I was partially wrong the other day when I Tweeted one of my Myrland Marketing Moments on Twitter. Here’s what I said:“Myrland Marketing Moment: Twitter is not a direct response, ‘call now’ sales tactic. It exists 2 build relationships.”
I’ve been thinking about my comment about Twitter not being a direct response, call-now medium. I think I was a bit hasty in my pronouncement about it not being used for direct selling. By direct selling, I mean those messages that come across our desks via TV, radio, email, Twitter, LinkedIn or any other medium that blurts out a promotional message and tells us to “call now, operators are standing by, click here to place your order, sale only through midnight, etc.!”
I’ve come to a new conclusion that Twitter just might be a little bit of a direct response medium after all. I receive Tweets from Amazon, Borders and a few others that offer great deals at a moment’s notice. I’ve even clicked on a few to see what’s being offered, or to see if they are really offering a good deal. So, yes, I think there are opportunities for pure direct response messages on Twitter.
As long as you’re here, let’s think about this a little more though. This is where my comment above about being “partially wrong” comes in to play. Imagine if I had become accustomed to seeing messages from Amazon, Borders, Zappos.com or any other direct sales merchant that gave me a glimpse in to the personal side of their business, their employees, their operations, the person Tweeting on their behalf, you name it. If I had built respect for them because of sharing this personal side with me, then I might have been much more receptive to their direct response message. I might even grow to like them, and I like to do business with people and companies I like!
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that if TigerDirect.com Tweeted about a 10” Netbook with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, webcam and all the other bells and whistles being suddenly available for the low, low (and not possible) price of $125, and that they could have it to me by tomorrow, that I wouldn’t jump on it, regardless of the lack of personal interaction we had shared, which is none by the way.
What I am saying is that if a business practices personal interaction with its Followers on an ongoing basis, then when the time comes that they and their competitors, who have also discovered Twitter (and they will), Tweet and offer me similar deals, or a similar service, I am much more likely to do business with the one who has been contributing, and sharing, and educating me all along.
You see, when you do this with your clients and potential clients, you are investing in them and in their emotions, which often come in to play when making buying decisions. You are creating a certain perception in their minds about what it’s like to do business with you. You are building brand equity and reserving a position in their minds that could cause them to want to do business with you when they are ready.
This is no different that any other form of communication. Businesses and firms need to invest time and resources to build relationships with their potential/clients so they don’t feel numb to a cold, hard, direct response message that comes their way with no prior personal contact.
Bottom line:
Make me like you. I dare you! I’m so easy in this department. It doesn’t take much. Purchase some of my brand loyalty by investing some of you in communicating with me. I’m right here! I’ve never been closer because of Twitter and other social media. Take advantage of this opportunity now. If you don’t, you know your competitors will. In some cases, they already do.
