I have a pet peeves to share with my readers:

I’ve been attending many Social Media events and have discussed the topic with so called Internet Marketing Gurus. I’m talking about men and woman who have published books on how to promote your personal brand or how to boost traffic to your website.

Don’t get sucked into the evil buy my book vortex, most of these books will teach you what you already know. WORK WORK WORK, READ READ READ and TRY TRY TRY. Eventually you to will be successful at marketing just about anything including yourself. Spend an hour reading blogs, online marketing forums and search for online tools to help you automate some of these tasks.

To have 100,000 followers on twitters doesn’t make you great, not if only 1% have any interest in what you have to say. To have 900 friends on Facebook does not make you a better person; Not if you have only personally met or have had a conversation with only 200 of them. Let’s face it, followers are great if they can contribute to a common goal or have some sort of impact in your Social Media Timeline.

I was recently amazed speaking with a Twitter user who broke the 200,000 follower threshold. This user is not a person but a corporation who has over 10 people tweet daily with one goal in mind, adding followers. What I learnt was impressive, they only get one or two mentions a week and a half dozen non-spam direct messages. I them asked the following: Why? What is the end goal. And none of them could give me a concrete answer. None of them knew of any strategy.

Imagine if this company carefully selected its followers one by one and carefully crafted a fellowship of users who are interested in what they had to offer. See they could have monetized with what I think is a very expensive venture on their part. They have the right idea, they just have no idea on how to manage this Social Media aspect of their business!

Surprising? Not really, Social Media is at its infancy; Company decision makers have no data to back any plan the Marketing department spoon feeds them. The marketing manager could have said just about anything and they will agree. I’m willing to bet some of these senior partners thought, my kids are on Twitter and spend hours every night sharing information with their friends, this might just work.

None of them took the time to ask their kids:

1. What makes Twitter so addictive to you?

2. Why do you spend so much time on it?

3. What makes it so great and how do you go about getting your followers?

Teenagers often meet in social groups such as schools, malls, forums, etc. They share their Twitter user names and then meet other REAL people or friends of friends who share the same passions, the same interests and who actually care to read these tweets.

Getting back to these Twitter gurus wowing you with 100,000 followers. Now ask yourself this:

1. Do their followers have any clue to why they are following them?

2. Do they interact with them in any way, would any of these followers go to a book signing?

In most cases the answer is NO! Of course not.

Now that you read my post, start educating yourself:

1. Use Google and read blogs and forums discussing Social Media. See what real people have to share. Learn from them and ask them questions to better your knowledge on the topic.

2. Identify your target followers.

3. Use Regional Twitter User Directories. Start with your own city and work your way out. Again take the time to identify your prospect follower before following them.

4. During trade shows, hand your business card to your customers and new prospects. Tell them you’re on twitter and don’t be afraid to put your twitter link on your business card. It’s as important as your website address or your email address. Maybe even better, because you will have the chance to have one on one conversations without having to initiate a call or an email. They will join your conversations.

5. Tweet allot. People love to read what’s happening during your work day. That’s why Soap Opera TV shows are still successful today. People love to know what you’re up to. Companies who tweet once a week or once a month are wasting their time on twitter.

6. Clean up your twitter list. If you feel you made a wrong connection, nothing stops you to remove them. You also want to weed out spammers daily. They are useless. Remember, quality, and then quantity.

7. Always and I mean always follow back people who share the same interest. If you don’t, you might loose them. People love to be followed.

8. Interact with everyone by asking them questions or simply thanking them in public or private for following you. Persuade them to further discuss your tweets with everyone.

9. Advertise your twitter account using mailings, your website or even on your phone system at the office. Remember, make your marketing material fun and to the point. I would incorporate it with a special or an announcement.

10. Attend Social Media events and find out what the new trends are and see what others are doing. You don’t have to follow their steps, but every so often you will get great suggestions. Don’t forget to have them follow you on twitter.

On my next post, I’ll share some of the websites I frequently use to help me attain the same goal as you.

Have fun!!!

Eric