Twitter for Brands

a few thoughts from @Bissell @AdBroad twitter for brands

who the hell are we? brandfictionfactory.com

first came computers the size of cruise ships brandfictionfactory.com

when the web went civilian, it was bulletin boards brandfictionfactory.com

in 2006 a messaging system for geeks brandfictionfactory.com

that exploded into an uberforce of 21 million, including tweeters from outer space brandfictionfactory.com

no wonder so many brands want to be there brandfictionfactory.com

but don’t twitter just because everyone else does brandfictionfactory.com

in the twitterverse, not all brands are created equal Some are “Prom King Brands meaning everyone wants to hang with them.” --Alan Wolk author, creative strategist brandfictionfactory.com

like sports brands… brandfictionfactory.com

entertainment brands… brandfictionfactory.com

brands whose logos you’ll happily carry brandfictionfactory.com

but what can other brands do to engage followers? brandfictionfactory.com

offer real-time customer service brandfictionfactory.com

or valuable discounts (always welcome) brandfictionfactory.com

or inside information brandfictionfactory.com

or even simple amusement brandfictionfactory.com

don’t talk first. listen brandfictionfactory.com

your brand is being defined by what others are saying about it advice from Don Draper: If you don’t like what people are talking about, change the conversation. brandfictionfactory.com

broadcast to multiple channels you can’t control brandfictionfactory.com

hear what people are already saying

about you and your competitors

search.twitter.com for #yourbrandname

brandfictionfactory.com

you can’t be part of a conversation you’re not listening to brandfictionfactory.com

words associated with “Tupperware” on Noah Brier’s brandtags.com brandfictionfactory.com

business reputations that take years and millions to build can now be impacted by a single tweet brandfictionfactory.com

listening can turn lemons brandfictionfactory.com

into lemonade brandfictionfactory.com

in customized flavors brandfictionfactory.com

establish a game plan

define goals and strategy for twitter just like you do for other marketing efforts

do you want to drive traffic to a website?

deepen relationship with current consumers?

promote specific offers?

enhance customer service?

decide who will tweet. remember that tweeting takes time and marketing smarts. look for a bit of a ham. brandfictionfactory.com Don’t assign it to someone just because they know twitter. That’s like trusting your customer service department to someone because they know how to use a phone.

don’t trust a zombie. your bot will show. brandfictionfactory.com

Streamline guidelines and oversight policy to allow for speed and agility in response. Twitter is about real time. Tweeters can’t be left in the air until lawyers get back from lunch. brandfictionfactory.com

choose a name

better to be clear than clever

short—posts have 140 characters including your name

reserve your name in variations to prevent poaching @yourname, @your_name, @_yourname, @yourname_

have the alternate names post link to feed of preferred name

apply for twitter verification

create an avatar that’s friendly and one you can with live for a long time

because changing your look on twitter is confusing,

just like it would be in real life

think of it as your social media logo

write a bio

be friendly in 160 characters

suggest why people might follow you

include a link to your site

personalized corporate handles tend to be most successful

how to build followers

start within your organization, follow coworkers

follow colleagues elsewhere and competitors next

don’t follow strangers until you’ve at least a dozen posts

stream twitter feed to your website or blog

incorporate twitter handle into other outreach materials

follow those who follow those you like to read

engage followers instead of broadcasting to them

posts aren’t ad headlines. They must have a social component.

you’re not connecting people to information. You’re connecting people to people.

don’t think of your followers as audience; they’re more like people you meet at a party

go where target consumers already are and connect with them there; don’t wait for them to seek you out. They won’t .

technology has changed but psychology hasn’t

the art of persuasion is alive and well. it’s just wearing new clothes.

the best advertising on twitter doesn’t look like advertising campaign created by Deep Focus for AMC brandfictionfactory.com

twittertainment from Broadway twitter campaign by Situation Interactive for Broadway show “ Next to Normal” brandfictionfactory.com

twittertainment from the pulpit On Good Friday, 2009 Wall Street’s Trinity Church tweeted the Passion Play for three hours. brandfictionfactory.com

a new form of marketing: brand fiction brandfictionfactory.com

Brand Fiction is unbranded entertainment in the service of a brand, delivered in various forms created and produced for the environment where the target audience already is.

it allows others to participate in telling the brand story brandfictionfactory.com

and doesn’t stand alone, it’s part of a tactical mix brandfictionfactory.com

success depends on quality of content created brandfictionfactory.com

the first tweet’s the hardest brandfictionfactory.com

but it’s okay if your first post isn’t exactly right brandfictionfactory.com

Have patience. Twitter takes time. Like relationships do. brandfictionfactory.com

to continue the conversation…