Even Internet Gurus Screw Up Social Media

If you love the web or are into internet marketing, then you’ll know that social media is the “IN” thing to use in today’s business world. Twitter and Facebook are two of the most popular social media sites. Twitter allows you to “follow” another Twitter account and vice versa. When there is a reciprocal “follow” then you are permitted to DM or Direct Message your counterpart. If you are following someone, say Mike Dillard, but he hasn’t followed you (which he won’t unless you’re another Guru and have something of value to share), then you can’t send him a direct message. You can, however, send an @ Mike_Dillard reply to his Twitter account and hope he notices.

Not that long ago, I received a Tweet (as they are called) that a certain SEO Guru was following me. Given that I’m on the mailing list of a number of internet marketing Gurus, I knew his name and I’m not going to reveal who it is because I’m sure many of you would know who I’m talking about! Flattered that this Guru would follow me, I decided to reciprocate and follow him. Almost immediately I received a direct message from him. The message seemed rather irrelevant to me personally, but nevertheless, I decided to click the link he posted. I was directed to his website that sold his product.
I decided to send a direct message back to him (and you have to realize that all this interaction was within a 24 hour period or so) and got back a Twitter error message that I was not permitted to send a direct message to someone who was not following me.
Then suddenly I realized this Guru’s marketing tactic – he followed me on Twitter until I began following him, which gave him the “permission” to send me a direct message. He then sent a “sales” Tweet (which was totally non-personal) enticing me to his sales page. Then as quickly as he sent the direct message, he “un-followed” me and thus I could no longer send him a return direct message!
Well! Let me tell you, this Guru’s Twitter tactics were neither appreciated nor effective. He certainly wasn’t going to get a sale from me! In fact it had the opposite effect. I began to question my wisdom of following any of his friends on Twitter who up to that point I had respected.
So this is a great example of how NOT to do social media. In one word, we can summarize the above tactic as INAUTHENTIC.  Now I have nothing against systems and even virtual assistants helping out with Tweets etc. especially if you’re really busy. But a relationship is a relationship. If you are inauthentic from the get-go, why would anyone want to be in relationship with you?
In contrast, I got a Tweet that David Schirmer, one of the teachers from the hit movie The Secret, was now following me. I quickly reciprocated, since we are in the same field and I enjoyed him in the movie. Very quickly, David wrote me a DM telling me that he appreciated my following him and that he looked forward to learning from me and sharing insights.
Wow! He’s the Guru and he’s looking forward to learning from me? I’ll say it again…Wow!
I’m sure you can imagine how I feel about him! I feel connected and I feel appreciated. Am I more likely to listen to what he says? Yup, you bet!
So folks, take a lesson from David. Guru or no guru, be real, be authentic and practice being in a give-give relationship!