When Robin Smail and I were asked to do our Twitter Me This? presentation for eduWEB, we looked at the schedule. Looked like the talented like Aaron Rester would be covering twitter and Matt Hertzberger would be covering social media until Robin and I got to the after-lunch bunch.
So how do you cover twitter to an audience who may have already heard a pitch for using it as an institution? How do you cover it to an audience where half is drinking the Kool-Aid and half still thinks it’s a waste of time?
Typically when Robin and I present on twitter, as a team or individually, we cover many aspects, but given these challenges, we decided to emphasize the relationships, the networking, the people of twitter… and have a little fun:
Click here for audio and @omahane’s notes. (Thanks, @omahane. You rock!)
Did it work? I think Head of Marketing captured the reaction best here.
If the unconverted got anything, I’m hoping that they got that it’s not just about what twitter the tool does. Twitter is about the people on it. Otherwise, maybe we’d be be on britekite.
Just like conferences are about connnecting with people and without the people we could stay at home and to webinars, twitter is nothing without your connections. If you are not doing that, then you just won’t get it.
For my part, twitter and conferences go hand in hand, and I was fortunate to have made more connections. I hope you will add them to you follows as well: @billyadams, @lougan, @mmbc, @petermahoney, and @sashawolff.
One Final Word: This blog itself and its success is a testament to making personal connections, from our followers on Twitter, to our subscribed readers, to the eduStyle People’s Choice Award for best High Ed Blog. These are all because of you sharing us with your connections. Keep it coming and drop us a line.
Photo The circle (of laptops) is complete. We are those guys. #eduweb by opacity.
Thanks for the shoutout! It was awesome meeting you and getting to know you. (btw… I think the @bluefuego table cloth was very thankful we gave it a tour of Chicago haha! )
Sasha is right, I had a great time seeing Chicago! Nothing like letting my cotton blow in the breeze of the Windy City! Without all of you, I would have just been another piece of fabric on a table. I am forever indebted to all of you for showing me the greatest night of my life! I feel sorry for all of those other vendor tablecloths… what a boring life.
Sincerely,
BlueFuego Tablecloth
I think it should always be about the people. After all, it’s what’s being done with the tool (and what can be done) and not the tool itself. Sounds as if you both did a great job (and knowing you I wouldn’t expect anything less).
I think the best way to show off what Twitter can do is to show it live, preferably through Search.Twitter.Com where people can see the real-time flow of information rather than focusing on a few high profile users. I look forward to looking through the presentation you put together.
@Sasha: It was great meeting you, too. =)
@BlueFuego Tablecloth: Glad you enjoyed your night out on the town. As a married woman, a tablecloths are is the only thing I take back to my hotel room for the night without creating anymore of a scandal than I already have. At least you were freshly pressed in the morning.
@JeffSwain: Thanks, Jeff. Always good to hear from you. FAB FTW!
@Liz: Good point. I also like to use a clumn in TweetDeck for this.
It is really twitter, as a group or individually, It cover many point, but given these challenges, You just decided to emphasize the relationships, the networking, the people of twitter… and have a little fun: or Practical also::
Good article. I’ve still been testing the Twitter waters, but I can see the basic idea. I appreciate the post, it gave me more to think about.
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