Rules of Engagement
Marla Erwin,
Whole Foods Market

Twitter for Brands
@marlaerwin,
@wholefoods

Twitter for Brands

Twitter for Brands
DOs

Twitter for Brands
DOs
DON’Ts

Twitter for Brands
DOs
DON’Ts
and one very gray area

@wholefoods

@wholefoods

@wholefoods
#1 retail account on Twitter
approx 785,000 followers

@wholefoods
#1 retail account on Twitter
approx 785,000 followers
1 global account
3 topics
4 metro areas
60+ stores

1 global account
3 topics
4 metro areas
60+ stores

1 global account
3 topics
4 metro areas
60+ stores

Whole Foods HQ

Whole Foods HQ

Whole Foods HQ

#1 Rule of
Engagement

DO
offer value

customer service

customer service

incentives

incentives

content

content

content
links to your site
or other sites

content

DON’T
use Twitter
solely for revenue

DO
create
community

build your own

build your own

find a compatible one

find a compatible one

find a compatible one

provide venues

DO
interact

answer questions
?

answer questions

ask questions
?

ask questions

monitor mentions

monitor mentions

monitor mentions

monitor mentions

monitor mentions

DO
stay tuned in

#amazonfail

#amazonfail

DO
be authentic

banish PR & Legal

don’t outsource

if you say it, mean it

if you say it, mean it

DO
use Twitter’s
features

@replies
#hashtags
RT (retweets)

RT
3x3

Tweet this:
“RT me so I can win:
@wholefoods is
rocking my world
at #OTBC!”

Tweet this:
“RT me so I can win:
@wholefoods is
making me hungry
at #OTBC!”

Tweet this:
“RT me so I can win:
@wholefoods is
giving away prizes
at #OTBC!”

Tweet this:
“RT me so I can win:
@wholefoods is
rocking my world
at #OTBC!”

Get 3 RTs? Send a message
to @wholefoods.
First 3 win a $25 gift card!

(the gray area)

Companies:
personality,
or brand?

Advantages:
Humanizing
Accessible
Accountable

Advantages:
Authority
Boundaries
Continuity

No one
wants to talk
to a brand

there is no spoon

twitter has no experts

experiment
review
repeat

DO
what works for
your audience

DO
have fun

thank you
wholefoodsmarket.com/twitter

thank you
wholefoodsmarket.com/twitter
@wholefoods