Over the last few weeks and months there has been an explosion in the interest and use of Twitter. This micro blogging phenomenon has swept the online world, and it's official - Tweeting is the new coolest thing.

As I have been working with clients to leverage this new phenomenon in social networking, it has reminded me of a simple, yet fundamental marketing truth: It is the message, not necessarily the medium that counts in the end.

We recommend that our clients focus on their message, and view channels such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and even old-fashioned email communication as open doors to reach out to their audiences. It is easy to get caught up in the hype of the latest blogging tool and risk possibly missing a core audience that may actually prefer to receive a message via email, text, or directly from your website.


Communicating Your Message Consistently Across Multiple Media Platforms


As this image shows, it is important to put the message at the center of your communication, and then focus on spreading it over the different channels. You don't want to start out Tweeting just because it seems like everyone else is doing it. Instead, it is important to first focus on what you want to say, then communicate it across a variety of channels in order to reach your maximum audience.


Messaging DOs and DON'Ts

DO
-Have a goal in mind.
-Be consistent. Your message and tone should fit your brand.
-Have a call to action for the recipient.
-Create dialogue and be prepared to answer.
-Have a way to measure success.

DON'T
-Ignore an audience by only sending your message through a single channel.
-Tweet without a goal in mind.
-Bounce from channel to channel. Be patient, building an audience takes time.


Links of Interest

Here are some interesting articles on how to make the most out of evolving social networks and micro blogging tools:

Top 10 Twitter Tools for Musicians

Facebook - How to Build a Facebook Community of Millions

And don't forget, there are only 6 shopping days left until Mother's Day. So do something nice for the Mom in your life!

Best,

Michael