Tweet Your Way to Success in 2010 Part 1 Getting Started….

1. Tweet Your Way to Success in 2010 Part 1 Getting Started…. California Gift Show January 15 - 17, 2010

2. What Is Twitter? • Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets • Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known asfollowers • Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends or, by default, allow open access. • Users can send and receive tweets via the Twitter website, Short Message Service (SMS) or external applications and can be sent via mobile texting, instant message, or the web. • While the service itself costs nothing to use, accessing it through SMS may incur phone service provider fees “We think of Twitter as it's not a social network, but it's an information network. It tells people what they care about as it is happening in the world.” Evan Williams, CEO Twitter

3. Twitter Users Are Older and More Tech Savvy Than other Social Networking Sites Just 11 % of Twitter's users are aged 12 to 17 Source: comscore

4. Is Twitter Just Another Fad Or Has It Got Longevity? Twitter emphasized their news and information network strategy in November 2009 by changing the question it asks users for status updates from "What are you doing?" to "What's happening?". 23.5 million unique visitors in Sept 09 660% year over year growth Source: Quantivo

5. What Can I Use Twitter For In My Business? • Build A Community – Create a strong community of followers that ultimately help drive business objectives and bring in new customers • Customer Service - Use Twitter to successfully engage with customers needing help • Sell - Drive online and offline sales by using Twitter to post promotions, discounts and offers • Prospect - Create demand and pinpoint potential customers needing the type of solution your product offers • Brand Awareness – Employ Twitter in creative ways to increase awareness around a product, person (celebrity) or business • Fundraise – Use Twitter to spread the word about important causes Companies should be on Twitter; it’s easy, requires very little investment, and can quickly prove worthwhile in increased buzz, sales, and consumer insight

6. What Can I Use Twitter For In My Business? • Listen. Obtain instant access to what is being said about your company/brand • Real Time Contact. Keep in contact with current customers of your business and industry experts • Learn. Find a steady stream of ideas, content, links, resources, and tips focused on your business/industry • Expertise. Create expert status for yourself or your company to potential customers Source: MarketingProfs 2009

7. Twitter Terminology: • @ The @ symbol is a way of referring to another Twitter user • On your Twitter home page, you'll see a linked search where you can find people mentioning your username with an @ before it. • Re-tweet or RT - is when you share the tweet of one user with all of your Twitter followers • Note: It's considered rude or just plain not nice to take someone else's Tweet and send it back out as your own. Give credit for the tweet where it's due • Reply - Reply is when you respond to a tweet from a particular user. • A reply is placed in the public feed where everyone can see what you are saying) • Direct Message - or DM Whereas replies are completely public, a direct message is a private message that you send through a discussion board You can only send a direct message to someone that is following your account • Hash Tags - or # Hash tags are words or acronyms that begin with the number sign. Used when many people are tweeting about the same topic or from the same event. • At least one hash tag is often atop Twitter's trending topics list.

8. How to Set Up Your Twitter Account • Sign up Today! • Go to http://twitter.com/account/create • Suggestion: use your business name as your Twitter Handle • Your Twitter handle is how others know you on Twitter • @retailhelper @CA _GiftShow • Once you sign up you will get a home page/profile page http://twitter.com/retailhelper that you can link on other sites • Set up Your Twitter Page and Profile Immediately • Personalize Your Twitter Home Page • Click on Settings. Use a photo, or background design to give your home page a “personality” • Fill out your Biography section with information about you, your company and with a link to your website

9. How to Set Up Your Twitter Account • Enlist Followers to make your Twitter experience richer • Use the “Find People” tool in the Navigation Bar to search for users who may be of importance or interest to you: • People talking about your brand or industry such as: Prospects, Customers, Influencers, Experts • Utilize additional resources that exist to help you find key tweeters • Search.twitter.com –basic search • Tweetscan.com – search Tweets for company/industry keywords • Quotably.com – search/view conversations by Twitter name • Twellow.com – Opt –in list of Twitter users with profiles • Socialbrandindex.com –Twitter directory sorted by occupation • Note: Don’t forget to use traditional marketing methods- email, website, in store signs and direct mail to recruit followers from your current customer base! • Start Tweeting!

10. Tips for Finding Quality Tweeters • The best way to grow a quality following on twitter is to find a few good candidates, who tweet similar topics, and start following them and wait for return follows from this group of potential Tweeters. • Look for "Connect with us on Twitter" links on some of your favorite resources (e.g. gift news and Web sites) and follow them • Search Twitter for keywords: Using our same example you might search for gifts, retail, or shopping. (or even more specific product words such as #candle, etc.) In the Twitter results you'll see people who frequently discuss fashion and retweet other people'sTweets. Start following those users and wait for return follows

11. What Should You Say On Twitter? • Simply put, Twitter is what you make of it - receive and share a lot of information about your friends, or just a tiny bit. Keep in mind you are trying to attract a group of followers who respond to you and value the relationship. • Follow those who interest you and be of interest yourself so others will follow you: • Share something of value – information, links, tips, humor, personality, humanity • Don’t be a spammer! • Engage in conversation where you listen as well as write posts – 2 way dialogue • Create content that will be interesting to your followers: • Most importantly - create, forward or respond to content that will ENGAGE your followers • Address comments about your tweets candidly • Do not just be a promoter of your product and/or services

12. How Do I Brand & Promote My Business? • Grab branded Twitter name NOW • Even if not ready to use it, scoop it up like your domain name • Generate website or blog traffic • Showcase your website link in profile • Tweet to promote new blog posts (yours and others of interest) • Feature “specials” for Twitter followers • Don’t over-promote, but do share links and information related to your business • Answer questions, offer advice • Provide tips and info related to your brand, company or industry • Showcase your expertise and gain credibility • Be a good Twitizen – respond to queries about more than just your subject area • Add value to gain and keep followers • Be a human voice for your brand

13. How Do I Brand & Promote My Business? • Showcase your Twitter @name in offline communications: • Advertisements • Business cards • Email signature • Press releases • Packaging • Web site • Case Study: Zappos • Zappos Philosophy • Marketing strategy based on positive word-of-mouth and customer retention • Advertising dollars are spent online • Enhance the Zappos customer experience • Encourage an open and communicative company culture • Note the mix of personal and professional tweets that creates “personality for Zappo”s Twitter account

14. Case Study: Zappo’s

15. Case Study: California Gift Show • CGS uses Twitter to promote show events • To communicate with and to promote attendees for show • Inform followers with real time news and events from the show • Build community for Show participants • Create Personality for MMPI • Educate people on retail subjects

16. Follow Creative Business Consulting Group We’d love to follow your progress as you engage and participate in the world of social media. Send us invites and we’ll join your networks right away! Follow us if you want to, we’re always talking retail in one of these places! @RetailHelper http://cbcgretailreport.blogspot.com www.linkedin.com/in/lynnswitanowski Lynn Switanowski-Barrett

17. Sign Up Today and Receive - 42 Tips for Growing My Social Media Presence Creative Business Consulting Group ______Yes, Send me 42 Tips for Growing My Social Media Presence* * As an Added Bonus You Will Also Receive CBCG Retail Report, our FREE Monthly Newsletter Packed with Information To Help Your Business Prosper in 2010 and beyond Name: _______________________________________________________ Email Address: ________________________________________________ lynn@cbc-group.net 617.437.9191 www.cbc-group.net