Can Twitter make you a better presenter?
While I'm talking the audience is tweeting
One of the cool things about giving a presentation about marketing or advertising or social media in the age of instant feedback is you know pretty quickly how you did. Did people respond? Agree? Find anything compelling in what you had to say? It’s all there within minutes, if not seconds via Twitter. After all, the audience isn’t simply listening, it’s tweeting, posting, commenting.
On Monday, I had the privilege of speaking in Minneapolis as part of MIMA’s ongoing series Conversations About the Future of Advertising. The program has featured a number of impressive folks: David Armano (formerly of Dachis Group, now Edelman), Michael Lebowitz, (Big Spaceship), Bob Thacker (Office Max), to name but a few. Hosted by Tim Brunelle, MIMA’s president and the CEO of Hello Viking, held at pretty cool venue called the Fine Line Music Cafe, the event always draws a crowd, attracting ad agency types, local digerati, social media enthusiasts along with marketers from local companies like Target, General Mills and Cargill, all of them equipped with a mobile Twitter app.
On this particular night, with no signs of a day-long snow storm letting up, a good size crowd still showed. And with iPhones in hand the tweeting began. I supposed one could find this terrifying. Think how almost all advertising creative types dread showing their work to focus groups for fear of rejection. But I find this new form of instant reaction liberating. Right away, you know if you sucked or if you rocked. Perhaps more importantly you know specifically what resonated. If you told five stories and all the chatter echoed two of them, that’s good information to have. Next time you can lose the other three. If the majority of tweets captured one or two of the same points, maybe they’re worth building on.
Among the points most referred to in blog posts, this suggestion that we rethink the labels and tactics we use to market in the age of conversation
My presentation – A Conversation About the Future of Advertising: Inspiration, Exploration, Transformation – covered the changes in media that I’ve experienced in my lifetime; an overview of the trends characterizing the new-found influence and role of the individual; and the new practices agencies need to embrace if they are to survive and prosper in the years to come. There were lots of stories, and a number of examples. But I now know what mattered most. What people took away. What they chose to share. And repeat. And pass on. And that’s pretty cool. Thank you MIMA, @catfoa, Tim Brunelle and everyone else who joined in the presentation. No, make that conversation.
Photo by: Andy Santamaria
Comments
Maybe.
Ironically much of social media's appeal is its *lack* of feedback. We can write what we want on Twitter and think 2,000 people are listening, when really most aren't tuned in. We can post whatever we want on blogs with no censor. We can upload videos and hope they go viral, while most won't.
The very liberation that drives user generation of content is a result of the removal of normal feedback filters: bosses or editors can't say your work isn't good enough. We no longer risk failure, so we produce more. We take greater chances because no one can now stop us.
So maybe instant feedback isn't always such a good thing. By all means, tweet about my speech, but I'm not certain I want to read the results.
.-= Ben Kunzu00c2u00b4s last blog ..Sometimes it makes sense to ignore your customers =-.
You're becoming my favorite commenter as you never agree, you just push the thinking. So are you saying that we just send soundbites out there into empty space? You could be right.
I notice that there are people who others believe they have to follow and respond to. Chris Brogan, for example. If you are a wannabe in the new space not only to you follow Chris, you RT everything he says and comment on his posts. I'm a fan of Chris, so not criticizing him, but rather some of the lemmings who are hanging on his every word. Then there are some really really smart people who have a fraction of the followers, get a sliver of comments, but are actually saying really smart things. Guess I'm actually moving off topic here. Sorry.
Anyway, back to the original thought. I gave a talk that had stories, points, examples and predictions. In the hour during and afterward there were maybe 800 posts on Twitter. A glance at what got repeated or quoted vs what didn't offered at least some sense of what resonated. If we live in an age of soundbites (sad, but true) then it's somewhat important that we get good at them. Twitter comments can help. Yes?
Yay Minnesota! On rare occassion I am so proud of my home state. Isn't the Fine Line fantastic?! I've seen some great shows there - happy to see they're using it for events like this too! Thanks for sharing, Edward.
.-= Alison Morrisu00c2u00b4s last blog ..#NYFW Darlings | Tracy Reese =-.
Edward, you are patient in the face of the tweeting audience...being a twitterer yourself you know you are also listening carefully. Perhaps we have entered a period where full attention is not a sign of holding one's audience - as your piece describes. Being that I write and listen to either the radio or a with a sideways glance to a tv program the kids are watching...I know that I can do both but sometimes I wonder if I am cheating my main activity by splitting my attention (even in different percentages) to two (or sometimes more!) things.
I am thinking of the days when news journalists RAN out of a press conference to call in the latest scoop. Also thinking about how women were given credit for their multi-tasking skills when going back to work while also continuing to take on most of the responsibilities for caring for a family. A bright thought...maybe these new devices have trained men to be as agile as women and family life can be balanced (as we see it becoming more and more) between women and men.
The quest to be the "first one" to post what has just been seen or heard is exhausting...I can see that there will be those who are the first in line at the gate/tweeting and those who will sit back and look forward to creating a reflection/website or blog on what has been tweeted.
Such an interesting time to be at the elder end of the game.
melinda
Melinda:
You raise some good points. First, I'm pretty sure that all the research shows multi-tasking is an illusion. And proves that even trying, listening to music, texting, reading at same time is actually terrible for critical thinking, focus and narrative development. In fact, we (or more the younger generations) are re-wiring our brains and not for the better. (No wonder everyone needs Adderall to get through college.) First to post may be part of our new digital social competitive nature. But, you are right, it's not necessarily a good thing. And as Jackson before you notes, it comes without any real thought or analysis. More like play by play sportscasting.
Thanks for the post.
Re your pt about instant feedback, I agree that there is value in getting it.
However, the thing about instant reaction is that it is just that. I can remember seeing speakers and disliking or disagreeing with what they said at the time they said it. Subsequently however, with time to reflect my impressions changed. Time provides perspective.
For this reason it is important to take real-time/instant reaction with a grain of salt.
.-= Jackson Wightmanu00c2u00b4s last blog ..Spreading bad ideas =-.
Jackson, totally agree. Think of it as more like play by play sportscasting. Note my reply to Melinda below.
Well done and a great way to fully engage your audience.
On one hand I agree with you Edward that is great not having to wait for feedback, or knowing exactly what stories spoke more to my audience. But i have to wonder, if I was the Presenter, would I be annoyed that my audience didn't have complete focus on me and the topics being discussed. Chances are if the audience is tweeting about what you are saying, they are also on facebook, linked in, e mail etc.: looking and doing many other different things during the presentation
It would bother me if my audience only herd pieces of my talk. Just thought
Bridget Dunne
Departmental Seminar 2
Tusdays 9 am
.-= Bridget Dunneu00c2u00b4s last blog ..Can the iPad bring back print advertising? =-.
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