Ewom Marketing

In the past few months, the world has gone Twitter crazy. It’s hard to watch a TV show or listen to a radio show without someone mentioning Twitter. This has resulted in more and more companies flocking to the 140-character micro blogging message tool to reach consumers.

In a recent report issued by PC maker Dell, it was revealed that they have had great success with Twitter. Since posting their first message on Twitter two years ago, Dell has generated over $3 million directly from its Twitter users, who reached their online sales website via a link on its Twitter posts.

This provides an interesting case study on how businesses can utilise web 2.0 sites to generate business. Although many question that when Dell generate a revenue of $12.3 billion in their first quarter in 2009, that $3 million, is not going to make too much of a difference for them. However it does highlight that social media is effective if the message is right.

From tracking Dell on Twitter, they seem to posts 6 to 10 times a week from its DellOutlet account. The way that Dell generates this profit from Twitter is simple, almost every post includes a voucher code, exclusive to Twitter, enabling them to track the campaign.

However businesses need to remember that Twitter does require some attention, its not a case of just sticking a message up twice a week. Twitter can be used to gather information, and interact with consumers by helping and giving them information, when they ask for it. If all you do with social media is use it for advertising, soon everyone is going to tune you out. I know for myself I tend to not pay attention to people that just self promote.

In the era of social web, branding is the dialougue you have with you customers and potential customers. The stronger the dialogue, the stronger the brand; the weaker the dialouge, the weaker the brand. Thanks to the Internet, the dialogue can be active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It includes both conversations you have with customers and the exchanges your customers have with one another - all related to the strength of the brand.