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More Businesses Turn to Twitter

Shelburne, Vermont - August 3, 2009

The Shelburne Museum is known for its century-old treasures.

"The focus in here is the antiques and keeping them from falling apart further," conservator Nancie Ravenel said as she showed off the museum's conservation lab. She spends much of her time preserving artifacts like a carousel horse that's been part of the museum's collection for more than fifty years. And lately, she's using a new tool, too -- Twitter.

"Part of my job is also outreach, letting people know what we're doing back here and why these objects are so special," Ravenel said, "so social media is just another tool in my toolbox to get that job done."

She's using Twitter to communicate with people in 140 characters or less. In the past six months, she's attracted more than 700 followers.

"It's really evolved from other museums and other museum professionals following Shelburne Museum to more local people, people interested in visiting Shelburne Museum," she said. "Simultaneously our reach has gone more worldwide as well as more local."

It's a tool that's generating interest among other organizations and businesses. A conference Monday in South Burlington served as an introduction to Twitter. Organizers expected a hundred people; more than 200 showed up.

"The amount of people that were here tell you social networking is important to businesses, it's important because consumers are there," panelist Jason Kintzler said. His company, Wyoming-based Pitch Engine, helps businesses tap the power of social media. He says Twitter lets them share information directly with their consumers in a way traditional advertising or marketing do not.

"The companies you do follow, you're engaged with," he said. "As brands, we're able to reach out to our consumers using Twitter in a more conversational way. It's two-way. They can ask us questions, we can respond."

One flaw, Kintzler says, is that it's difficult to track Twitter's success in generating revenue or customers. But outreach is still important.

"The first question a lot of companies have is what's the ROI? What's the return on investment?" he said. "It's more about risk of ignoring. If you're not there, your consumers are talking about your company in some way or another. Even if they're not talking about it on Twitter they're talking about it at a coffee shop or downtown."

Nancie Ravenel says it's impossible to know whether Twitter is driving visitors to the museum, but it is helping the museum communicate. And, she says, it's fun -- something that newcomers should not find intimidating.

"Really the key is to listen and to think of it less as marketing or p.r. and more as just having a conversation with people," she said.

So how do businesses get started with Twitter? Jason Kintzler says there's no magic to it, and no model for what's going to work. First up -- create a profile, and just start listening to what other people are saying. "It may seem weird or voyeuristic to be following people, but that's why they're there -- to share," he said.

Second, know your audience and listen to them. Then, start tweeting. Short messages can build your brand's identity, even in 140 characters or fewer. Then you can build your sales pitch or promotions into the conversation.

Kate Duffy - WCAX News

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