RE-TWEET IT!
Tweet
I did something unusual on Twitter yesterday.
I posted an affiliate link. To a sales page. This one:
“This 200% guarantee looks interesting!
http://tinyurl.com/4zwzy8 (aff link)”
One lady who was following me didn’t like it. She wrote:
” @drmani Allow me to unfollow you… twitter is
not a place for links to sales pages. At least
not in my twitterati.”
I granted her permission 
After all, she’s right. Twitter is NOT a ‘pitching’ arena.
Yet this lady, who very likely has followed me for a short time only, missed a critical point. Or many.
#1 – 90% of my tweets (and I have 3,738 until now)
are about my followers… and 100% are about what’s
good for them. Including this affiliate link (It
comes from one of my most trusted friends online,
someone I’ve known & respected since 1997)
#2 – I authored ‘Twitter Profit’, an ebook that
TEACHES how to sell on Twitter. And no, I don’t
mean the mindless loud hawking that some newbies
try and fail miserably at, or the auto-follow bot
driven ’strategy’ that’s doomed to crash and burn
in time. (www.TwitterProfit.com has the story)
#3 – YOU are the only one who makes the rules,
decides how you SHOULD use Twitter!
There are NO ‘general’ rules about how to use the service. And you are in TOTAL control - of whom you follow, why, and what you do on the service.
Anyway, what happened in the 3 hours AFTER this lady’s tweet is amazing.
I ran a ‘flash poll’ of my 1,570 followers:
” This affiliate link lost me one ‘follower’ on
Twitter. http://tinyurl.com/4zwzy8 (aff link)
POLL: Does this kind of thing offend YOU?”
Most said they didn’t mind – because I only did it rarely, and with good intentions.
One said he DID mind – but not enough to stop following me (maybe because I gave so much value).
And the total number of my followers INCREASED… it’s now at 1,594.
AND 55 people clicked on the affiliate link to visit the sales page.
AND… One of them ordered the program!
Twitter is a micro-blogging social network, the hottest one around today, with over 2 MILLION users and growing.
What’s fantastic about it is that people use it in many different, fascinating ways.
DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU how to use Twitter!
Sure, someone who has learned a few tricks and tips (like me) may guide you on more effective or better ways to use Twitter.
But if you hear from (or of) the ‘Rules Brigade’ who loudly proclaim their world-view of how their way/view/opinion about using Twitter is the ‘ONLY way, Dah-ling!’… well, just turn a blind eye and deaf ear their way, ok?!
Enjoy Twitter.
Profit from it.
If you aren’t already on Twitter, join now. And if you’d like to, follow me – @drmani or go to www.Twitter.com/drmani
.
{ 3 comments }
Dr. Mani – this post made me laugh. So true… and I know it’s a serious topic, but I had to laugh at the vision of you mouthing this line – “…ONLY way, Dah-ling!”
I have an active imagination so I had you dressed to match. hehe
Ok, you speak truth here about using Twitter as each person sees fit…applying the same rules of discourse as one would apply in an offline relationship, of course.
And on as off…some people use it annoyingly, to me. But I’m trying to grow, stretch and permit opposing views and behaviors in my ’space.’
(You obviously are NOT one of them)
Thanks for the LOL.
@JuletteMillien
???
You tell ‘em, Dr. Mani!
People will do what people will do, no matter what YOU may do.
If a single mention of a single affiliate link is going to bother someone, they can certainly a)ignore it or b)unfollow.
Unless you’re bombarding them with absolutely nothing else but affiliate links, you’ve treated them politely and respectfully. Which is all anyone can want.
It’s impossible to make everyone happy. That’s something only they can do for themselves, so just wish them luck!
Hello Dr. Mani,
I think you are spot on. I see so many people who become self-proclaimed expert and starts dictating how a particular technology / website should be used.
Social media sites are great because it let you do what you want and people boot off people whom they don’t like.
You survive
(and grow)
Abhishek
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