6 Social Media Lessons I Learned from Agent Cooper of “Twin Peaks”

I mentioned the other week that I’ve been rewatching Twin Peaks for the first time since it originally aired 20 years ago. A fascinating show with a fascinating set of characters. And as I was watching FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (played by Kyle McLachlan), I realized that we could learn a thing or two (or six) from him about Social Media.

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1) Become a part of your community, don’t try to control it – When Agent Cooper entered the town of Twin Peaks, he embraced it and became a part of it. Unlike FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield (Miguel Ferrer), Cooper accepted the community members for who they were. Albert, on the other hand, made fun of them, and got his clock cleaned as a result. If a community already exists around our product or business, we should join that community as a participant, not as one who controls. The moment we look down on the community members we lose their trust and they no longer have any interest in us.

2) When in Rome…. – Agent Cooper is awakened at 4:28 one morning by a group of singing and dancing Icelanders. He sends a recorded message to his trusty assistant Diane saying:

“Up until this moment I’ve experienced nothing at the Great Northern Hotel but the most pleasant, courteous service imaginable. However it just goes to prove the point, that once a traveler leaves his home, he loses almost 100% of his ability to control his environment.”

As you build and become part of a community, don’t expect that things will always go your way. If you do, you’re in for a rude awakening. Don’t be surprised if a few monkey wrenches get thrown into the works from time to time.

3) Don’t underestimate the power of praise – As you join a community, there is no better way to ingratiate yourself than to heap praise on those who deserve it. If you watched Twin Peaks you’ll know that Agent Cooper was a big fan of the coffee and cherry pie served up at the local cafe. He couldn’t get enough, and he made sure to tell others about it in nearly every episode. We are quick to criticize but slow to praise. Perhaps it should be the other way around.

4) People and relationships are more complex than they seem – Agent Cooper quickly realized that not everyone in the town was what they pretended to be. In fact, very few of them were overly transparent. Their relationships were rather messy and many of them were living double lives. We can’t approach our clients and potential clients as if they are simplistic. Everyone is different and we must treat them like complex individuals.

5) Observe, watch, and listen – While things weren’t what they seemed, they rarely seemed to fluster the usually unflappable Agent Cooper. In fact, because of his keen powers of observation, he usually realized what was going on before anyone else did. The first rule of Social Media is to listen. Before you open your mouth you should spend plenty of time getting to know the lay of the land and learning about the members of your community.

6) Find the influencers – Agent Cooper’s listening skills and powers of observation quickly helped him to identify which folks he needed on his side. He knew that Sheriff Harry S. Truman could be a great ally, and he befriended him and showed him trust. As you enter an online community, it is important to identify the key influencers. The “super fans”, if you will. They are the ones who will go out and tell others about you, and the ones to whom others will listen. You need to cultivate those relationships.

Tagged as: FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, Kyle MacLachlan, Social Media, Twin Peaks