I’d like to share my views about the recent developments in Twitter Marketing that have made me sick to my stomach. You see, there’s a lot of misinformation and even some utter nonsense out there on “Twitter Marketing”.
There are a lot of inaccurate assumptions and statements that just get me stark, raving mad. There’s actually 2 types of people I’d like to take to task here.
The first are the non-marketers; the second – surprise surprise – are the marketers. And both are guilty on different ends of the spectrum.
The non-marketer says… 
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Follow your own friends,
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It’s “quality over quantity”;
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I mean, 10 people who give a rip about what you say is better than 100 who don’t care -
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Numbers are not meant to be inflated, or
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Numbers do not mean a thing.
I say that’s rubbish. They do not make a dime on Twitter.
Why are YOU on Twitter?
Because Twitter will affect your bottom line. Twitter will boost your profits. Twitter is a viable marketing channel. And if you listen to these guys, you’re never going to make a dime because they don’t make a dime.
Because what is a direct marketing fundamental 101? Marketing is a numbers game. And even on Twitter, you need the numbers to justify your efforts. You need the numbers to increase your conversion rates or to get even better results on your conversion rates.
After all, everyone agrees on the 80/20 rule. But the bigger the %100 — the bigger the initial pool, the bigger the 20% will be; 10 people who like what you do and 100 people who like what you do make a lot of difference towards how successful you are online. But the only way to get those 1000 fans or those 1000 evangelists is to spread your net wide.
Most non-marketers don’t get it. But we can go easy on them; we can forgive them, because maybe they really don’t know how good it can get.
But what about the so-called marketers?
I believe that for the longest time, (no offense), a lot of online marketers have not had much direct marketing knowledge or marketing fundamentals. They see what other people are doing, and they just copy without seeing the fundamentals behind it.
And on Twitter, you see that proven time and time again.
They may see the value of followers, they may emphasize a lot on the value of followers, but they don’t emphasize anything on value or on pre-selling those followers. Like, how many of you get automated DMs (direct messages) that say “Here’s how to get 20,000 followers and make money in the process, affiliate link here”, but when you click on their profile, they only have 100 or 200 people following them?
They’re not even living the example they’re trying you get you to follow. They’re probably pushing some product to you that not even they themselves have used.
In short, you can’t just blast off links.
These people are trying to proclaim themselves Twitter gurus and trying to jump on the bandwagon because yeah — Twitter is getting more popular, Twitter is becoming mainstream, there’s a tipping point to Twitter, but they just don’t have a clue about how to use Twitter for marketing. And they use their old-school, pushy, ineffectual marketing principles and try to push them onto a social space that will instead get the fried and booted off the playing field and out of the game. 
These kinds of marketers give all of us a bad name and send automatic DMs and unfollow and refollow using all the robotic scripts for what, $3? $5?
You’re not going to make a lot of money from this if you do it this way.
That’s not the right way to make money on Twitter, that’s not the right way to monetize Twitter as a marketing channel.
How many of you (raise your hands), have made a sale from an automated DM? Not that many I’m sure.
On one hand, there’s people emphasizing the quality and on the other hand there’s people emphasizing the quantity, but no-one has ever really found a balance the balance that will make Twitter become the weapon that Guy Kawasaki purports it to be, to become the weapon that just a select few are able to tap into online.
And that is why I am setting the record straight. The Puppet Master is doing a call, the Puppet Master is doing a teleseminar to reveal the right way of using Twitter. The right way that has created me an army of 15,000 followers, most of them — a lot of them are fans, a lot of them REtweet my stuff, a lot of them like what I have to say, and A LOT OF THEM BUY.
And as a result, I want to teach you the same. I want to clear the misinformation and hype because all these lies have been going on for far too long.
If you’re interested, sign up for the call. It’s only 60minutes, and it’s free — that’s the best thing.
I’m going to teach you how to use Twitter the right way; how to be the Twitter rockstar you deserve to be. So come on board and hear what the Puppet Master has to say. The same secrets that financed my wedding, launched my business, and created a 5-figure business in a month will be yours to have.
Sign up today and cut through the Twitter hype. Talk to you soon.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Why don’t you make this REAL interesting and name names in your examples?
If someone I’m following only ever sends sales links and never chucks in a personal note every now and then, I’m inclined to unfollow. I’m on twitter for fun, not to be sold to via yet another channel. So I don’t care if someone is a marketer or not, I just change the channel if the message gets old.
x
Wow! This was passionate! I like Posts filled with emotion and information.
Being new to Twitter, I appreciate your thoughts, guidance and post, as for me there is a learning curve on learning something new.
I appreciate you passion and being a mentor in developing a better Twitter.
Well I must be one of those old timer marketing people you are talking about. Yes, I do believe that quality is better than quantity and guess what I have made money off Twitter. Not by a book or a seminar but by giving information that these people obviously found valuable… since they hired my company on several projects.
Look that is not to say some of your “passionate” points aren’t valid. Let me explain I don’t use DM as a matter of fact I wrote an article about how DM use is gone to hell and basically another way to spam people. But to engage people on valuable information not just noise is key. I am sure you have some great ideas since you speak from your heart… but, please don’t throw us (mousketeers) in one pan.
You are more than welcome to look at my posts (@SEOcopy) you can see most of them are RT of articles I read or just words of wisdom.. for no other reason but to engage in micro-blogging.
I agree on your point and I use Twitter as a marketing tool. I have made money, referrals, joint venture relationships, and valuable friendships using it. I love it.
Sometimes people ask me how I “keep up with” 5000+ followers and I explain it’s like swimming in a stream. Be present when you are there, provide inspiration, education, humorous observation, and get engaged in conversations. 85% of the time my tweets are @ replies in response to someone else. I love that too.
Best advice I have enjoyed is use keywords, reveal your character and values, be kind and generous, refer others, be genuine and a whole person not just a business robot and you will reap the substantial rewards that being in social media can provide. Yeah, I’m a zealous advocate but hey, it works.
Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher
http://twitter.com/smartwoman
Always ready to hear what someone else has to say on h0w to use the big twit to make dosh with.
The one thing twitter brings that an email dont…. a better response from those you’d love to connect with.
Karl…
Hi Ken.
All correct Sir
I have 10,000+ followers and I can tell you for sure, it IS a numbers game. BUT the relationship is vital too. And that is were you have it right – with both your numbers and your communications.
We can’t just throw marketing messages at the wall and hope they stick
I’ll be on the call.
Jonathan
And now for the marketing message. (I hope it sticks to the wall.) http://ViralAlchemy.com
I say that’s rubbish and it makes me stark, raving mad.
I hate to tell you, but there’s people on twitter, who really do enjoy making a meaningful connection with their current friends, as well as future friendships that slowly develop without the greedy $$ signs in their eyes while exploiting another supposedly viable marketing channel.
But thanks for your forgiveness towards the non-marketing guys who just don’t get how good it can get. How very generous of you.
To my shame I have to confess that I might not be as unforgiving. Since lately your tweets have gone downhill with all the repetitious, self-serving stuff, I’m seriously considering to unfollow.
And this post might have been the straw to break the bird’s back.
But hey, good luck with pulling the puppet strings.
I have been mad as hell for a long time about allot of things, but not twitter. There are all kinds of people with all kinds of interests. There are all kinds of techniques to market all have their strong points and weak points.
Just saying that just because others have different agendas dosn’t mean they are bad people or have bad intentions. I see some people pushing the same link day after day making pretty wild claims. And then there are people such as myself that are for the most part pretty low key. Don’t get me wrong I have a product I talk about, still building it. But I want people to really want it, and need it all on their own. We are still building the roads to the kingdom, people will find them.
Very passionate post by the way, I am normally passionate like that when I see what the Grues are doing to fleece the masses.
Thanks
Brad West ~ onomoney
Well for starters. I hate the title of this “Mad as hell thing”. And “Twitter Salvation” Right. Every time I see your bait copy briefs, well it can’t be said here. I’ve almost not read your articles several times. I almost didn’t go to your web page.
But I’m really glad I overcame my huge objections. You have THE most interesting and relevant, helpful content about Twitter anywhere. Hands down. I have recommended you to my best friends.
There are some good points here. However, I take issue with the assumption that everyone has a goal to “make a dime on Twitter.” Believe it or not, some people use the tool to … well … follow their friends. IMO, the tool works best when people focus on defining their own goals & uses, while leaving the masses to do the same.
There are millions of users on Twitter. I’m certain that no one person can identify “the right way” to use the tool without first determining the goals & objectives of each individual.
Just reading the comments is entertaining, how your copy stirs your audience. Keep up the good work, I followed your for a reason….to learn and read good copy!
Btw, making money on Twitter is a-ok by me, transparency is important.
followed you (typo correction)
So – let me get this straight. I make you ‘mad as hell’ because I choose not to use Twitter to suck money from my followers. I make you ‘mad as hell’ because I use this social networking tool as a – well, as a social networking tool. But you forgive me because I ‘just don’t get it’. Well that’s big of you.
I don’t recall ever seeing a RULE that says Twitter belongs only to the marketing world. And frankly, some of that marketing world makes me ‘mad as hell’. I appreciate that Twitter lets me decide if I want to get their messages though, so I don’t have to publicly ridicule them.
I have very close friends in my personal Twitterverse, whom I have yet to meet, face to face. I really appreciate them and all of my followers. I appreciate the value I get from those I choose to follow. If this is value enough for me, who are you to to tell me I’m wrong?
Just yesterday I heard someone say that in relation to social networking, “when marketers move in, the members move out.” Judging by some of the comments here that appears to be true.
I do agree with your frustration about the automatic follows/unfollows and direct messages with a link to a sales page.
I mean c’mon, do you really think that I’m not smart enough to figure out that if you’ve only been on Twitter for 2 hours, yet you’re following 1,999 people, that you’re using an automatic bot?
Yes, Twitter is an excellent resource to help build your business – when used correctly – however; it still remains a social networking platform.
With emphasis on the word social!
Sharon McPherson
@SharonMcP
You say that inaccurate assumptions and statements are making you stark, raving mad… and then you go on to make some whales of inaccurate assumptions and statements yourself…. (hello?). You begin by telling your reader (me?) why I am on Twitter…. and totally miss the mark… for ME at any rate… which is really annoying. I am NOT on Twitter to make a dime… and quite a LOT of other people aren’t on Twitter to make money (as evidenced by some of the other comments here). I don’t have anything (or not much) against those who want to use the tool that way, so why should you be so mad at people that simply use it for pure enjoyment and entertainment? Some of us (dare I say MANY of us) DO value QUALITY over quantity… it may be subjective but it’s a fact. I see you keep retweeting your link to this entry… I think everyone who follows you that is gonna read it has already… so why keep retweeting it? I’ll have to say that marketers who keep trying to hit me over the head with a message are the first ones that I tune out or quit following. I know that everyone is not like me and that it must work on some people or I guess it wouldn’t keep happening. If I’m one of the ones that “doesn’t get it” then I guess I’m glad and ignorance is pure bliss!
Man.
Can I say, thanks for the wake up call?
You know what’s strange? Just this afternoon, I stumbled on a website that features the video on “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore.” This’ all strange.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqPgcfP9WN0
I really enjoyed every piece of this blog post.
Thanks again Kenneth for delivering such great content.
As for Marko – perhaps what you need to do is make as much as Kenneth from Twitter. Get as many raving fans as he does. Because until you can, nothing you say will carry any weight.
Here’s a man who really walks his talk, and it’s rare that we find marketers like Kenneth nowadays.
Actually, there’s no right and wrong way to use Twitter. It’s entirely up to people to do what they want to do with it, their way, their time.
The Twitter Rulebook
The trouble is that neither and both are right. Twitter’s just a communication tool at the end of the day. Like a phone. How to use the phone depends on what your purpose in communicating is. If I want to do a presentation, probably not the best thing to choose. Then there’s audience. If you want to appeal to group thinkers, masses, consumers, blind followers, you’ll need a large follow count to sway them. But if you want to reach a very specific targeted market that doesn’t care about numbers, and is focused on quality, then that’s the best thing to do if you want those results.
Someone like @zaibatsu needs to have 50k+ followers for his model to work. For my model to work, I prefer 3000 really targeted followers, with about 300 influencers who have a reach of 10 – 50k. In my model, I need to be open to 1- influencers and 2- people who really enjoy interacting with me, clients/customers or not. I can’t manage 50k followers. But if I want to be on tweetmeme or get something on the front page of a social media site, I can do it with the connections I have… the trade off is that I have to be much more accessible to every single one of those people.
So there’s something to be said for both arguments… and what’s in the middle… as well as neither one. It’s all in how you use it. I can *understand* why you’d be mad about what you’re perceiving, but the story behind is is much deeper than that.
Wow! I love the debate going on here.
While I personally respect both sides (to each, his own), THIS is just the way that new ideas are sparked off.
Well for one, those who are on Twitter for purely social purposes may suddenly be “hit” with the idea that there are opportunities abound ($kching! kching!$)..
And those who are on Twitter with a ‘Pulling PurseString” agenda may get some glimmer of Enlightenment, on the ‘Right Ways’ and ‘Not Quite Right Ways’ to using Twitter to fill up their purses.
Whichever, I truly enjoy this.
http://hypnoticvisualization.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/MonalizaAmid
You are so right. Maybe Twitter should start to rank people by their following:posts ratio coz that seems to show up the sham “marketers”. Looking forward to the call
@ Seth Chong
“As for Marko – perhaps what you need to do is make as much as Kenneth from Twitter.
Uhm… no.
It’s great if Ken’s way works for him and he’s raking in the dough with his method. More power to him.
It’s also fine and dandy when he wants to share his method with his followers.
Great, but please don’t insult the rest of us who might have other usages and priorities with Twitter.
I don’t need to make money on Twitter (although I have and continue to do so – it’s somewhat unavoidable when you use Twitter my way, the right way
sound familiar? ) and I don’t need forgiveness from a marketer peddling his money-getting way on a post with “truth about twitter marketing, no hype, no misinformation” in the URL.
“Here’s a man who really walks his talk, and it’s rare that we find marketers like Kenneth nowadays.”
I don’t know Kenneth personally, and my comment is not directed against him, but I just know that I wouldn’t want to use Twitter the same way he does.
Multiple, identical tweets pushing his latest blog post etc… it got really annoying and I unfollowed. So if that’s the result of his method (I suppose he does use his own method, right?), I say, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
But anyone, wanting that, just go ahead. You have my permission.
“Get as many raving fans as he does. Because until you can, nothing you say will carry any weight.”"
So this means Britney Spears is the real model to follow with 632,754 fans. How much weight does Kenneth’s or your (gasp) opinion carry compared to twitter genius Britney?
Just something to ponder.
Take care,
Marko
I agree that many marketers are definitely using WRONG WRONG WRONG approaches in Twitter and it’s very unappealing, but this environment is the survival of the fittest, so the in-your-face marketers will get their just desserts.
If I could play arbitrator (can’t we just all get along? haha) I’d like to suggest that we don’t have to get angry and judgmental of anybody; let’s just educate. We should also not judge Puppet Master too harshly because if he has been able to get tons of loyal followers and turn that into a lifestyle income, seems like he’s giving us food for thought.
I know playing both sides of the fence is safe; but like many said in the posts, who says what’s truly right and wrong in Twitter?
I think we all agree that in your face, push your agenda marketing is definitely wrong. Continue to do it and you will find yourself warming up the benches on the social scene.
Wendy- Kenneth is a master copywriter. While I hate his headlines and the stupid “pupit master thing”, I’ll grant that he is a master “fisherman” online. He understands how to bait with a 140 character hook. We can learn from him, without stooping to his crude arrogance. Sorry Kenneth, but it has been said that a friend speaks truth to our face.
Hey Kenneth
the thing is, most people who use twitter to market are just straight boring. They’re a self-aggrandizing dime a dozen. I mean, if there’s some way to subtly sell sometimes but to be more ‘there’ for people and yourself, I’m all for that. But most of what looks like ‘marketing’ on twitter is marketers-to marketers, and really only the established marketers use it effectively (but they’re already known to be generally interesting and self actualized people who might have useful nuggets).
I follow you on twitter, & unlike a lot of new marketers, you have quite a few tweets that are uplifting and giving, and I do appreciate them.
Hey puppet master!
The temperature in here is surely hot as hell! I say all this raving you got here is Nuts but nevertheless, a good read of 2 “passionate” opinions..raving mad?..hmm…what’s with all the spiked energy spent on trying to “correct” people’s way of Tweeting, Puppet Master? I like some of your inspiring tweets but i think by the emo-shots here that i’ve read so far, it surely ain’t going to help educate but only push people away (unless you secretly want only true followers of your type of marketing flavor, pardon me, but it’s definitely working).
Anyhow, i may not like your marketing jazz you push (no offense there) but i do find myself attracted by your inspiring quotes (though, too many repetitions are not cool and kinda bland after awhile like well, bland chewing gum).
I may be new in tweeting, but if continuous showing of thoughtful, inspiring & helpful tweets on subject matters that is uplifts someone or maybe even get them directions on getting a job, why not try those approaches? it might be a little slower than your trailblazing passionate ways but sure as heaven knows i won’t be raving mad at anyone or get back some hell like this here.
Regards,
@DanevO
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