, Marketing, The Way I See It Tagged With: conversion, facebook, marketing, social media, twitter

5 Reasons Why You Should Follow Key Tweeters in Your Field(s)

February 23, 2011 by Pamela 4 Comments

Practical eCommerce Twitter account snapshot

Everyone I follow on Twitter I follow with good reason. They provide me with information I want or need. It’s that simple.

By key players (tweeters) I mean those who you might otherwise hire, associate with, or work alongside. They could also be people you respect. In the world of ecommerce, the most sought-after information is usability (shopability), SEO, marketing, social media and related campaigns.

Though I write for Practical eCommerce and visit the site often, I follow them on Twitter so I'm reminded of news and key strategies.

Many business owners still don’t grasp how Twitter can help them promote their stores and web sites. That, however, is a post for a different day. Today, I want to give you five reasons you should follow key players in specific fields.

They do the homework. A professional tweeter does his research and provides links to key articles and posts he thinks you need to read. This can be an immense time saver—after all, who has time to comb through thousands of web sites every day?
They have ideas. Popular, professional tweeters do more than just provide links. They provide commentary on the links they post, and share ideas (often with links to their own posts so you can read all the juicy details).
They’re usually more reliable. Key players with loyal followers are respected for what they do. This means more people listen and trust what they have to say.
They often work with successful businesses. And, let’s be real, success is what you’re after… no? Experienced communicators have witnessed both the good and the bad, what works and what doesn’t.

And the fifth, all-important reason you should be following these players? Because chances are, some of your competition already does.

When searching for the right pros to follow, don’t just look at the number of people who follow them, but rather their timeline and the number of people they actually engage. It’s quite easy to gain 1,000+ followers in a short period of time, but the bulk of them may not even be reading what the tweeter has to say. Also, don’t follow just one person in each field—you want a healthy mixture of information. Why? Because no one answer is correct for every single scenario.

Follow professionals for guidance and ideas. The real work, however, is still up to you.

Filed Under: Ecommerce, Must Read Web, Social Media Tagged With: Ecommerce, legal, marketing, social media, twitter

Luck

Risk

It’s Not a Fad

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