Twitter presentation by Sally Witzky, Owner & Chief Strategist, Traction Group LLC. First presented at AMA-Richmond's Market Dialogue, a members-only event.

1. Does it make sense for YOUR business? Twitter, tweets, retweets & tweetups. Sally Witzky All slides © 2009 Traction Group LLC. All rights reserved.

2. Why RU here? Why did you come today? To learn? To network? To converse? To socialize? Other?

3. Twitter basics. Micro-blog @ 140 characters A real-time, short messaging service Works over multiple networks / devices Around the world, people follow the sources most relevant to them and access information via Twitter as it happens—from breaking world news to updates from businesses and friends

4. Very similar to… LinkedIn: “What are you working on now?” Facebook: “What’s on your mind?” Only that’s all it is…nothing more.

5. Organic Blueprints page.

6. Random Twitter stats… 54% of Fortune 100 companies are choosing Twitter as social network platform of choice Of top global brands, media and technology companies ENGAGE in social media much more than lagging financial services segment

7. Engagement = financial performance Source: The World’s Most Valuable Brands: Who’s most engaged? Wetpaint & Altimeter. http://engagementdb.com July 2009 Revenue Growth (last 12 mos.) Gross Margin Growth (last 12 mos.) Net Margin Growth (last 12 mos.) Mavens Mavens Mavens Butterflies Butterflies Selectives Selectives Butterflies Selectives Wallflowers Wallflowers Wallflowers

9. Twitter 101 terms. Handle, i.e. @sallywitzky Tweet (140-character message) Retweet (tweeting others’ message) @reply (reply, not private) Direct Message or DM (private) Bio (important – target audience) URL (to send ppl for more info) Hashtag (#RVA, #SMCRVA)

10. Twitter 101 managers. Tweetdeck (most popular) Hootsuite (multi-accounts, tracking) CoTweet (esp. for larger companies) Seesmic Desktop (fun) PeopleBrowsr (more advanced) Twitterberry (Blackberry) Tweetie & TwitterFon (iPhone) Digsby (IM, eMail + social networks)

11. What do I tweet? Not your meals or where you are unless tres cool What relevant content is on your blog or on your website? Challenge yourself to engagewith others vs. always talk about you Find a style that works for you

12. What’s the use? Many reasons to tweet… To learn, fast To converse, quickly (kind of like working a room only at warp speed) To help others by promoting them To build awareness, consideration To drive traffic to blog, site, articles To show appreciation; thank publically To ENGAGE with target audience To provide customer service

13. Twitter access… From your computer or phone Best to utilize a Tweet manager vs. Twitter.com Automate small % of your updates w/ TweetLaterPro & Ping.fm Update Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn status all at same time

14. I even tweet to blog… 

15. Art of ENGAGEMENT. There is both an art and science to conversation: Listening (requires patience) Learning (keeps ‘ole ego in check) Sharing (what value do I bring?) Promoting (how can I help others) Twitter only one small puzzle piece

17. Twitter is where to get… Your news, local and global To know ppl better in shorter time To connect B4 U know people Creates deeper conversations when you both meet; no intros needed Strange at first; much appreciated tho Creates ability to know people you wouldn’t know otherwise

18. Twitter is voracious… For learning… I learn more from Twitter from more people than I could meet in a lifetime For connecting with lots of ppl fast Social interaction For ENGAGING w/ a fewppl fast And often deeper

19. Tweeting barefoot… Carrie Wilkerson @barefoot_exec or http://twitter.com/barefoot_exec 67,000 followers (her peeps) She’s tweeted over 25,000 times She knows many of them personally Very loyal brand following who buy

20. Twitter… Doesn’t replace in-person connections; makes them richer Keeps your name in the minds of others; and their names in yours Get to know each other over time…that’s the basis of any advertising/marketing campaign

21. A great ad campaign… Advertising campaigns measured w/ reach, frequency and GRPs include direct mail, email, banner ads Keys to success are… Relevancy, consistency and emotional tie… whether to make one laugh or cry creates memorability and desire for product or service

22. Twitter works same way. Reach Are you reaching your target audience and advocates? How many followers do you have? Frequency How often do you tweet? Relevancy What is your content? RU providing value? Consistency Can y0u be counted on to always provide good content?

23. But the difference is… There’s no media cost (that doesn’t mean it is free) There’s the ability to converse One person or more at a time, quickly Critical piece remains: search engine optimization – an important aspect even B4 Twitter

24. Twitter not holy only. Use as part of marketing strategy With other online efforts Social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn..) Paid media (Google AdWords…) Google / Bing directories, profiles Blogs (you can have multiple) Websites, particularly e-commerce Pay attention to keywords!

25. Integrated marketing example from Home Instead Senior Care RVA Just launched!

26. Home Instead Senior Careof Richmond, Virginia Two Twitter Background Pages Torsten Steinfatt @HomeInsteadRVA Teresa Steinfatt @TeresaSteinfatt Two LinkedIn accounts Facebook Fan Page Local Blog Local Website

27. Two Twitter accounts.

28. Local blog.

29. Facebook Fan page

30. Websites

31. Plus ancillary services… FriendFeed StumbleUpon Digg Tumbler Delicious NetworkedBlogs Hootsuite Google Analytics Twellow PeoplePond Technorati TwitPic YouTube MyBlogLog Ping.fm SlideShare And more…(x 2)

32. Home Instead tweets… Relevant articles / Point of view RTs (retweets) others Events / activities Community partnerships Focused on RVA Building brand awareness, consideration and generating opportunities and leads

33. Tweets as traffic drivers. Measure tweets w/links Shorten the link, i.e. Hootsuite Test! Copy approach Times of day Measure tweet click-throughs and website traffic sources w/analytics

34. Sweet tweets.

35. Tweet stats.

36. Parting thoughts. Focus on building your online brand with a strategic approach, then decide on which social networks are right for you You wouldn’t launch an ad or PR campaign without at least some semblance of a plan!

37. Parting thoughts. Social networking and social media is simply social marketing, as opposed to traditional advertising, PR and direct response marketing The core elements of traditional don’t go away; simply shift

38. Parting thoughts. A business still requires an acquisition, retention and cross-sell strategy that includes event and product promotion The way in which a business overlays the marketing tactics to meet goals won’t change; What tactics or tools one uses will; higher engagement tools and staff.

39. Questions? What’s on your mind?

40. Tweet me. Twitter.com/sallywitzky Twitter.com/tractiongroup Sally Witzky sally@tractiongroup.com 804.402.0804 TractionGroup.com