conversation Archives - Nimble Quotes

People ask me all the time, “Jen, how on earth do I start conversations on Twitter?”

They ask, “How do I ‘engage’ on Twitter?”

We hear these words and we all know what conversations are. We know what engaging conversations are…but how do you really have conversations on Twitter?

Twitter moves fast and it can be daunting. Perhaps the best way is with an example in real life.

Conversations in Real Life

What if an in-person conversation, one in real life, went like this: First I said “This quote about books is interesting.” Then my colleague said, “Yes it is, I really like this quote.” Then I said, “This quote reminds me that reading is so important. What are you reading right now?” Then she told me. And then I responded with what I was reading this month.

That seems like a normal conversation, started with the question, what are you reading now?

Imagine if the authors of the books we mentioned we were reading were able to jump into the conversation and thank us for reading their books? Wouldn’t that be kind of cool too?

Real-Life Conversations on Twitter

That is just what happened on Twitter. Hopefully this step-by-step explanation of an actual Twitter conversation, about actual things, can help you with starting your own conversations with your own network on Twitter.

First, I had a quote go out in my Twitter feed:

Second, upon notification that my tweet was favorited and retweeted, I looked to see who that was…it was Hilary!

So I thanked her for re-tweeting the quote, and as the quote was about reading, I asked her what she was reading:

She mentioned two books and used one of the the author’s Twitter handles in the conversation:

One of the authors of the books she mentioned favorited the Tweet mentioning him AND replied:

Now it was my turn to respond with what I was reading.

What I did was I wrote in text which books I was reading, mentioned the authors’ names AND took a picture of the two books on my coffee table.

Both authors I mentioned got involved in the conversation; Grant Cardone gave it a RT with a comment that told me to “Be10X Awesome”(referencing the topic of his book).

And Hilary and Nir Eyal (the other author mentioned) favorited the tweet.

So there was our conversation on Twitter.

Here are some gems that came out of it:

This interaction has started to strengthen our relationship
We know a little more about each other
We got the thrill of having the authors interact with us too

I know what Hillary is reading – I can keep it in my mind for our future conversations (on Twitter, in real life, on email, over the phone).

And I learned a little more about one of my contacts that I didn’t know previously. It’s great to know another person who is an active reader. This is an example of a first step to starting conversations and building relationships with your network. Try it today with your audience on Twitter.

The quote that started this conversation on Twitter came from Nimble Quotes. Try it today for 30-days free. Wondering what Nimble quotes looks like on a live Twitter account? Check out Nimble Quotes in action on these Twitter accounts: @jenkellyjen or @newimarketing.

Open the Door for Conversation

One way to start a conversation with your Twitter followers is through the use of quotes. Quotes bring people together, stirring them to think about and discuss a like subject. Tweeting an inspiring quote is a friendly ice-breaker; it’s another way to start a conversation than just saying a simple hello. Think of it as a warm handshake – you’re drawing your followers into an inviting, potentially thought-provoking conversation that has nothing to do with work. We can get to the work part; first let’s start a conversation.

This use of quotes can lead to responses on Twitter like:

Favourites

Re-tweets

More followers

Direct messages

These responses are exactly what you’re after. But once you get a response like this, how exactly do you start a conversation with the person?

Now It’s Your Turn

Let’s see how this could work. One of your followers has re-tweeted a quote you’ve posted on Twitter – that’s great! What do you do next? We’ve got a few suggestions to help you strike up a conversation:

If you’re particularly drawn to the quote in question, let your follower know. Tell them it’s one of the quotes you like best (if it is). Explain to them why it’s one of your favourites.

Ask your follower why they’re drawn to that particular quote – for what reason does it resonate with them?

Tell your follower that it’s a great quote to start or end the day with, depending on what time the quote popped up on your feed. Maybe it’s a great quote to start the weekend with.

You can also simply thank your follower for liking or re-tweeting the quote. Show them your appreciation.

Give some of these ideas a try. Do you have other ways to start conversations on Twitter with your audience? Let us know.

Quotes are the Base

However you decide to begin the conversation with your audience, quotes can be an effective base for getting a great first response. Nimble Quotes would love to help you out with this – try out our 30-day free trial! You’ll get 1-8 quotes per day from a choice of 10+ categories and the ability to add your own hashtags. Click here to learn more. Not ready? Sign up for our newsletter instead or follow @jenkellyjen to see Nimble Quotes in action on a Twitter account.