Using Twitter for Business Webinar

A Webinar Presented by Webbed Marketing in Partnership with Fahlgren

How to Use Twitter for your Business

Introductions - Presenters

– Yvonne Rayburn, Webbed Marketing• [email protected]• @yrayburn

– Lara Kretler, Fahlgren• [email protected] • @LaraK

– Rebecca Roebuck, Webbed Marketing• [email protected]• @dcrebekah

Introduction to Twitter

• What is Twitter?

– In simple terms – free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows anyone to say anything to anybody in 140 characters or less.

– Twitter is a “what are you doing now” type of micro-blogging.

– Great way to communicate/network with contacts old and new.

– You can subscribe, share, friend or follow as many feeds as you would like.

How to use Twitter

• Sign up!– Very painless. Go to

http://twitter.com/account/create – Next step to save yourself time and questions

should be http://help.twitter.com/index.php?pg=kb.book&id=1

Profile/Twitter Handle

• Once you sign up you will get a home page/profile page.– http://twitter.com/yrayburn– From your home/profile pages, you can find

others Twitter streams to follow and post your own messages.

• Your Twitter handle is how others know you on Twitter.– @yrayburn

Why would I use Twitter?

• Do you want to connect with others in your industry/who share your views?

• Do you want instant access to what is being said about your company/brand?

• Would you like a steady stream of ideas, content, links, resources, and tips focused on your area of expertise or interest?

Why would I use Twitter?

• Would you like to monitor what is being said about your customers or target audience?

• Would you like to extend the reach of your thought leadership?

• Are you looking to promote your products directly to a target audience?

• Twitter is great for all of these, except the last one!

Why would I use Twitter?

• News is happening first on Twitter! • Great way to get the headlines before they

even hit the newswires or news about what is happening in your community.

• Sometimes, not accurate, as with the death of Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones. But, was re-tweeted correctly within minutes!

Who to follow

• With Twitter, who you follow is everything • First figure out who is important to you:

– People talking about your brand or industry– Prospects– Customers– Influencers– Experts

• Resources exist to help you find them

Finding people to follow

• Summize.com, Tweetscan.com – search Tweets for company/industry keywords

• Quotably.com – search/view conversations by Twitter name

• Twellow.com, Socialbrandindex.com – Twitter business directories

• Dossy.org/twitter/karma – see who’s following you so you can follow back

Following the right way

• Don’t start following 1,000 people right away

• Follow those who follow you • Start monitoring keyword mentions related

to your brand or company or interests• Follow others in proportion to who is

following you

What do I say?

• Follow those who interest you and be of interest yourself so others will follow you

• Provide something of value – information, links, tips, humor, personality, humanity

• Don’t be a bot or spammer!• Remember to engage in two-way

conversation

How Do I Brand & Promote My Business?

• Grab branded Twitter name NOW– Even if not ready to use it, scoop it up

• Generate website or blog traffic– Showcase your website link in profile– Tweet to promote new blog posts (yours and

others of interest)– Feature “specials” for Twitter followers– Don’t over-promote, but do share links and

information related to your business

How Do I Brand & Promote My Business?

• Answer questions, offer advice– Provide tips and info related to your brand,

company or industry– Showcase your expertise and gain credibility– Be a good Twitizen – respond to queries

about more than just your subject area– Add value to gain and keep followers

• Be a human voice for your brand

How Do I Brand & Promote My Business?

• Showcase your Twitter @name in offline communications:

– Advertisements– Business cards– Email signature– Press releases– Packaging– Web site

Twitter Case Study: Zappos

• Zappos Philosophy– Marketing strategy based on positive word-of-

mouth and customer retention– Advertising dollars are spent online – Enhance the Zappos customer experience– Encourage an open and communicative

company culture

Twitter Case Study: Zappos

• Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, has been using Twitter for over a year

Twitter Case Study: Zappos

• Great feedback and warm feelings toward Zappos from the Twitter community and blogosphere. Zappos gets it!

Twitter Case Study: #dontgo

• #dontgo is a Twitter-based effort to force a vote on new oil drilling during the House’s August recess.

• http://dontgomovement.com

Twitter Case Study: #dontgo

• How was the movement successful?– Twitter was used to notify people of a grassroots

movement– Members of Congress connected directly with Twitter

followers– The story made headlines– The movement has been given the tag #dontgo on Twitter– Members of Congress have joined twitter

• http://twitter.pbwiki.com/USGovernment

– Even the White House is on Twitter• http://twitter.com/TheWhiteHouse

Companies on Twitter That We Follow

• NBC @NBC_4• CBS @10TV• Experience Columbus @ExpCols• CNN @cnn• Comcast @comcastcares• Dell @RichardatDELL• Whole Foods @wholefoods

More Twitter Resources• Twitter fan wiki:

- http://twitter.pbwiki.com/• Tweetmarks (commonly bookmarked Twitter sites):

- http://www.tweetmarks.com• 69 Twitter add-ons:

- http://smartech.blogetery.com/2008/05/16/69-twitter-web-services-you-should-know/

• 50 ideas for using Twitter for business:- http://www.chrisbrogan.com/50-ideas-on-using-twitter-for-

business/