Tracking down social media authors

[yaxomoxay]

Since you took time to make a nice (teaching) example for me, let's do a deeper dive...

It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining bright in the skies. Suddenly, a man stops you. "Hey man! I've seen you somewhere... can I tell you about my new project?"

I would say, "No, I'm going to get an ice cream cone..." And then I might add, "But, you can talk while I do so," or maybe, "I'd like to hear about that, but I'm busy now, can you call me later?"

It's still a win-win scenario, it just takes a little more thinking that 95% of most people wouldn't do, because 95% of people are only focused on themselves and ICE CREAM!!

Also, your analogy, while it makes a point, isn't exactly what I did.

No, you miss an important point of the tale that you can't ignore: there are about a thousand more people that want to talk to you. So yes, you can say that to the first, second, third, and maybe even fourth person, but then you'll reach the breaking point in which you won't be able to listen to anyone because you're listening to all.

I see your point...
But do you see mine?

I can't truly see your point because 1) I partially live at the other side of the hook, so while you see one submission, I see lots of time and effort spent (case in point, my afternoon today at work... wasted because of an email) 2) you assume that they haven't read it.

In your example, you are a private citizen, at home, and you are getting cold calls.

So are the social media people you want to contact...

Why would you have a public office or public website or public email address if you didn't want people to contact you?

I don't think they ever said that they don't want to be contacted; they can't guarantee a reply, and they certainly can't guarantee that they will enter into a conversation with you. And I am sure that as a taxpayer you wouldn't want your government to spend too much time replying to emails.

In my opinion, if you get crank phone calls all day, or annoying faxes, or spam, then you DESERVE IT!!

So I deserve the email from a concerned citizen full of misconceptions, errors, and crazy requests for which I have to work for hours involving different groups? I mean, seriously...

Excluding 8 e-mails that I received from the president of a local club checking in on the board members, and people responding in an email thread, I have received NO EMAILS in the last 7 days!!

Wish I could say the same.

Not only have I NOT gotten hundreds, or thousands, of spam email messages in the last week, I haven't gotten hardly anything?!

And that proves what? I don't get your point.

Even my business e-mail inbox is nearly empty.

No s-it... you said your business is not up, not even your website.

If you get dozens or hundreds or thousands of spam emails at home or work then you are most likely bringing it upon yourself. (Or, you have crap for spam filters.)

Oh boy...

Obviously spam is an issue for most people, but again, if you are an elected official or run a business, and you are getting upset because people - even strangers - contact you, then I think you're missing the point.

No one is required to give you an answer. Ever.

It sounds like you are old eough to remember/get this, but back in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and into the 80s, the way you greeted anyone - of course we didn't have email back them - was, "Helo, how may I help you?

No, that wasn't the case, that's why they had cold calls farms which made thousands of calls a day hoping to get a 0.5% response.

Now people spend 20+ hours per week posting on social media, and a lot of those people busting tehir buuts to tell the world what they ate for lunch, and yet another person (me) reaches out with a little tidbit of advice to try and help save lives, and it's worthy of capital punishment?
Perception is reality.
Indeed.
But perception also is NOT logical most of the time.

Make up your mind. Do you want to play the game, or not? If so, follow its rules first, become an expert, become recognized, then, and only then you'll be able to change some of the rules.

Either way, my goal for this thread is not to lament about my email failings, but to learn IF and HOW I might use social media to connect with thers, mostly for the purpose or requesting interviews, because nothing makes "great content" than listening to other people and then writing about it, right?!

I told you already what you have to do:
Learn the game.
Create content.
Use multiple platforms.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

I don't know who you want to contact, but as an avid follower of podcasts and blogs, I can tell you for sure that most of those that are somewhat successful (not talking about people with as many followers as Ben Shapiro or Joe Rogan) receive a gazillion of requests for "interview" or contact a week. They clearly say that what they look for before answering is content - and how big your channel is. They usually have a brand to defend, and they are not going to water it down by interviewing with someone that doesn't even own a social media account (that would be possible if you were already famous, see Cal Newport among others). They also don't have much time available. I remember that one of my favorite podcasters posted a picture of his scheduled interviews, they are planned months in advance because they are all busy. Heck, Ryan Michler - the owner of The Order of Man, a podcast with probably 100K listeners a week - is asking his users for help in convincing other podcasters to appear on his show. Like any job, it's very competitive.

I don't have anyone in mind, and I certainly wasn't planning on starting with the POTUS!

That's absolutely false. People have always been protective of their time, resources, and space, and this is more true the more powerful the person you're looking for is. Not everyone got the pleasure to talk to Marcus Aurelius, or Luis XIV. Not everyone could enter into the Oval Office. Not everyone can go and talk to Cronkite. Yes, there are cases in which people are able to bypass the system of networks, but this is more the exception rather than the rule (on this, I highly recommend Niall Ferguson's "The Square and the Tower" - or at least watch one of his lectures about it). Heck, history is even full of "not my family/race/color/religion so if you even get close I'll kill you" events).

I think that is a function of where you live. If you grew up in NYC or LA or London, then your perception of humanity is much different than if you grew up in Iowa.

Do you have content or not? So publish it, update it, follow it, advertise it, for God's sake.

I do, but my website is not yet done.

And it doesn't matter, because in this thread I am asking how to reach out to other people on social media, but not in a way everyone would see it.

Most of those people work hard to get where they are, and this includes mid-sized social media "influencers". You want to reach them? Build a name for yourself. It's doable.

Much of this advice sounds like it would also apply on how to: a.) Become POTUS, b.) Become a Hollywood star, or c.) Become a national/global influencer.

In other words, become famous and then everything you need to become famous will be easy. Rather circular logic.

I don't doubt that is what it takes for a, b, or c but I am hoping the path isn't that tough for a mere mortal?!

So, you don't want to follow the rules of the game, but you expect others to bow to your request?

You're regressing...

No, I am trying to figure out this illogical "game".

 

[yaxomoxay]

I don't have anyone in mind, and I certainly wasn't planning on starting with the POTUS!

So you don't have an objective, you don't have anyone in mind, you don't know what to do, you don't know how to do it.

I do, but my website is not yet done.
And it doesn't matter, because in this thread I am asking how to reach out to other people on social media, but not in a way everyone would see it.

So let me reword what you want: "I don't have anything ready yet, but people need to listen to me!"
You want to cold contact people, and you don't have anything to show for it with the exception of one or two long PDF's?

Much of this advice sounds like it would also apply on how to: a.) Become POTUS, b.) Become a Hollywood star, or c.) Become a national/global influencer.

It applies because it's common sense. You're the one asking for help, not me.

In other words, become famous and then everything you need to become famous will be easy. Rather circular logic.

It's not circular. Well known scientists mingle with well known scientists. Great actors mingle with great actors. Writers mingle with other writers.
Do you think that Stephen King would even think about reading the first page of a draft of an unknown he doesn't know? He won't, and he was a "victim" of the very same thing (his draft for Carrie was rejected so many times that he literally threw it in the trash; his wife saved it before it was lost).
That's why you build it from the bottom up, slowly, with the knowledge that 99.9999% will be rejections. But no matter what, you need to back up what you want to show. In your case: you need content.

I don't doubt that is what it takes for a, b, or c but I am hoping the path isn't that tough for a mere mortal?!

It's as tough as it has to be. Many VIPs, writers, rich people, or even experts at their job (even if unknown to the larger population) have to work hard. You and I are not different.

No, I am trying to figure out this illogical "game".

For now it seems you're just complaining.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

So you don't have an objective, you don't have anyone in mind, you don't know what to do, you don't know how to do it.

You were doing a good job of trying to help ealier in this thread, but this is turning into another mud swinging battle here like my last thread.

(It feels good to punch, doesn't it?)


No, I do have a plan. And I do know what I want. Correct, I am not sure how to do it on social media, so here I am.

So let me reword what you want: "I don't have anything ready yet, but people need to listen to me!"

No, that is how you want things to be.

You want to cold contact people, and you don't have anything to show for it with the exception of one or two long PDF's?

Again, not true.

It applies because it's common sense. You're the one asking for help, not me.

It's not circular. Well known scientists mingle with well known scientists. Great actors mingle with great actors. Writers mingle with other writers.

Do you think that Stephen King would even think about reading the first page of a draft of an unknown he doesn't know? He won't, and he was a "victim" of the very same thing (his draft for Carrie was rejected so many times that he literally threw it in the trash; his wife saved it before it was lost).

Who said I wanted to contact a famous writer?

That's why you build it from the bottom up, slowly, with the knowledge that 99.9999% will be rejections.

And if my "rejection meter" ever runs low, I can always count on @yaxomoxay for a swift kick!

But no matter what, you need to back up what you want to show. In your case: you need content.

It's as tough as it has to be. Many VIPs, writers, rich people, or even experts at their job (even if unknown to the larger population) have to work hard. You and I are not different.

When did I say I wasn't willing to work hard?

For now it seems you're just complaining.

Or it could be that I am just feeding your obessive need to be critical...

Is there an ounce of compassion or nurture in your being? Seriously?

Are you a current or former drill sergeant? *LOL*

 

[yaxomoxay]

You were doing a good job of trying to help ealier in this thread, but this is turning into another mud swinging battle here like my last thread.
(It feels good to punch, doesn't it?)
No, I do have a plan. And I do know what I want. Correct, I am not sure how to do it on social media, so here I am.
No, that is how you want things to be.
Again, not true.
Who said I wanted to contact a famous writer?
And if my "rejection meter" ever runs low, I can always count on @yaxomoxay for a swift kick!
When did I say I wasn't willing to work hard?
Or it could be that I am just feeding your obessive need to be critical...
Is there an ounce of compassion or nurture in your being? Seriously?
Are you a current or former drill sergeant? *LOL*

Good luck in your future endeavors.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

Good luck in your future endeavors.

I'm sure that is heartfelt...

 

[millerj123]

I'm sure that is heartfelt...

You know, yaxomoxay has actually been trying to give you useful information. That you don't appear to want it is...up to you.