The Difference Between Spam and Marketing on Twitter

When we begin speaking in terms of marketing, invariably the question comes up:

Are my marketing efforts true marketing efforts or are some viewing them as spam?

Spam is about taking the choice away from someone and delivering them informaton about products and services without their permission.

Spam comes in the way of unsolicited emails, junk mail and telemarketing. Spam leaves a bad taste in our mouths and for good reason. We have not asked to be inundated with the information that we find floods our inboxes these days.

Marketing when done responsibly can be fun and witty. Commercials that reach us emotionally are effective marketing tools. People who care about their audience take the time to consider their message and how it will reach others.

On Twitter we each have an option as to who we will follow. And one might suggest it is that choice that gives others the right to “spam”.

Wrong!!

Spam is irresponsible and annoying. More will tune out than tune in. Take time to consider your message and how it will connect with your followers.

• Are you sharing a valuable service, product or resource?
• Do you take the time to share on a personal level as well as sharing on a business level?
• Have you established a relationship with your followers?
• Is the information you are providing timely and appropriate?

If you can answer these questions with a yes answer then your message can effectively be considered marketing rather than spam. Your followers will welcome your post rather than turn away from it. Share your tweet with others and in turn respond in kind to their own messages and tweets.

After all, marketing is all about the relationship and spam is about nothing more than the bottom line…

Follow me on Twitter here: @marketinggame