"The Zappos Outlet Store in Shepherdsville KY is looking to hire 2 FT Sales Reps! Give me a shout if you know someone who may be interested!" This wasn’t a text, and it didn’t appear on Facebook. It appeared on Twitter, a social networking platform whose fast-growing community is attracting the attention of businesses worldwide.
Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging site that allows people to communicate with their contacts almost instantaneously using a method similar to instant messaging. While some have criticized the platform, claiming that the messages are just a collection of random thoughts with no strategic semblance, some businesses like Zappos embrace it as a way to connect meaningfully with customers. So how can companies best use this new technology? Here are a few ideas that may be considered as part of a broader media strategy:
- Twitter as sales tool. Companies can announce new lines, discounts, deals and sales using Twitter. To reward those who loyally follow a company’s “tweets”, special discounts and offers can be given.
- Improved customer service. Social networks are often used as soapboxes for customer dissatisfaction. Companies can use Twitter to engage customers, discuss issues and work to rectify any problems. Some companies even hold polls on Twitter to monitor consumer sentiment.
- Brand and campaign monitoring. As Twitter invites clusters of like-minded people, monitoring how people speak about your brand is a way to reach a focused group of users or advocates who may provide you with valuable information on your brand’s performance.
To be effective on social media platforms the key thing for companies to remember is that they don’t have to be altruistic. They simply need to be honest in their intentions and meaningful in their communications.
For more information on brand strategies using Twitter click
here.