In an article on em+c about twitter strategy, the author urges firms to answer three questions before jumping into the Twittersphere:
1. What are you trying to accomplish? Clearly defining your goals at the outset helps you figure out what to say, how to say it and to whom. However, before you jump on Twitter, have a conversation with the key players within your organization to brainstorm possible uses for your account.
2. What do you have to say that’s worth talking about? Don’t assume that your content always has to be so matter-of-fact. Noting that sometimes you accidentally put orange juice in your coffee in the morning makes you more human, and thus more real, to your audience.
3. Who within your organization will manage the account? This isn’t the time to put an intern or salesperson who’s memorized the brochure but doesn’t know the first thing about Mashable or #followfridays as your Twitter lead.”
I had two immediate reactions to this.
First, why would the author give this advice away for free when companies are paying social media gurus $25,000 for the same advice?
Second, while the questions are the right questions to ask, I’m not sure I agree with two of the points.
Do you really want to have “a conversation with the key players within your organization to brainstorm possible uses for your account”? I mean, really, can you imagine getting the senior execs in your organization in a room to talk about Twitter, let alone “brainstorming” possible uses of a Twitter account? Do you really think that’s what they did at Dell?
And I’m not so sure putting an intern in charge of the firm’s Twitter account is a bad idea. Would it be better to put some 45-year old with 20 years of marketing experience — in other words, someone who has no clue how to have a conversation with a customer (because s/he can only speak in marketing speak) — in charge of the account?
When I look at the success that the Young and Free programs have had with their spokespersons (who, granted, aren’t interns, and aren’t in charge of the Twitter account), I have to think that putting an intern in charge is just what the Twitter account needs.
Damn. I can’t believe I just told you all that. I coulda charged you $25,000 for that insight.
[...] Twitter Advice « Marketing Tea Party by Ron Shevlin marketingteaparty.com/2009/10/11/twitter-advice – view page – cached In an article on em+c about twitter strategy, the author urges firms to answer three questions before jumping into the Twittersphere: — From the page [...]
If you need to “brainstorm possible uses for your account,” then you don’t know why you’re creating a Twitter account in the first place. This is just one more example of the bandwagon mentality. “Holy crap boss, we better get on Twitter stat! Let’s brainstorm!”
You don’t create a tool, then look for its uses. You don’t start with the solution, then look for the problem.
If you’re jumping into Twitter to accomplish a “TBD” goal, then sure, go ahead and put an intern on your account. They will probably get waayyy more “TBD” results than anyone else could.
Another great post Ron.
Just a point of clarification. The Young & Free Spokesters are 100% in charge of their Twitter accounts, their videos and their blogs posts. We just ask them to use common sense and follow a few basic rules (shy away from race, religion, politics and trashing companies). Stick to useful information and keep it positive and entertaining.
If everything is scripted by “the man” and comes from brainstorming sessions around the boardroom table, that is not a Twitter account that I want to follow!
It’s a good thing everyone doesn’t follow your advice, Jeffry – or the world’s MRM vendors would go out of business. How many FIs have run out and grabbed a MRM system without having any idea how they were going to implement it? (Hint: Just slightly fewer than the number of MRM systems sold.)
Thought the piece itself was excellent (as was the follow-up — “I was wrong”. But I was also highly amused by Frank Evans’ comments about MRM vendors. Been there, done that a couple of times at my company.
Thanks. I’m thinking of including the words “correction” or “I was wrong” in all my blog post titles. Drives a helluva lot more traffic.