Unsurprisingly, large organizations have quite a few advantages when it comes to marketing – not the least of which is a marketing department and money to fund it. However, small organizations can and do achieve wonderful things with Twitter simply because Twitter is open to everyone. You are limited only by your personal skill.
Finding Influences Just an @Mention Away
For example, small organizations can exploit the power of word of mouth by interacting with authenticity and personal warmth. Most small organizations get their supporters through personal recommendations, and Twitter is their digital manifestation. For example, in 2008, Brian Simpson was working as the social media manager for the Roger Smith Hotel in New York City. He set up the account @rshotel and used his personal account (@bsimi) to connect with digital influencers and bloggers. Because of the transparent nature of Twitter, Simpson could identify when trendsetters were coming to town for a conference or event. He’d personally reach out to bloggers who had large followings and traveled often – personalities like Chris Brogan (@chrisbrogan) and C. C. Chapman (@cc_chapman) – and offer them discounts. In turn, they’d Tweet about their stay at the hotel, their great experiences with Brian and other staff members, and sometimes they would write glowing review on their blogs. In less than a year, the Roger Smith Hotel became the Twitter Mecca of Manhattan. It’s a prime example of how a small organizations can leverage personal outreach to drive significant word of mouth. The Solo Organization Difference The best and worst features of running a solo organization include these:
- You are the face of the organizations. Or in marketing terms: you are the brand.
- It can be difficult to keep your personal life separate from your work life.
- You do everything yourself. You have to do everything yourself. You’re responsible for everything. Doing the work, paying the bills, and don’t forget to take out the trash.
- Nobody is looking over your shoulder, telling you what to do.
The Nimble Small Organization Whether your organization employs 5 people, 50, or 250, it can offer services of value, create a healthy work/life balance, and keep quality controllable. Small organizations, too, have their pluses and minuses that affect their Twitter use:
- Budgets are small.
- Decisions can be made quickly, but wrong decisions can be deadly.
- Getting visibility can be difficult, especially in an area where there are many others.
By now, you’ve figured out that Twitter helps you address all of these because it can be done on a shoestring budget, it emphasizes the personal touch that makes small organizations unique and special, and your “reach” is a measure only of your skill in connecting with the right people – all of whom are accessible online. [Image via Kup Kup Land via Compfight cc]
Joanna says
Finding influencers online has a lot of potential but many organisations (especially small not for profits) are doing it really awkwardly. I see so many small not for profits taking the beg celebrities for a retweet option. They may sometimes get their retweet, but come across looking beggy and lame in the process
Eric Dye says
I agree.