This document provides guidance on using Twitter as a sales and marketing tool for a tourism company. It outlines a 5-step process for setting up and using a company Twitter account, including setting up an account, listening to other Twitter users, determining company goals, drafting the first tweet, and measuring success. The document also provides examples of effective and ineffective tweets, and a task flow table to plan Twitter strategies and get approvals. The overall message is that Twitter can increase sales, build community, and provide customer service if used strategically.

1. TWITTER
TASK FLOW
TABLE
quick
Wi t h a
ion to
int ro duct
Tw itter
AN EASY TO USE TOOL FOR COLLABORATIVE
TWEETING WITHIN YOUR COMPANY.
Educational Documents and Presentations for Staff - Prepared by Marc-Oliver Gern April 30th, 2010

2. This document was part of a work shop I gave
for a large outdoor tour operator.
It was made to educate guest services and
booking staff on how to use Twitter as a
additional sales tool.
© This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share
Alike 2.5 Canada License.

3. 1. PART
INTRODUCING
TWITTER e t h is
n d ivi d arts:
Yo u ca in 2 p
do cument
2. PART:
THE USER TASK
FLOW TABLE

4. WHAT IS IT?Tw itter
Intro
WHO IS IT FOR?
HOW TO USE IT?
IS THERE MORE ?

5. WHAT IS TWITTER FOR YOU Twitter is a 2-way
communication tool for individuals and businesses,
accessible via the web. It helps you to connect with
your customer. Learn more about Twitter here (the
Twitter 101 for business).
Link above: http://business.twitter.com/twitter101/starting

6. WHO IS IT FOR It’s for employees that work for
Guest Services, the Sales- and Marketing-
Department.
!
Here I specifically
adressed the
company which the
doc was made for

7. WHY USE IT
- To increase sales during low-season
- To build the company’s online community
!
Here I specifically
adressed the
company which the
doc was made for
- To provide customer service and
- And to increase overall brand loyalty online
- you can add more here

8. IN GENERAL, YOU build and manage relationships
with our customers online. You use Twitter to gather
feedback and share ideas in real-time.
Your ‘followers’ will tell you (or anyone else) that
they’ve had a great — or disappointing —
experience with your business, may offer product
ideas, or may just want to learn about great offers.
44% of consumers who follow a
brand on Twitter do so for deals.
FEED - The Razorfish Digital Brand Experience
Report 2009

9. TWITTER WEBSITE & SERVICE –
YOUR NEW COMMUNICATION TOOL !
The original
screenshot of the
company was
replaced

10. 5 STEPS TOWARDS YOUR FIRST TWEET
1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
4. Start with your first tweet for Company XYZ
5. Measure success

11. 1. STEP: SET UP YOUR OWN 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
TWITTER ACCOUNT 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success
Go to and create your
personal . It’s free and
takes 3 minutes. It’s important to
upload a profile pict . People
want to see that you are real. It’s
all about trust.

12. 2. STEP: LISTEN AND LEARN 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
FROM OTHERS 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success
Best Practices available online
For example Albion's Oven, a bakery in London, notifies followers @KogiBBQ, a Korean taco truck that drives around Los Angeles,
when fresh croissants are ready (@albionsoven) alerting its almost 20,000 followers to its current and future
locations.
United Airlines and JetBlue use Twitter to provide customer
service, in addition to using the micronetwork to offer followers The Michigan Department of Transportation uses Facebook and
first dibs on discounted fares and last-minute specials. Dubbed Twitter to alert friends and followers of traffic and road closures.
"cheeps" by @JetBlue and "twares" by @unitedairlines @michigandot
Brian Simpson (@BSIMI) has helped The Roger Smith in New York Oakland County Parks uses Facebook and Twitter to spread the
monitor dialogue related to hotel stays and travel in order to offer word about events and news and also conducts polls to improve
specials in the hopes of attracting new guests. local programs and services. @OaklandCoParks
In a test run, @NakedPizza – a small delivering service - launched In 2009, I established @microjobs along with Christopher Peri
an exclusive-to-Twitter promotion and brought in 15% of the day's (@perivision) to connect employers with job seekers on Twitter.
business.
(@coffeegroundz) Cafe in Houston, credits Twitter with almost
Beth Kanter (@kanter) is using social media for raising awareness doubling their clientele and with opening their eyes to a whole new
and money for her causes. Her last call on twitter raised $200,000 way to build Community.
Dollars.
DELL Computers generated a total of $6.5 million in revenue from
their Twitter presence, where they have nearly 1.5 million
followers on their @DellOutlet account (and 3 million
“connections” across all social sites).
Marriot HOTELS engages their followers with online specials,
events and contests @MarriottIntl

13. 2. STEP: LISTEN AND LEARN 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
FROM OTHERS 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success

14. 3. STEP: DETERMINE GOALS, 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
CREATE RESULTS 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success
Your tweets reflect company
goals and user perspectives.
Address Company Goals Address User perspective (take it from
- increase sales in the off-season your Twitter Bio)
- build your online community - You can get special deals
- provide customer service and - News and updates
- increase overall brand loyalty online - add more here ...
- add more ...

15. 4. STEP: YOUR FIRST TWEET – 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
BASIC ELEMENTS 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success
1. GIVE
Make an offer
2. TAKE
Tell your audience what to do
WIN A TOUR! RT this msg & fill
in the missing characters. Our
longest line is _ _ _ _ft long. RT
now till 12pm
3. CONNECT
Link to your brand/ product
6. CALL-2-ACTION
(if possible)
5. TIME SPECIFIC 4. PLAY
Make it unique
and playful
In order to get something from your audience and to encourage them to
‘volunteer’ for your brand and product – you first have to GIVE.

16. 4. STEP: YOUR FIRST TWEET – 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
BAD EXAMPLE 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success
The voice sounds to much like a marketing message
(there is the typical marketing promise included
CALL-TO-ACTION not coherent initiated by the words “world’s best”). If you talked to
with the mesg. This type of call- people the way advertising talked to people, they'd
to-action is adequate on an punch you in the face. Dont sell – influence!
interactive website, but not on a
tweet. Would work if the tweet
refers to such an online
experience THEN, the call-to-
action should actually invite
users to experience that
webpage (“View, visit, ... our new
intaractive website and
experience the Peak2Peak ...”
Stay within one medium/channel.
People usually don’t switch.
Use an URL shortener to keep track of your user
behavior and user clicks.
No unique, specific offer that
targets a specific audience.Its a
message for the world – You can
read something similar on every
corner. Talk to everybody and you
talk to nobody.

17. 4. STEP: YOUR FIRST TWEET – 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
GOOD EXAMPLE 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success
Picture and story about ‘normal
Link to another Twitter account if possible, instead of
life’ makes it much more
just mentioning the name of the brand.
personal. Its about sharing
stories! The story is the
experience.
Watch Lisa&Joel’s wedding on the
Peak2Peak Gondola. @WhistlerBlckmb
offers chance 2 win private gondola trip
here: http://bit.ly/9Hy3IA
Use an URL shortener to keep track of your user
behavior and user clicks. Save some characters.
Real, unique value for followers
Kepp it short for RT’s
of this channel. Clear strategy
visible: I can get sweet deals and
insights from this twitterer.

18. 4. STEP: YOUR FIRST TWEET – 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
USE CASE FOR A 3 STEP TWEET 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success
1. Grab a Text Sample 2. Await Respond 3. Give further
and tweet it. instruction
Win EAGLE Tour 4 2 ... this labour RT @Ziptrek: Win EAGLE Tour 4 2 Congrats @Bob. U won the EAGLE
day. RT this Tweet to enter the @Ziptrek this labour day. RT this tour. We will send you a code via
contest! Tweet to enter the contest! DM. Show it when U sign up at the
front desk.
Tell your followers exactly what to do If you asked for Re-Tweets of other Provide additional information and
and what they need to know. action online - wait till the end to the guide them to the next step. Tweet
given time frame. about his/her success if possible, so
that others can see; this is for real
(try to generate more buzz online)

19. 4. STEP: YOUR FIRST TWEET – 1. Set up your own Twitter account
2. Listen and learn from others
3. Determine Company’s goals
TWITTER TASK FLOW TABLE 4. Start with your first tweet
5. Measure success
Use this tool to check strategy, get approvals, write your tweet
and make notes for adjustments. See example:
GOAL & SALES TOOL OCCASION & COPY APPROVAL ADDITIONAL FURTHER LEARNINGS
OBJECTIVE AUDIENCE INFO ACTION
Find a strategic Find a list of Twitter is a tool A textsample Needs to be Some content of Some tweets Measure
or possible sales for real-time you can use for approved by your tweets need further success, make
communication tools here communication. your inspiration Marketing needs more info action or must notes to
goal described Its more Director... or is part of an be set up in 2 or improve future
here. powerful when offline event. 3 steps. twitter
its connected to Make sure to campaigns
current connect and throughout the
situations. provide all info company
necessary.
Example:
Increase Sales Coupons Shoulder Hurry & get Waiting Only for Twitter Send electronic Time frame was
Season your 1st ever, approval followers coupon via to short. People
time sensitive direct message asked for me.
TourTware. 40% on twitter, once Good feedback
off from Mai people followed though and
5th-25th. Book us. Verify engagement.
a tour now. customers
(Link) smartphone.

20. LEARNING BY DOING Keep track of your tweets,
make adjustments and improve your messages.
BE AWARE OF... MAKE ADJUSTMENTS...
The timeframe you were playing with was too short/tight – extend Extend timeframe. Give people time to breath and time to spread the word
timeframe. online. Example: Twitter usage is high on Tuesday and Friday around
12pm and 1pm. In the evening again.
The wording was not clear enough. Use common language and well known terms and definitions that are in
use in the online community. If you are unsure – ask your social media
strategist or online community manager
You addressed the wrong or non existing audience Be aware who your followers are. Check your hash-tags, dates, names
and finally; your web connection.
Nobody wants what you offered. You offer apples – but people want One unwritten golden rule is: The more you are AKSING for – the more
bananas. you have to GIVE. To find out what people want, and why they follow you –
JUST ASK. Encourage your followers to share some of their thoughts from
time to time and you will also learn more about your product.
Your content strategy was too complicated. People didn’t get it. Make it easy. People just give you 3 to 10 seconds to read your message.
One idea in one sentence. One message in one tweet.
It was just not the right place. You are on Venus, but your customers live Give people an idea where your ‘event’ takes place. Activate your location
on Mars. based service on your smartphone, if needed.

21. START NOW!
YOU
GOT 140
USE IT WISELY
CHARACTERS

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