The machinations of politics and public office are often the last to belly up to the technology bar and yet here they are again, embracing Twitter this time to initiate their campaigns.
This is less about politics, though, and more about what we all need more of: relationships with people who are and remain interested in us and/or what we do.
Twitter will become, I think, THE way to start relationships with people, whether that be for political, business or personal purposes. And Twitter is a great entrance point to those relationships. As Perry Belcher (www.twitter.com/perrybelcher) put it in one of his excellent videos, Twitter is like showing up at a party. The conversations get started in short bursts of back and forth messages as each person at the party tries to get to know a few people during the time they are there. (Twitter only allows 140 characters in a message between people so here once again we have technology mimicking real life.)
As the real-life party progresses, relationships get their start. If they evolve, folks might become friends and start inviting each other to dinner at each other's houses (methaphor for getting someone to visit your website or blog).
What's great about the political use of something like Twitter, is it breaks down all the barriers that normally keep a political candidate or incumbent sheltered from those whom s/he should be representing. And how long have we been waiting for that to happen?!
But don't read this article and think this has nothing to do with you since you're not a politician. You and your business are as profitable as you can attract and keep attention and nurture that attention into relationships with people out there.
Are Twitter and social media (Facebook, etc.) really the way to do that? Well, ask yourself whether you would prefer to connect with someone who you at least know is a friend of a friend and/or is a member of a "party" you're already attending (sticking with the Facebook's of the world being like parties)--OR would you rather have someone cold call or carpet bomb you with printed media? Are you more likely to do business with someone in an existing network to which you belong, or some unknown face who interrupts you as you walk down the street. A referral from a friend or someone you've never met?
How do you prefer people start relationships with you?
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The Republican Party is playing catch-up, hoping to compete with Democrats in the next two pivotal election cycles.
"It would be suicide for the Republican Party and conservatives to not aggressively embrace technology," said Matt Lewis, a writer for the conservative Web site Townhall.com. "The world is dramatically changing in the way people get their information and the way they communicate -- the party needs to change with it."
Hans Eisenman is Director of Sales for Richter 10.2 Media Group,
LLC, which specializes in using social media to improve a company's
online reputation, gain massive exposure and generate more profitable
relationships. You can "follow" him on Twitter here: www.twitter.com/heisenman