How to Screw up Your Twitter Account

This is in response to a Twitter account I just saw.

Just one example of many out there.
I’m tempted to give a link, but I’ll be nice (the guy probably wouldn’t mind the free traffic!)

So I get this notification that “Elmer Fudd is following you on Twitter” (okay, not his real name there).

I’m getting increasingly disappointed when looking at people’s accounts that follow me.

There are great people following me. But you still get a lot of spammers … or in this case, someone who has potential if he could put some actual effort into his posts.

So I check out “Elmer”s page.

I love his background. Shows his picture, what he’s about, very professional rundown that establishes himself as an expert.

I’m halfway sold on following him … and even more importantly: actually going through his posts and reading them, and periodically checking in on him.

Check out his profile:
That too is solid. I’m thinking “wow, here’s a guy that should have some good stuff”. That he is the guru of his specialty.

Then I check out the posts.

Ugh.

It’s just a pitch-fest. Giving links for basically one thing, that someone else is selling.

Now, I’m not against doing some promotion like that in Twitter, your blog, emails, etc. If it’s something you recommend, then great. And if you make money as an affiliate, that’s fine too.

But when it’s nothing but pitches screaming at you, that’s just obnoxious.

So 90% of the posts were in effect pitching the same guy for the same thing. And the other 10% was just quick bits with no value.

His posts were like this:

John Guru gives the secrets – http://bit.ly/zzz

OMG, you have to check out what John Guru has to say – http://bit.ly/zzz

Guru John click training now – http://bit.ly/zzz

And many more like that. Though at least he’s not literally saying the same thing, it’s in-effect the same thing over and over.

The thing is, that he could have just put in Some content of his own, and then he would have made a connection with me. I might have been drawn in to check out the “John Guru” page, based on his recommendation.

How about putting up a blog (even just a free one on wordpress.org) and have your own pages that give your Own voice to what you’re saying, and then talk about John Guru (or whoever)?

People seem to think they can just get a bunch of follower and scream the same pitch at people, with no real content … and then magically make money.

I mean there’s a lot of that mentality on Twitter.

The reason I’m singling this guy out, is that he had the account set up well. He went to the effort of doing a good personalized graphical background, and writing a great bio.

Then proceeded to scream at me with his pitchy posts, instead of doing anything to make a connection with his audience (at least based on his most recent 20 posts).

It’s like pulling “Defeat from the Jaws of Victory” in terms of connecting with me (and anyone else visiting).

It’s like you go to a restaurant for the first time.

The outside and the entrance are great. It’s a great bistro, from the looks, that you’d want to come to over and over again. The hostess greats you warmly and you feel at home.

Then you get to the waiter.

He’s an obnoxious overcaffeinated “used car salesman” type.

He doesn’t give his name or even try to connect with you.

All of a sudden he’s pitching the one thing on the menu he wants to sell:

You want the Grilled Salmon?

The Grilled Salmon is great!

You have to get the Grilled Salmon

Everyone is raving about the Grilled Salmon

and on and on in 15 different ways, trying to sell me on Grilled Salmon

And I don’t even like fish!

I am floored. He’s doing nothing but pitching Grilled Salmon.

I find out later that the restaurant has awesome lasagna!

But it’s too late … I turned around after hearing 15 pitches for Salmon, and I’ll never be back again!

So in closing, if you want to really make a connection with people via Twitter (or whatever), and get results …
then don’t just pitch to them. And don’t just pitch the same thing.

You could easily make a connection with me with just a little actual writing.

And then promote different things.

You could make me want to hear what you have to say.

Sell me a plate of Lasagna

And get me to come back for more!