After catching a recent story on our local channel 3 about Foursquare, I took it as a sign that Foursquare is going mainstream. While I've been seeing Foursquare being focused on clubs and restaurants, I think we'll see this as an important tool for any location-based service company... especially those in travel and hospitality. So marketers for golf, ski, spa resorts take note... [read my post about Foursquare as a marketing tool for ski, golf, spa resorts and hospitality at InsidePropeller.com]

My old Camp Lincoln friend, Ken, recently became communications director for an organization that hosts an annual retreat focused on global poverty.

He wrote (with edits:) “As such, I need to build buzz and get people talking about us on blogs, twitter, etc. In your mind, does social media really work? (Our core audience is for-profit and nonprofit execs who have access to capital and power.) In your experience, what’s the best approach to blogging, twitter, etc (is there a newer twitter? Am I so 2008?) to generate interest?”

As I wrote my response, I became aware that a) yes, there are still many people in marketing/PR/communications that are still assessing the value of social media, and b) rather than old-school my response in email, I had better share it socially via my blog… walk the walk.

So Ken, let me share my response with you and all….

Yes.

Social Media provides common channels for connection and communication for communities - or people with like interests. For PR/Marketers looking to extend brand or voice for an org, they are key for both demonstrating thought leadership and for providing the fodder for those interested in your topic (which you have in common :ie: reducing poverty) to help spread your common message - and the link back to your org's blog/video/homepage...

So take Twitter... and yes, you need to jump on. On Twitter, you don't share what you ate, you share what ideas are engaging and what other media (vids, websites, articles) support those ideas. You "tag" your posts with a hash tag (#poverty) - or whatever is common to the topic, to connect groups. Others will then "retweet" your message to spread it to their network - and remember, what works here is to post good resources that are sharable.

Setup a Twitter account, and when you do, consider the name. Also make them consistent - check to see that the username you use is available across other social channels. You can either speak as the organization, as Ken, or as a combo… Ken/Org. There are a number of tools that extend Twitter’s capabilities – such as to follow multiple subjects and to schedule Tweets. I recommend Hootsuite.com. Begin by creating a search thread for the hashtag subjects in your category… #poverty or perhaps #endpoverty… These evolve organically and nobody regulates them. Find others and “follow” them. As you follow others, they in turn will follow you. You build following both this way and by Tweeting useful content that others share.

Next, start blogging. Setup a Wordpress blog, pick a theme, customize it, and start writing. This can take you as little as 3 hours. Write about the event, about the subject and about the people. You’re the most awesome writer, so this will be cake.

Last is Facebook/LinkedIn. This is an event where people will meet and connect. Photos and videos will be taken by participants. They will want to share their experience, and you will want that sharing to stimulate participants in the future. Participants will want that place to do that and to remain connected with others. Facebook enables all of that. LinkedIn provides the professional connections to be made.

Overall, social media is exactly where your organization should be focusing attention to both build buzz and awareness, and to leverage participants and others eager to see you/the topic succeed.

Good luck Ken and connect with me when you do

twitter.com/propdave
linkedin.com/in/propdave

More later. Love Pop.