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Seems as though we got a bit of a conversation going this week.  Thanks to all of you who have gotten involved in the melee.  Who do we get people to talk to us? Why would people want to talk to us?  Is it important that people talk to us?  How can I be sucessful “getting my first date” and engage people to read my “stuff”?

First off if you had no one to write for that can be an issue.  I have been blogging in various places over the last few years on a variety of subjects and I must say getting readership is hard.  I have started blogs “cold” with not a single reader and built a small following on a few subjects and in other arenas I have garnered a crowd over a single post over several months.  I have asked it before, “What does Oprah have (besides money) that you don’t.”  The answer is and audience. 

If you have a Fan Page, videos on YouTube, or a Twitter account and have followers you have an audience.  The objective now would be to attract or direct them to your blog.  Perry Belcher, an internet marketer I learned a bit from explained it like this, your Fan Page, YouTube Channel, and your Twitter accounts are like mingling at a party.  People will interact, in small ways, they “feel” you out and attempt to decide if they like you and vice versa. 

Say you meet a few folks at a party and they all live in the same town as you do.  You are a home improvement guy and they are talking about needing some remodeling.  This is where you become the guy with the business card that gets put in everyone’s hand and you start talking about being the best in the business and how they should call you on Monday.  You wife is getting her coat to leave un-noticed and this group of people is trying to figure out how to escape.

Twitter, Fan Pages, and YouTube accounts are some of the best places to establish your brand, expertise, and authority WITHOUT selling a single thing.  This is the place where you work to be helpful, you cooperate for the greater good, you collaborate to help your following achieve a goal or solve a problem.  In addition you use these to direct people to your “house”  you invite them to your website or blog.  Now you can begin to expand and create the relationships that will allow you to converse not just chat.

Your conversations do not need to be a sales pitch, although that might be your goal.  Perhaps you are wanting to rally support for a cause or a candidate, shouting out that message on Twitter may make you less attractive, but cold hard facts on a blog or website are better managed and channelled.  How much can you really say in the proper voice in 140 characters? (120 are better if you want that message retweeted.)

So now you have a little “how to” on getting your first date, I will talk a little bit more tomorrow on The Art of engagement and how find things to write about.  In the meantime mingle and mix at the party.  Listen and be helpful when you respond.  Build rapport and trust with your circle of friends, so when you invite them to your “house” you can then engage in more than just a little chat, but have conversations that matter.

 Michael Mock

Technology Workgroup.