Business monitor JAN:Layout 1 21/12/2009 14:16 Page 22
BUSINESS MONITOR
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One recommendation from Berkeley is to have Google Groups 12.0%
your local town as a keyword. This might generate My Space 10.9%
social sites may change the way we do business – a lot of dead information, but it would also give Bebo 3.3%
even fewer face-to-face meetings and phone calls. you a stack of contacts and, with intelligent use, Plaxo 1.1%
Thirdly, businesses will need to write properly. This opportunities. The immediacy of Twitter means that Source: McCann Erickson UK Social Media in
might sound like professional snobbery but so you are likelier to be in pole position on those Marketing Survey 2009
many businesses just can’t do it. Their opportunities.
communication is stilted, self-centred and dull. Aim to draft tweets which mix company Opinion was split on how social media impacts on
More than that, it would seem beyond their information with news and conversation. The traditional forms of communication (eg: telephone
capabilities to write a fresh, interesting message content should engage with the audience, be and face to face) with 48.2% agreeing that this
once a week, never mind daily, but that’s the ask. authentic and credible, it should answer questions new form of ‘keeping in touch’ has a negative
Speaking from personal experience there are some and give out interesting industry news. Above all impact on traditional communication methods
people in the marketing communications business keep it fresh, new and varied. versus 51.8% disagreeing.
who aren’t much better. Time and again I read
press releases, brochures, adverts – you name it – Content
which talk at people, which are all about us, not You should look to draft tweets that are a
about you the potential customer and which I balanced mix of company news and conversation
doubt would sell the end of a rope to a drowning with potential customers. Companies should treat
man. Twitter relationships the same way they would any
On a positive note, the potential to reach a other customer relationship. To do this businesses
massive audience at zero cost is definitely there. It should look to write Tweets based upon the
“
Twitter is
essentially
isn’t easy because you are asking people to make following criteria: conversation, but it
an active choice to look at your posting – a very • Engaging with the audience
different proposition to seeing an ad in traditional • Authentic & believable content is perceived as
media. I recently referred in P&P to Lauren Luke’s • Respond to customer questions
Facebook posting – the most visited in the UK. • Distribute interesting industry news having a business
Check it out – she does it from her bedroom with • Provide links to company news
an ordinary computer and a cheap camera. The One of the most complex features of Twitter for edge to it – it’s not
message from Lauren Luke is that you have to brands to get right is the hashtag, (a topic with a
engage people’s interest with news, information, hash symbol (”#”) at the start to identify it). just what Stephen
advice and, yes, entertainment. You can’t expect Twitter hashtags like #followfriday
success from banging your advertising message <http://mashable.com/2009/03/06/twitter- Fry had for
home. followfriday/> help spread information on Twitter
The experience of Simon Turner at while also organising it. breakfast
clothes2order.com is instructive. They’re an online The hashtag is a favourite tool of conferences and
printwear specialist and for a business-to-business event organisers, but it’s also a way for Twitter
audience they firmly believe that Twitter is the users to organise themselves: if everyone agrees to
”
right site. At the time of writing they are running a append a certain hashtag to tweets about a topic,
campaign aimed at businesses such as PR agents it becomes easier to find that topic in search, and Primary functions for social media
to win a T shirt to their own design. Turner says more likely the topic will appear in Twitter’s marketing by UK business
that developing the process fully by following your Trending Topics. Profile raising/PR 51.2%
audience can be time consuming but the process Berkeley PR advises its customers on how to Networking 48.8%
of putting out two or three daily tweets takes identify, track, use, and organise hashtags in an Advertising 30.5%
about ten minutes per day. He stresses that if efficient and useful way. Paul Stallard, account Surveys/studies 24.4%
you’re going to develop this market you’ll need to director at Berkeley PR (Twitter: @Paul_Stallard) Recruitment 19.5%
be doing it that often. Less than once a week is a Trends analysis 11.0%
waste of effort. Marketing Survey 2009 Issues management/crisis handling 4.9%
Twitter is essentially conversation, but it is Commenting on the study, Joanna Randall head of Source: McCann Erickson UK Social Media in Marketing
perceived as having a business edge to it – it’s not PR at McCann Erickson Bristol, said: “There is a Survey 2009
just what Stephen Fry had for breakfast. Berkeley real thirst for information and knowledge on the
PR who organise Twitter campaigns for clients, subject of social media which is constantly Twitter usage by marketing professionals –
recommend the following steps. First you have to evolving – making it hard to keep up with the number of tweets posted by those with a
find people to follow (Twitter term for staying in latest trends. We have established this report as Twitter presence
touch with) who you hope will also follow you. The part of an ongoing study into usage and attitude, Occasionally (once a week or less) 43.2%
issue is who do you follow? Local sports and run through our specialist SoMe (Social Media) One per day 5.4%
social clubs, large employers in your catchment unit. 2 – 5 per day 13.5%
area, local PR and other agencies and local “This study highlights that some of the UK’s major 6 – 10 per day 8.1%
journalists would be a good start. businesses are ignoring social media channels – 10 – 20 per day 0.0%
Any of these might say ‘anybody know a supplier but they do so at their peril. Word of mouth is I have a Twitter account but it is not active 29.7%
of polo shirts’ (if only!). More likely would be now more powerful than ever; opinions can be Source: McCann Erickson UK Social Media in Marketing
something akin to ‘we’re setting up a five-a-side shared with a global audience at the click of a Survey 2009
team; anyone want a game?’ Bingo! Sales button; we all have the ability to influence, both
opportunity. Similarly, those local journalists may positively and negatively, and therefore as
use Twitter to source stories. Apparently, some will marketing professionals we should be considering
ask on a dead news day if anyone’s got a story – how best to harness the power of social media.” lFor more information about Printwear &
surely you have! Promotion 2010, call Exhibitions Manager Richard
There is a marvellous free service which you are Social media community per centage of Smith on 01622 699172 or email
recommended to use – Twilerts. This sends you e- marketers with a presence: rsmith@datateam.co.uk. Printwear & Promotion
mails detailing any reference to your chosen Facebook 72.8% 2010 takes place in Hall 12 of the NEC from
keywords. You can have as many as you like but Twitter 42.4% February 28 to March 2. For the first time, the
make them specific – ‘football’ would inundate LinkedIn 40.2% Promota Exhibition will run concurrently on March
you. Note that this is going to demand time if you YouTube 28.3% 1 and 2. Registration will operate independently.
have a lot of keywords. Flickr 14.1% See www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
| 22 | January 2009 www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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