Twitter is an interesting tool; however, the dropout rate of people who sign on, is massive. Within a month or two, about 60% of people who register a new account with Twitter, stop using it. Why?

Several reasons:

• They have heard about Twitter, largely from mass media, but don’t really understand how it works, how to participate, and receive a benefit from using it.
• It is easy to sign up for a Twitter account, so people do it. Rather than following a few people, to begin listening and understanding, they jump in and start tweeting. 
• If one doesn’t understand Twitter, it’s not likely that one has a Twitter marketing plan.

Before trying to understand the vast array of Twitter possibilities, one has to understand the basics. Twitter is a mutual opt-in communications tool. I can elect to follow your messages. You can elect to follow mine.

Or, you can follow my messages, and I can elect NOT to follow yours (or vice versa). Finally, you can elect to follow me; however, I can choose to block you from following me (or vice versa).

A message (Tweet) is just 140 characters; the length of a text message. But they are not the same. A Tweet is delivered to all YOUR followers, whether you have 40, 400, 4000, or 40,000. 

Followers choose you, but it is for you to accept or reject their choice, based on what make up you want your following to have. 

In my case, I have elected to have a specific presence on Twitter: Wedding Marketing. For me, it is not a personal presence, it is a specific business presence.

Yesterday, my Twitter account eclipsed 2000 followers. I would estimate the 90% or more of my followers are wedding industry businesses who have chosen me because they believe that my Tweets will alert them to helpful wedding marketing information. Over time, I will block any followers who are clearly unrelated in their interest. My followers, and those I follow, will be a tightly organized set of people and businesses. 

Do I follow people who are not in the wedding industry? Yes, I do. That doesn’t mean that they all follow me. I follow some media, marketing and technology thought leaders, and some friends.

Tweets should be relevant information for your followers. A Tweet is NOT the same as a status update on Facebook. One should not Tweet every new blog post, because every blog post is not of equal importance. People who are avidly interested in your blog will subscribe to it.

If I’m following your wedding business on Twitter, I don’t care if you had a ham sandwich for lunch, or if you’re stuck in traffic. If you’re a chef, and you take a picture of your lunch, at a new restaurant, AND you give the experience a review, then I may be interested.

Over time, if two-thirds of your Tweets are of no consequence, I will elect to unfollow you. Nothing personal, but a Tweet about a ham sandwich or a rant about a traffic jam is not adding value to my world.

My marketing plan for Twitter started, clearly, with following, and having followers, with mutual interest. I am already feeling the result, in terms of enhance traffic to my blog, online relationships, telephone relationships, and most important, face-to-face meetings. I am just beginning to feel the potential of Twitter.

In future posts, I will share more perspective about Twitter, and provide resources for better understanding of it. For the moment, just sign onto Twitter and follow people, with whom you have common interest…… then listen. Don’t be in a hurry to take over the world. Just begin to try and understand where you and your business fit in. Those may be two different Twitter accounts.

FYI: Just heard that the next TIME Magazine cover story is about Twitter.

Andy Ebon

The Wedding Marketing Authority

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