This document provides an overview of how to use Twitter effectively for business purposes. It discusses what Twitter is, how to get started, and tips for both business to consumer (B2C) and business to business (B2B) engagement. Specific recommendations include adding value for followers through helpful content and resources, driving traffic to other sites, monitoring interactions, and measuring success through metrics like follower growth and website visits. Tools like TweetDeck and HootSuite can help manage engagement by organizing followers and alerts. The presenters provide their contact information for any additional questions.

1. USING TWITTER FOR BUSINESS
Frederick Chamber of Commerce
New Media & Technology Conference
February 19 2010
19,

2. SO YOU’RE ON TWITTER… NOW WHAT?
What is Twitter?
Getting started
B2C tips
B2B/B2G tips
Twitter tools
How do I know if it’s working?
Q&A
2

3. WHAT IS TWITTER?
Twitter is a microblog.
g
People type short, 140 character posts, called
“tweets.”
If you follow someone on Twitter, their tweets
show up in your timeline.
When people follow you, your tweets show up in
you
their timeline.
Posts show up chronologically in real time.
Tweets can include pictures, links to Web sites,
or videos.
3

4. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Twitter helps p p (p
p people (potential customers, ,
clients, partners) get to know you in a relaxed,
comfortable way.
It’s t j t b t how many f ll
It’ not just about h followers you
have… interaction is key!
Tweet about things others would find interesting.
Become a resource for your followers.
Be sure to add a picture to your profile. People
want to know more about you – a picture really
k b i ll
helps them connect with you.
4

5. TWITTER RULES OF THE ROAD
Common terms and definitions:
Tweet – a post, an entry.
Retweet (RT) – when a tweet is forwarded.
Hashtag
H ht (#) – A l b l for a tweet so others can find it
label f t t th fi d
easier. Also an easy way for you to search for a tweet.
#FredNMT is the hashtag for anyone tweeting about
this
thi conference.
f
FollowFriday (#FF) – how you recommend people to
others on Twitter. (also written #FollowFriday)
Direct Message (DM) – a way to privately talk to
someone. DMs don’t show up in any public timeline.
You can only DM someone who is following you.
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6. MORE TWITTER RULES OF THE ROAD
Etiquette
q
Don’t tweet private or sensitive information. Use
DMs instead.
Some people auto follow anyone who follows them
auto-follow them.
Others follow only those who are in the same field or
interest them. Auto-follows aren’t necessarily a good
idea – you may wind up following questionable
people.
Don’t send your tweet more than twice, or you risk
annoying your f ll
i followers.
Use “please RT” sparingly in your tweets.
Your tweets should be valuable to your followers, not
blatant sales messages. 6
Block spammers.

7. GETTING STARTED
Hands-on exercise: You may want to follow:
Log in now at @ fredcochamber /
twitter.com @jesshibb
Follow a few people @FrederickCoMD
sitting next t you.
itti t to @FredCoOED
dC O
Post a tweet with the @frednewspost
conference hashtag @MdBiz
#FredNMT
@washingtonpost
@ hi t t
Send an @ reply to
someone in this room @FredrkMemorial /
@AmandaChanguris
@mashable
@smartdogu /
@laurieluck
@ y p
@dynport / @AprilFin
@ p
7

8. GETTING STARTED (CONTINUED)
Monitor your Twitter account at least daily
y y
Check for @ replies
Check for DMs
Unless you change your Twitter settings, you will get an e-
U l h T itt tti ill t
mail when you receive a DM, but NOT for @ replies
8

9. MAXIMIZING YOUR TWITTER TIME
How to find and be found on Twitter
Put your Twitter username on all your print and
electronic media: Web site, business cards, fliers, etc.
Offer useful content consistently
consistently.
Search for people or businesses in your field. Follow
them, and also look at who they follow and who
follows them.
f ll th
Don’t pay anyone who promises to get you followers!
How to search on Twitter:
In the right column of the
Twitter page, there is a
search box. Type in a
person’s name or a subject 9
to see the relevant Twitter
results.

10. BUSINESS TO CONSUMER (B2C)
Make a list of who might find y
g your services or
products useful and follow them.
Don’t stop with the end-user. What are the related
fields? Who else might be interested? Don’t forget the
Don t
media!
Use Twitter to listen to your client’s needs. What
are their pains? Tweet about those questions,
needs, pains.
Use different types of media: video documents,
video, documents
links, pictures.
10

11. BUSINESS TO CONSUMER (B2C)
Use Twitter to drive traffic to your blog or y
y g your
Web site. Post your updates to Twitter with a
link. Make sure your information is valuable and
not a sales pitch!
Share helpful or interesting information, even if
you didn’t create it. Generosity is good!
Be professional at all times. Never bash your
competition and don’t use inappropriate language.
Provide lots of valuable, free information.
P id l f l bl f i f i
11

12. BUSINESS TO BUSINESS (B2B)
Readers expect at least some evidence that y
p you’re
human.
Automated feeds, postings and replies are a good way
to lose followers
followers.
No matter how regulated you are (SEC, FDA,
etc.), there’s always something to tweet about.
Business people are people too!
12

13. B2B – WHAT YOU CAN TWEET ABOUT
Business opportunities
pp
Sources sought notices, requests for proposals, etc.
If you’re looking to partner with other businesses, put
it out there!
White papers
Events/conferences
Industry trends/research
Employment
Jobs at your company
Area job fairs or training opportunities
13

14. B2B – MORE YOU CAN TWEET ABOUT
Useful resources/information
Company culture/recognition
The bottom line:
Examine your goals, and tweet about
goals 14
things that help you get there.

15. SOME FINAL TWITTER TIPS
Have some goals before y start. Examples:
g you p
Position your company as a resource/expert
Offer specials/discounts for Twitter followers
Add to the conversation (don’t just broadcast)
h i (d ’ j b d )
Seek to truly help others; the rewards will follow
Ask your audience what they d like to hear about
they’d
Track how popular your links are for a better idea
Be a real person, but be wary of sharing
p , y g
potentially controversial content that could harm
your business/reputation.
Monitor
M it @ replies and DMs at least d il
li d DM t l t daily. 15
If it’s not one person’s job, it’s no one’s.

16. TWITTER TOOLS
Helpful Tools to Improve the Twitter Experience
p p p
TweetDeck – www.tweetdeck.com
HootSuite – www.hootsuite.com
Twhirl/Seesmic – www.seesmic.com
T hi l/S i i
TweetBeep – www.tweetbeep.com
Mobile Apps – search for “Twitter”
pp
URL shorteners – for example, bit.ly
These tools make it much easier to navigate the
Twitter “stream.” Y can:
T itt “ t ” You
Organize people you follow into categories
See DMs at a glance
g
16
Receive audio and/or visual alerts for @ replies, DMs
Streamline your Twitter experience

17. IS TWITTER WORKING FOR YOU?
Measure the value of Twitter to your business.
y
Do you have more followers?
Are you interacting with your target audience more
now?
Is your voice part of the conversations you wanted to
become involved in?
Have you had inquiries or sales due to your Twitter
use?
Have visits to your Web site or blog increased? Where
are the visitors coming from?
Have you had other positive experiences, such as
media inquiries?
q
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18. SAMPLE MEASUREMENT IN HOOTSUITE
18

19. QUESTIONS? (AND HOW TO FIND US)
Laurie Luck, KPA-CTP
,
Smart Dog University, LLC
www.smartdoguniversity.com
laurie@smartdoguniversity.com
l i @ td i it
Faculty, Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training
and Behavior
@smartdogu and @laurieluck
April Finnen, MBA
DynPort Vaccine Co a LLC
D Po t Vacci e Company LLC, A CSC Co a
Company
www.csc.com/dvc
afinnen@csc.com
Associate Director, Communications 19
@dynport and @AprilFin