My upcoming article Twitter is Great, But You Need Passion to Make it Work For You (Wednesday, July 1), will include information gleaned from an interview with Chappaqua social media expert Chris Dessi. The term “expert” is one Chris distances himself from, but a 90-minute interview left no doubt that it is well-deserved. Our interview touched on a diverse range of social media topics, but we wrapped things up with a quick yet useful Twitter Q & A:
Q: How has Twitter helped you in your endeavors:
Dessi: I’ve been able to engage in a community that I’d only read about. I’ve learned more in the past year than I can calculate. All via shared links on Twitter. I’ve made friends, and I’ve been able to cultivate my business reputation, and manage my personal brand. It helped me get my current job – after being told “No”. My CEO noticed that I had commented on an article shared via Twitter that he’d seen tweeted as well. He was impressed. I’ve also cultivated business development deals with huge social media personalities that wouldn’t have been possible without Twitter. It’s the canary in the coal mine so I can sniff out what works, (and) what doesn’t .
Q: What do you say to people who say “I don’t have the time to spend on Twitter”?
Dessi: Do you have time to care about your business?
Q: What are your predictions for the future of Twitter?
Dessi: This is a tricky one. I’m not totally convinced that the answer here is necessarily Twitter. Either way, it doesn’t really matter. What this proves is that crowd-sourcing is relevant. Humans are tapping into the creativity of user-generated content, and that’s exciting. We’re empowering the amateur, the enthusiast, the person with the real passion. Twitter may disappear, but the shift has occurred. It’s about the shift away from the old guard. So it may be a different iteration of Twitter, or Twitter, it doesn’t matter. This is about people, not Twitter.
Q: What do you think about the prospects of “building a local community through Twitter”
Dessi: I think it’s thrilling, game-changing and inspiring. Now with free tools at our fingertips, it’s more feasible than ever. While living in the city I felt more of a part of my local community because I often saw their faces and interacted with people. In the suburbs, we drive cars and rarely interact. I think a community via Twitter is essential in the suburbs.
Chris Dessi is Director of Sales at Buddy Media in New York, NY. He also writes a blog, ChristopherDessi.com and runs the DadzillaTV.com website. Follow Chris on Twitter @CDessi.
