Today, I gave a client a “Twitter 101” primer.

Unbeknownst to him, someone from his company (a non-marketing employee) created a profile on Twitter and started tweeting on behalf of the organization without the marketing department’s knowledge. While we presented the need for a social media strategy several months ago, at the time, Twitter (and other social media platforms) was not a priority because they had several other marketing initiatives in play.  This changed today.

So here we are and someone else is now in control of the company’s Twitter persona, complete with logo and several tweets to their credit. [This opens up a separate discussion about who is the best person to represent their company on Twitter. To be continued in a separate post.]

Back to the discussion…

I first took the client through the process of signing up and then navigating through a “fail whale” experience. Next was a review of Twitter’s basic functions and also its jargon – 140-character tweets, followers, following, DMs, retweets, etc.

Although very simple, Twitter can appear very complex to those just getting started. My client’s first response was borderline overwhelmed and almost immediately wanted to opt-out of the Twitterverse.  I explained that even if they decided not to participate on Twitter, it would not stop others from tweeting about the company.

This brings me to the point.

Many organizations and brands – large, small, unknown, recognized, loved, and hated – have yet to fully grasp the opportunities associated with social media, and especially Twitter.

To be effective, you must first become part of the conversation. At the very least, you need to listen to what is being said.  And you cannot do this without fully engaging in these social media circles.

So if you are in marketing and don’t own your company’s Twitter name, what are you waiting for? Check out these articles to get started today:

• Twittering Tips for Beginners by David Pogue
• HOW TO: Build Community on Twitter by Sarah Evans (posted on Mashable.com)

Once you get on, please look me up at @dcilea.

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