editione1.0.1
Updated January 28, 2020Direct messages or DMs are a good way to contact someone 1:1. On Twitter, if you follow someone and they also follow you, you can send them a DM. Many people have their DMs open for everyone, meaning you can send them a message even if they donβt follow you. This means you might have the ability to contact some of the most interesting and influential people you follow.
You can use DMs in a similar way to how you would use comments: sharing appreciation for someoneβs work, providing anecdotal support for something theyβve said, sharing recommendations, et cetera. In all these instances, again, itβs important to hold low expectations for a responseβbut itβs always worth a try. Itβll happen someday.
DMs can have a few use cases:
Cold compliments. Provide positive feedback on someoneβs workβwhether a great blog post, podcast episode, design workβwithout asking for anything in return. If they respond, you have the option of extending the conversation, either now or in the future.
Extending conversations. If youβre having an interesting conversation in Twitter comments, that well may be a chance to move that conversation organically to direct messages. This can deepen conversation because messages are obviously private (at least purportedly so) and donβt have the character count restrictions of tweets and replies.
Cold outreach. With some of the greatest minds available to you, messaging people you respect and asking for their help or guidance is always an option. Cold messaging can be effective if your ask is short and specific. This means not rambling or asking things that can easily be Googled. A surprising number of people will help you if you just ask. Write messages that are short, concise, and to the point. Couple this with a compliment that demonstrates appreciation and familiarity with their work so itβs clear why youβre reaching out to them specifically. Outreach on Twitter can be more effective than emailβsome people include in their bios or on their personal websites that DMs are open and the best way to reach them. They may follow up with an email, so itβs ok to include yours in the DM. As always, donβt expect a response. Itβs OK to follow up twice, but after that, move on.
I think people underestimate how far a message just to show appreciation can go. There are several people I thought I would never get to meet in person until I was more senior that I was able to grab coffee with just from DMing them some appreciation for stuff theyβve written. Itβs so little effort to send that message and it goes such a long way. Itβs even better if you disagree with something theyβve written or have follow-up questions, because then it opens a dialogue naturally. A thoughtful DM can go an extremely long way.Nikhil Krishnan (@nikillinit), Strategic Partnerships Manager, TrialSpark*
Scrolling through someoneβs timeline will give you information about them as an individual. This is helpful for finding something in common and showing youβve done some homework when you DM them, meet in person, or apply for or interview for a role.
βcautionβ However, there is a thin line between demonstrating interest and appearing too familiar. Even though people often post intimate details about their lives on Twitter, itβs best not to leverage this in professional correspondence. Women are commonly victims of harassment via DM, often in the guise of professional outreachβitβs very important not to go overboard here and misrepresent your intentions or make someone uncomfortable.
Before you get to know someone better, stick to these general guidelines:
Good to mention: Similar appreciation for someoneβs work, a book, film, or sportβs team you both enjoy, a shared professional interest.
Bad to mention: Details that date back years, someoneβs family, personal details (romantic relationships, health issues, et cetera).
Donβt do this | Why itβs bad | Do this | Why itβs better |
---|---|---|---|
βCan I pick your brain over coffee?β | This is an overused phrase that many professionals now cite as a pet peeve. Itβs nonspecific and implies a time-heavy and unpaid commitment for the person youβre asking. | βI really liked your work on X. Iβve been thinking about Y, how do you think this relates?β | Itβs specific and takes less effort for the person asked. |
βWill you be my mentor?β | This is a vague request that requires a high time commitment from someone who is likely very busy. | βIβm struggling with X and know you went through something similar while you were doing Y. Do you have any advice?β | Itβs specific and lets them know youβre contacting them because youβre familiar with their experiences and feel they can help. They can potentially respond quite quickly. If they respond with advice, you can follow up with results and potentially build a relationship more organically. |
βI wrote X. Can you share it?β | This requests a transactional favor of someone you donβt know, asking them to leverage their following and reputation for someone they donβt know. | βI found your article on X very thoughtful. I wrote something related and thought you might like it.β | It discloses exactly why youβre sharing the article with them and leaves the ball in their court on whether theyβll share it or not. |
Source: Holloway