Like walking through a modern art museum, one has to make choices when reading a book about something as new and radical as micro-blogging, especially in the context of corporate communications. Deborah Micek and Warren Whitlock have taken a great first step towards illustrating how and why micro-blogging should be embraced as well as some basic tips to get started in the right direction in their recent book: Twitter Revolution (2008). There are lots of smart insights throughout, but below I have listed the key takeaways from the book that I see affecting corporations as they take on micro-blogging.
Whether it be in the form of Twitter or another type of social media, two-way communication between the customer and the company is here to stay, and corporations should take the leap of faith that this is the manner in which PR efforts will look like in the future. By taking the next steps to engage, persuade and connect with the customer, organizations can formulate the core strategies of how they will provide value to their customers.
Social Media in General
- IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CONVERSATION
- Speed, people, participation, persuasion and conversation
- We’re moving to conversations; no longer lectures, press releases, etc.
- Connect with your clients/customers immediately (cell phone, etc.)
- It’s not about marketing; it’s about being persuasive, seductive and influential
10 Reasons to Tweet
1. Communication
2. Brand Recognition – Top of Mind Awareness
3. Reputation Management – Andrew Beal – Radically Transparent
4. Networking
5. Get New Clients – Seth Godin – Tribes
6. Find and Connect with Influencers
7. SEO
8. Trend Spotting – Tweetscan.com
9. Focus Groups/Feedback
10. Engage the Conference Experience
Things to Remember
- Jason Jenning – it’s no longer: BIG eat small, but rather FAST eat slow
- Make an impact with every Tweet
- Most products today are BOUGHT not SOLD. Interesting distinction.
- If you want to be listen, you should listen and interact
- People do business with people
- Business is now always personal – Don’t pitch, be personal
- “Contests are the new advertising” – Think Zappos
- Simon Leung – GOOG views social media as a high authority site > static web
- Nancy Marmdejo – PR people know that great leads come from relationship building not press releases
Twitter Tips
- Share a tip a day
- Leave open-ended questions on Twitter
- Try not to use avatars in your Twitter account
- Get higher click through by captivating the reader and influential language
- Have multiple accounts based on your needs – Think about it from a branding perspective
- Polarized tweeters are buyers
- Controversy sells, repels and attracts
- Sometimes ignore critics; you will attract and connect by providing value and benefit
Recommended Books
Smart Mobs – The next social revolution – Howard Rheingold
Radically Transparent – Andrew Beal
Naked Conversations – Robert Scoble
Tribes – Seth Godin