Day 51 - DMs

Cheating a bit. I wrote a thread about it but I'll put it here too!

Is DM-ing people on Twitter all that good? I was doubtful in the beginning, but recently I started slowly DM-ing people and now see its benefits.

I didn't understand how should one approach cold DMs. How do I message this big creator/founder/anyone? I don't know what to say or ask them. What if I sound dumb? Honestly, most of them won't reply or open up their DMs. It's too much for them. ...then what's the point?

News flash: There are *plenty* of people to learn from who aren't in the big leagues. Find people who have < 1-5k followers. Having a 'low' follower count doesn't mean they don't offer useful insights. Chances of them replying are higher & you'll make friends easier!

You might agree at this point and ask how do you generally message people in the first place? Here are some tips:

a) Approach DMs like how you approach meeting someone new for the first time. Be authentic. Praise their work or what you like about them. Ask your questions if you have any. Try to make it short too! Your conversation should naturally flow from there. And remember *why* you're messaging them in the first place. For me, I just wanna make internet friends with cool people who have the same interests and goals as me

b) This is probably common sense but I still hear people receiving these messages. Don't just say "hi" & expect someone to reply to you. (why do people still do this) You wouldn't randomly walk up to a person in real life, just to say hi to them now would you?

c) To reiterate - Try to DM people around the same journey as you are e.g. if you have around 500 followers, DM someone the same. You'll likely receive a response compared to someone who has 'made' it. They're less likely to respond to everyone as there are too many!

d) Go in with NO expectations. Not everyone will respond to you and that's okay. Not everyone has the time to reply. But most people who usually do, you'll be able to connect with them pretty easily.

And here comes the follow up:

e) It's okay to not reply or get a reply IMMEDIATELY. That's what messages are for - they're asynchronous. It's okay to respond a few hours later or tomorrow. We have our personal lives after all. (but I do feel bad when I haven't replied in days. I hope they understand!)

f) And of course, this doesn't need to be said but - Do not send unsolicited NSFW pictures. No one likes unsolicited things. Be a decent person.

Even if you decide not to try it, that's fine. But maybe you can open them up anyway. Who knows - an opportunity might come knocking through your DMs.