How Twitter can make your place “exist”

You’ve heard all the hoopla about how if you are not on Twitter you don’t exist. You’re convinced, but the decision-makers are not. So the first vital step to getting your city/state/region on Twitter is teaching the social networking amateurs about what Twitter is and how it will make them “exist”.

How should you go about this?
Demonstration. People learn best by doing, especially those who have never used such technologies. Don’t be afraid to show them a sample Twitter page for example. Make it interactive in a setting where people can ask questions. But, use an example that is already in motion, like @OnlyLyon. Also show them useful Twitter apps such as TweetDeck, which allows you to organize your searches better by putting search lists into columns and syncing with an iPhone. Or, there’s Seesmic, which is ideal for Twitter accounts with multiple contributors.

Statistics. Show the growing rates of social media users and how they continue to grow exponentially. The decision-makers may not know about Facebook and Twitter, but they sure can understand what it means to have millions of interacting users! @Agence_adverbia is following 81 different “collectivités” in France! Is yours one of them?

The next step is coming up with a game plan. It is best to choose one strategy for your Twitter page out of the list below. You can mix and match, but it is better to have a clear and precise purpose for your page. Don’t reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of other place branding web 2.0 projects out there. Get to know them and see what others have done that you can apply to your page. Then, modify it to really relate it to your region.

Twitter place branding strategies

1. A direct communication channel from your “place” to your potential tourist, business owner, or business traveler, for example. Users can ask questions, obtain information, and get to know you better.
2. A branding channel to reinforce your image. Press releases, articles, and retweets talking about your place can be compiled on your page.
3. News center of all things relating to your place – sports, local events, elections, dining, and shopping. Exclusive Twitter offers are also appropriate here. However, avoid spamming.
4. Research centre. From a marketing point of view Twitter is an ideal channel for communication and research. Using an app such as Twendz can help marketers get a feel for what is going on in the market. Also, Twitter is an ideal place to conduct surveys and ask for feedback.

Now that you have a strategy, start communicating!
Be authentic. Nowadays everyone is sensitive to a “sales pitch”. Avoid being sales-oriented and favor a story-telling camaraderie that will appeal to others on a more personal level. Explain who you are, why you are interesting, and why people should know about it. Be open and communicate your “story”. Talk to people! Don’t just sit back and listen, actively participate in the conversation.

Don’t be afraid to be open. Some have trouble being really open and honest about themselves, and in the end people can sense that. It is scary to have others talk about your “place brand” metaphorically behind your back, but you have to let the process happen in order for it to work later. People trust what their friends say more than what they trust what an advertisers says.

Useful links
25 Twitter apps to manage multiple accounts: http://mashable.com/2009/05/18/twitter-apps-manage-multiple-accounts/
http://seesmic.com/
http://www.tweetdeck.com/
http://twendz.waggeneredstrom.com/about-twendz.aspx

This article also appeared here in the French language blog marketing-territorial.org.