"Huh?"

Deer in the headlights look. "Why would I want to do that?!?" "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard." A slight tilt of the head followed by a slowly uttered and cautious ". . . right."

If you've ever tried to sell someone on joining Twitter, you've probably encounter one or more of these reactions. What are you doing to get past them, close the deal, and get a friend or associate to sign up and begin launching your network?

The adult population here in Bloomington is in the early adopter stages of social media. A few professionals are on LinkedIn but mostly as a place to park their resume. Recently, Facebook is coming on strong within the real estate community. Most of the local Peeps though are either IT professionals or Indiana University students in the Informatics Department.

I'm enjoying Twitter even though I've few Bloomington based followers. Until a local network blossoms though, Twitter will be primarily recreational. I know it will take off eventually. I want to help hurry it along.

This minimum user environment is not unique, I'm sure. I'd like to hear from Active Rainers whose networks are now past this incubation phase. How did it happen? Was there a trigger for getting people over the hump, signed up and tweeting?

When I talk with friends and clients it's no different than any other sales problem. Identify the objection and remove it. Well the objection seems to be either it's silly or there's no one I know using it or what a waste of time.

Sharing my vision of the potential of Twitter is often met with a blank stare and a ". . . yeah . . . let me get back to you on that."

What is the catalyst that launched your network? What is that one benefit that turned a prospect into a Peep?

Thank you for sharing.

And if you want to follow me, that's OK too! http://twitter.com/johnbethell

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