Comments on: The 10 Contrarian Rules for Effective Twitter Use

By: Chris Garrett

Chris Garrett — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:39:36 +0000

Great stuff apart from I disagree with point 1 also – if you don’t like what someone tweets, don’t follow them. If someone wants to write about “what my cat ate now” or the humorously shaped vegetable they found, more power to them. I am not going to rush to follow them but it’s their stream to do with as they wish

By: Dave Crain

Dave Crain — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:51:35 +0000

John,
I just came across your blog (this post recommended via a friend on FB), so I’ll jump in with a different viewpoint than Jeremy above on point #1.
AMEN BROTHER!
Life’s little banalities may be what Twitter was created for, but it’s not the business purpose I signed up for. I think it depends on the audience – if you are primarily following (and being followed) by friends and family, then by all means share your details. If you are using twitter for professional business, and that describes your followers, then such minute details will only get you dropped. Worse, they won’t drop you but you’ll never know why all of a sudden they don’t want to do business with you.
I think like anything else, it just comes down to twitter is a tool that can be used many ways. Make sure the way you use it is in line with your audience.

By: Julie Cajigas

Julie Cajigas — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:29:40 +0000

I agree with a lot of your ideas, but I have to disagree strongly with number one. The guys who created “Twitter in Plain English” http://tinyurl.com/384n2f hit it on the head. I do want to know about my friends’, family’s and occasionally client’s/vendor’s little banalities. I’m interested in them, and it gives us an opportunity to find commonalities. In my opinion, for businesses especially, twitter can function as the online equivalent of the small talk that you engage in at the beginning of sales appointments and on phone calls. This small talk helps your client to know you as a human first and a resource second, which is very important in the development of strong business and personal relationships. I think the most successful businesses use twitter to initiate and foster the personal relationships online, which leads to better sales relationships offline and helps businesses build a platform for broadcasting important information.
Not everyone on twitter is a Guy Kawasaki, posting interesting links and tidbits 24/7. And that’s as it should be. I like Guy and I think he’s interesting, but I also think my friend who talks about walking her dog is interesting. I think it really depends on what you’re trying to do with twitter – pursuant to that, I also don’t really think I need 1,000 twitter followers. I use twitter for both business and personal reasons, and for the most part, I’m just looking to build relationships with people I enjoy.
As for the automated DM’s, the only catch is that people know they are automated. I don’t deceive myself into thinking that little note you sent to me when I followed you was personalized, or “just for me.” As long as you’re ok with me knowing that you sent me an impersonal DM that you send to everyone else, then go for it. Personally, I don’t like automated DM’s that much, and I would never use one.
I do think you made some good points though. Thanks for tweeting the article .

By: Jeremy Jacobs

Jeremy Jacobs — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:43:45 +0000

You’re quite right about experts. “Ex” as in has beens, “spurt” as in water under pressure.