#tweetsmart

Chapter 13. Random Retweet

Tweet this Project

Here’s a really simple way to keep your audience on its toes. This is a simple and quick project that I like to pepper it into a larger strategy when things get stale. This is the Random Retweet.

One of the best ways for your Twitter messages to reach the largest number of people is for your followers to retweet (or forward) your messages to their followers. The number of people following you directly—or, your first order followers—is puny when compared to cumulative number of people following your followers—or, your second-order followers. It is this audience you’re hoping to reach. They are the audience that represents exponential growth.

There are two ways to go about earning retweets from your followers. The first is to send out excessively interesting, valuable, and insightful tweets—all the time. If you can do this, you’ll be fine. The second way is to encourage retweets by dangling the odd carrot or two out in front of your would-be retweeters. Here’s how.

Designate a few hours of every week—or even a full day, if you’re feeling ambitious—during which you will run your “Random Retweet Riot” or “Retweet Happy Hour” or “Random Retweet Wednesdays” or whatever you choose to call your project.

Let your audience know that during the specified amount of time, every person to retweet one of your original messages will be eligible to win the contest. Then, at the end of the allotted time, pick a winner at random and thank everybody (individually) ...