The other day I got a Twitter follow notice from a marketing guy who specializes in media. Because I don't simply follow everyone who follows me I checked his Twitter stream and his web site to see if we had anything in common. It seems we did so I decided to follow him.
Yesterday I got a DM from him. Here's the quote, "Nice to meet you. Get to know me, visit (and then a link to his site). "Get to know me?" Are you kidding me?
This reminds me of the old joke about the guy who got a new chain saw but complained because it was so hard to use. When his friend started up the chain saw to show him the best way to use it, the guy said, "what's that noise?" A classic example of using a new tool in the old ways.
Certainly, in the days of brochures, billboards, print ads, poorly written television and radio spots, even sandwich boards on the sidewalk, this was the case. The underlying message was always "Get to know me!" Well…that was then, this is now.
To use the powerful tools of social media with that message is like trying to use a chain saw without starting it up. A total misuse of the tool.
Social media is all about building relationships, entering into the conversation, the give and take of social discourse. It's not "Get to know me" but rather "I want to get to know YOU!"
If you're going to go through the effort of using the tool, learn how to use it right.
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