Twitter is just mindless drivel. Noise. Chaos.
Or at least that’s what Debbie Downer over there would have you believe. OK, I’ll play along.
- No one cares where you are checking in on Foursquare.
- No one cares if you like Starbucks’ new coffee.
- No one cares if you like the Phillies and hate the Yankees.
All of this is just useless noise, right?
I’ll be straight with you, there’s a lot of noise on Twitter…but one man’s noise is another man’s opportunity.
(Or woman, to be clear I’m not being misogynistic I’m just playing on the “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” saying)
Let’s take the example of someone checking in on Foursquare and posting that update to Twitter. It’s probably happened before. My goodness I know that example, it’s ME!
Useless! Noise! Poppycock! Drivel! Oh but wait, someone smells an opportunity roasting like fresh coffee beans.
I’m impressed. I am…touched. I am…still a Starbucks guy.
So if I didn’t go to Marathon Grill and get a cup of coffee, what’s the point?
Yes, that’s a typo and supposed to say “how bout this.” Typing FAIL.
Now sure, I work in Social Media so maybe I appreciate this sort of thing more than others. But think about the example I’m pointing out here.
Forget that I work in Social Media, because that’s not the point. From a marketing perspective doesn’t it make sense to listen for opportunities in your vicinity. It’s obvious for restaurants, it’s obvious for B2C service companies, but people are talking about anything and everything online these days and the trend is only going to continue and grow stronger. A lot of it sounds like noise…to some people.
The simple gesture of reaching out to someone nearby, talking about something, seemingly mindless, Marathon Grill got a regular for lunch; I may have never tried it otherwise. From that I met with the Director of Marketing for Marathon, we became acquaintances, I read her blog and I have a new found affinity for the company.
There’s a lot of noise out there but if your mindset is to reduce Twitter to mindless drivel and noise, then you are missing the big picture.
Mark Aaron Murnahan says
Now I know where to eat the next time I am in the area, based on a friend’s recommendation. Maybe this Internet thing really does have some business value after all. 😉
JGibbard says
That’s what some of the pundits are speculating. It seems as though the whole interwebs thing might just take off. Next time your in the area for lunch, I’m buying.
Mark Aaron Murnahan says
Well heck, I could make a special trip for a free lunch! Did you hear that, Internet? There is a free lunch offer at Marathon, 1818 Market Street in Philadelphia.
(screen capture complete)
JGibbard says
I’m currently only extending this offer to potty-mouthed race car drivers from Kansas with advanced SEO knowledge. Sorry internetz.
Mark Aaron Murnahan says
If you just left it at the poop-talking speed demons from Kansas, I could have brought a few buddies. The advanced SEO part leaves a lot of people to buy their own lunch! 😀
JGibbard says
And that, my friend, is how I saved myself from buying too many lunches.
Jake Kaskey says
I absolutely LOVE this post, Jeff. It just shows how these little interactions can impact you on a daily basis. If I found out Marathon was listening to what I was saying and responded it’d make me more likely to eat there. It just goes to show that a small business doesn’t have to spend a gazillion dollars on a social media consultant or spend hours and hours of planning to execute successfully online– you just have to listen and engage.
JGibbard says
Thanks Jake,
I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while but didn’t have the chance. I love this personal example because it is so exemplary of the little things that Social Media enables.
It’s funny that you say “you just have to listen and engage” because it really is that simple in so many situations yet it confounds organizations the way Excel’s Pivot Table function puzzles me.
As always I appreciate your feedback and comments.
Kimba Green says
I had Freeze King reach out to me when I tweeted out I had a hot dog at Five Guys. I was so impressed that they knew how to use Twitter in a marketing way that now I only go there. And when I teach classes in Social Media I always use them as an example. They have received a lot of milage out of one tweet!