Only Talking, Not Listening

There's an interesting article about IU Basketball coach Tom Crean using Twitter in the May 1 edition of The Indianapolis Star. The title of the article, Crean uses new social network to push IU program, doesn't quite mesh with what Coach Crean is actually doing.

Yes, he's pushing the IU program.
Yes, he's using Twitter, a social networking site.
But no, he's not networking.

According the article, "Crean has nearly 3,000 followers at twitter.com/tomcrean. Fans can sign up at the Web site to receive Crean's tweets on their phones. But this isn't back-and-forth communication. Crean does not read or receive replies."

He doesn't read or receive replies? That's not networking.

If I show up at the next PRSA luncheon and just talk and don't listen, I'm not networking... that's called talking. We PR folks call that one-way, ineffective communication.

Please don't misconstrue, I seriously doubt Coach Crean would have the time nor the need to reply or listen to most of the Hoosier faithful, and I'm guessing NCAA rules probably don't allow him to actually interact with recruits beyond a few messages (Kelvin Sampson take note). However, if all you are doing on Twitter is talking, you are missing the point.

At our chapter's Social Media Boot Camp last week, James Burnes of MediaSauce, made an excellent point: He said he get's the most use out of Twitter by listening.

Back to Crean, perhaps he is using Twitter in an effective way. How else could he send short messages to interested crimson-clad hoop fans?
One of those banners that follows airplanes? Too costly and not good for the environment.
Press releases? Naw, he'd have to deal with the PR people.
Emails? How 1990s!
Press conferences? He'd been dealing with the media filter.

The point is, if you are only using Twitter to "get followers" and not following others and listening to what they have to say, you aren't using this media channel to its full extent. Or maybe you are just like this guy:

Comments

[Rodger D. Johnson]

Love it! And your point is apropos. Twitter is about conversing. Not in real time. But in real (enough) time to get things done. It's especially useful for non-time sensitive messages that fall between evergreen messages (those thing we can take care of next week), and the urgent ones, like a policeman saying, "Sir, did you know how fast you were going?" Try tweeting to that and getting away with it.

(For the record, I've had one speeding ticket in my life.)

[Jamaison]

Great video, but even better post.