Early Adopters: Australian brands and their tweeps

Longtail’s occasional look at trends anddevelopments in the digital space.

This week I’ve taken a look at 2 brands in Australia who are engaging their tweeps (mutual followers on twitter).

What we can learn from this are simple, cost-effective ways to use twitter to involve your prospects and customers in your product. It’s a refreshing step beyond what most Australian brands are doing, which is to simply broadcast news and specials. After all there is a ‘social’ in social media for a reason.

Please excuse all the twitter jargon but I figure this is the language they are using so we need to know what it all means.

RecentlyWagamama (ok, so it’s not an Australian brand but the Australian counterpart of a global brand…) hosted Australia’s first national ‘tweetup’ (twitter meet up).For those who haven’t yet become acquainted with a ‘tweetup’ it’s wherepeople who are connected on twitter meet up and it’s all organized viatwitter.  

The idea was to facilitate connections between tweepsand to offer a sneak peek of Wagamama’s new specials. Each ticketholder was able to choose one of the dishes off the new specials menufor free, one night before they launched the menu.

Over 250people took part around the country.  It appears to have beensuccessful because they are hosting another tweetup on May 31. You shouldcome along. Be quick, when I bought our tickets there were only 18spots left: http://tinyurl.com/32ho6lv

They have tied the event into foursquare by reminding attendees to ‘check-in’ to earn the swarm badge. ‘Swarm’badges are earned when 50+ people check-in to an event using foursquare. Iwas curious about this ‘swarm’ badge and found it’s a great businessgenerator. Restaurant AJ Bombers increased it’s sales by 110% with afoursquare swarm party.

Wagamama also offer people special offers if they check-in at their Subiaco restaurant.

Theyare using twitter to get feedback on things like their event. Belowthey are sounding out the idea of raising money for charities.

What can brands learn from Wagamama’s approach?

• Use social media to actually get social with your customers.

• Service based company: offer free advice from your staff for a few hours (like H&R Block tax-time tweet-ups)

• Product based company: invite people for a sampling

• If you don’t have twitter you can use other communication channels to invite them. It’s all about getting more social!

• Think of foursquare and twitter as a new way of recognizing loyalty of your customers.

•Provide exclusive benefits to reward people who are engaging in yoursocial media channels (twitter, foursquare, facebook). This way theyare more likely to stay involved.

• Invite them to take part inevents or special offers exclusively via these channels or at least letthese people know first before you release it through advertising.

•Check out Foursqaure’s new business dashboard. It makes it easy you’re yourbusiness to register it’s details and add promotions.

• It’s aninstant, brief feedback channel. Involve customers/fans/followers inyour business ideas. They want to participate and it’s free marketresearch.

Dymocks (http://twitter.com/dymocksbooks)

Australianbook retailer Dymocks have invited people to “tweet a review” of one oftheir top 101 titles, for a chance to win all 101 books. To enterplayers tweet a review with #101 @DymockBooks followed by the booktitle and their review. Each day Dymocks awards a single book to areviewer. They claim to have experienced 80% growth in followers injust under 24 hours.

After entering this myselfI noticed a smart aspect to the promotion. You are encouraged to goback and read the reviews on the day you enter so you can see who youare up against for the daily prize. It will be interesting tosee what they do with these reviews. They would be perfect to printalongside staff reviews in-store and they would also add a human touchto their website and brochures.

What can we learn from Dymock’s approach?

• Consider a twitter promotion to drive new leads (in this case new followers)

• Get them involved in ‘tweeting’ about your product

• Think of how you can use reviews in other communication channels like point of sale and on the website

Localtip: If you work around West Perth you can now order your coffee fromFix Espresso on Outram St has started to take coffee orders on twitter.They have a large LCD screen up at the counter which adds to the vibe.

I’dlove to hear what you think. Is your brand using twitter? Which Aussiebrands do you think are doing a good job engaging people on twitter?

Emily Ryan – Strategy Director