Power of Twitter: How a tweet led to a week in Australia

Many people who have never used Twitter dismiss it by saying something like "Why would anyone care about what I'm eating for breakfast?" People tell me that Twitter is silly, that it's a fad, and not a business tool.

My response is that if you're having lunch with cool people or in an amazing setting, someone will care. And I suggest that Twitter is a business tool when you tweet about things related to your work.

I've written about a few twitter successes such as How David Murray found a new job via Twitter and How Amanda Palmer made $11,000 on Twitter in two hours. I also related how a tweet led to connecting with Keri Nelson who photographed my World Wide Rave poster at Wilson Piedmont Glacier, Marble Point, Antarctica.

But many businesspeople are still skeptical. I suspect it is mainly fear.

Please leave your own "power of Twitter" comment here. Let us know if Twitter has led you to a business success.

Here's one of my own "power of Twitter" examples.

In April, 2009 I tweeted that I was soon to be on my way to Wellington, New Zealand to speak at the Marketing Now! conference. Jennifer Frahm tweeted back and asked me if I could swing by Australia for a speaking engagement too. I tweeted that my schedule was too tight but I’d love to book something for later in the year.

A few weeks later we inked a deal for me to spend a week in Australia, half the week in Sydney and half in Melbourne. Cool. And all because of Twitter!

My week in Australia that happened because of a tweet

A few hours after arriving in Sydney on Monday August 31, 2009, I participated in a Social Media Club Sydney event with Forrester Senior Analyst Steven Noble at the hip and stylish Oxford Art Factory. I'm not used to speaking after 20 hours on planes and to an audience that has been drinking (some heavily), but the fact that there were several hundred people in a venue usually used for rock shows (Death Cab for Cutie played there) I was psyched. I snapped a photo at the mic of my view of the slightly unruly (but lovable) crowd. The elevated stage with the "green room" behind made me feel like a rock star. Cool. Judging from the twitter stream, people enjoyed the event.

The next morning was a fun blogger breakfast and I met @trib @matthewho @kimota @iggypintado @abroadabroadeh @katiechatfield and @marketingangels. I also met with a group of select bloggers in Melbourne. This photo helps me to debunk the "who cares what I had for breakfast" question. Well, if you're having breakfast with some of the coolest people in Sydney, then others will care...

In both Sydney and Melbourne, I met with clients of Next Digital, principal sponsors of my Australia tour. We discussed the new rules of marketing and using social media to reach an audience.

The main event of the week was a full day social media masterclass on Friday in Melbourne. We had nearly 100 people at Champions at Federation Square, a fun and funky venue.

I run my full day events at a fast pace with tons of examples. I like to show YouTube videos. I tell really bad jokes. My worst fear is that an audience becomes bored. Judging from the feedback, people seemed to enjoy the masterclass.

Boy am I glad for that tweet a few months ago! Jennifer Frahm cooked up one of the most interesting and fun weeks on the road I’ve had in a very long time. (Thank you Jennifer!). Jennifer is an amazing connector. Through her, I met so many fun an interesting people. (Shall we do it again, gang?)

Thanks to Next Digital, Trevor Young of Park Young, and Marketing Magazine (Kate Kendall, Kylie Flavell, and Stacey Manley) for their support of the event. And thanks also to Jim Stewart, my Australian SEO guru and friend, for your efforts.

Karalee Evans @karalee_ and Yvonne Adelle @ideasculture tweeted the entire MasterClass live with many others both in the room and all over the world popping into the tweet stream. BTW, Karalee wrote one of the best posts on "new PR" I have ever read dear Rupert, I think I want to break up. Check it out.

Okay, so there's my "power of Twitter to drive business" story. Do you have one too? Please leave a comment here and let us know if Twitter has led you to a business success.

Twitter image via Future Summit blog

Comments

[David Dalka]

Hi David,

While reading your post, I wondered if there is an attribution error being created by giving all of the attribution for this event to Twitter.

Some people assert that search should not get all the credit when someone makes a branded search query because it shows they were already aware of the brand. I'd like to ask you to consider if the same potential "over attribution" (not sure what else to call it) is occurring with your Twitter story here?

So I'd like to ask when did Jennifer Frahm first become aware of the wonderful entity that is David Meerman Scott? My hunch is it was probably before that April 2009 tweet, via your blog, one of your many fine association memberships, some of the great press mentions you've recieved over the years or one of your books that challenge people to think differently. What events caused her to follow you on Twitter, those events deserve a good portion of the attribution as they are why she likely followed you in the first place.

Thoughts?

[Marc Laurin]

Hi David,

It was great meeting in Melbourne. It was indeed a great event. I look forward to your next visit.

Marc
@marclaurin

[David Meerman Scott]

David -- Jennifer was indeed following me. So yes - she had already heard of me. But until that tweet, she had not considered organizing an event with me. So let's attribute a portion of the success to Twitter.

Marc -- Thanks! See you next time!

[Burcu Kaptan]

Great information to show how people can benefit from Twitter! Now I also have a chance to follow bloggers from Down Under:)
Thanks:)

[David (Marketing Integrity)]

My Power of Twitter Story:

I received a DM (Direct Message) from a Twitter follower who knew I was marketing/branding/web consultant. He lives in New York and I live in Canada. We had never met. He asked if I did blog redesign branding. I replied "yes" and sent him my phone number. Five minutes later he called me and after 30 minutes on the phone and a few e-mails back and forth he hired me! So, there is a business case for Twitter after all!

[David Dalka]

Dmscott,

Absolutely it deserves a portion of the credit!

In the end Twitter is one portion of a highly diversified portfolio!

[David Meerman Scott]

David (Marketing Integrity) - great story. Congrats. Thanks for sharing

[Jennifer Frahm]

Confession time. I heard of David through the New Rules of Marketing & PR on a friends bookshelf. By memory, he was one of the first I followed because one of my influencers were following him. I think I actually squealed with glee when he followed me back. I think one of the key points is twitter has a unique levelling mechanism, a symmetry that leads to dialogue. I had no hesitation in asking the question - I might of some-one offline, or struggle to get through the PA, the minders, the inbox crowded with 3000 emails...pretty chuffed I did ask : )

[karalee]

What a great result from the power of a tweet! Enjoyed your masterclass immensely David and thank you for the feedback on my post 'dear rupert'.. you have created a little World Wide Rave to this post, again on the power of a tweet!

karalee

[James Duthie]

Further to this fantastic little case study, Jenn also connected to Next Digital via Twitter (disclaimer - I'm a Next Digital employee).

Next Digital ultimately became the chief sponsor of the event based upon a relationship Jenn developed via Twitter. So score another point to Twitter.

[inspiredworlds]

Great to meet you David! You had some interesting thoughts on social media marketing and PR. FYI I also work at Next Digital

Was surprised to see you contact me via Twitter as well. I tweeted that I was reading your book on the train, and you mentioned that it was designed for reading in transit. I think its incredible that twitter helps break down those barriers, and I got to speak to the author of the book, literally within a few minutes of saying something publicly on twitter!

[Kate Kendall]

Thanks David – it was lovely to meet you and I have a pile of notes to type up from the masterclass. Some great ideas!

[Anne Sorensen (Marketing Is Us)]

Yes ..let's do it again! :) (When is the next book coming David?!) (Just joshin'!!) Take care

[Kathleen Seide]

I sell real estate in Gainesville, FL and was contacted by someone intrigued by a REALTOR on Twitter.

We met, talked about their home and their needs and what I could do to help them. They hired me to sell it and then used me to buy another home in the area.

I would not have made those sales unless I was on Twitter.

I suppose I could have spent my Twitter hours doing something else to "cultivate contacts", but I wasn't on Twitter to advertise - I was there to learn from others and share what I know.

I'll bet that is probably why that person decided to let me help them sell their home ; )

[Stuart Trier]

Twitter connections.

I run a small foot care business in Ontario Canada. I have been collecting used shoes from my patients to donate to the homeless.

One of the people I follow on twitter works for United Way in Ottawa. I sent her a tweet asking if she could find a good way to distribute the used shoes I have collected.

Within 15 minutes we were emailing back and forth and I have now decided to run a full out shoe drive across my 15 clinics to support a special event that she is involved in to support the homeless.

[David Meerman Scott]

Kathleen and Stuart - awesome!! Many thanks for sharing. I LOVE these stories! Good luck with continued success. David

[Jillian Kingsford Smith]

Hi David
It was a pleasure to meet with you in Melbourne and interview you for Business Acumen Magazine.

This interview was set up via a single Twitter contact - something that would have been impossible in the 'old days' of journalism. I have written about this very topic on my blog this week, about how Social Media has allowed greater transparency, facilitated amazing connections and overall been the beginning of a new community for me.

I think businesses grasping this concept now, will be able to better connect with their clients in the future, rather than stumbling in the dark... trying to figure out what in the heck they want!

Thanks for the experience. See you back here again soon!

[Trevor Young - Consultant]

Great stuff David! I enjoyed the Masterclass and our chats. Here's the PR Warrior's two bobs' worth:http://prwarrior.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/on-the-web-you-are-what-you-publish.html

You've also triggered some strong views from one diehard former corporate affairs manager who attended your event! http://www.parkyoung.com.au/index.php/2009/09/do-not-hire-these-five-corporate-affairs-managers/

[DaveMurr]

I owe a lot to Twitter. It's opportunity potential is amazing. Providing myself openly and honestly has come back ten fold. I've always said Twitter is the digital handshake. Use it with the same principals that govern our offline relationships and you will see it's true potential.

[Jeff Ramos]

I've landed a few DJing jobs as well as an amazing apartment in Brooklyn solely because of Twitter.

[David Meerman Scott]

Jeff - that's cool. Thanks for sharing.