When I was asked to host a Tweetup at the New England Direct Marketing Association’s annual holiday party last month at Tavern in the Square in Porter Square (Cambridge, MA), I knew right away who I wanted to have on the program.

Victoria Smith

For entertainment, I turned to Victoria Smith, a very talented singer and songwriter, who put on a fabulous show for us.

As for the educational piece, I asked my friend and former colleague, Jeff Esposito, to permit me to interview him about his experience with social media as a public relations manager at Vistaprint. Jeff is one the most prolific people I know in social media, having tweeted over 48,500 times to date, not to mention all the blog posts he writes and videos he records. Seriously, Jeff’s knowledge in this space, not to mention his energy, is off the charts.

Sitting at a small round table at the front of the crowded restaurant, surrounded by a rapt audience of NEDMA members and guests, Jeff and I had an awesome discussion that night about how he uses Twitter, Facebook and the like to help Vistaprint enhance its brand, provide customer service and sell merchandise. The interview went over so well that I thought it would be great to feature some of his thoughts on social media here on my blog. So I asked Jeff if he would be kind enough to answer some of my questions in writing, and he graciously said yes. What follows is our written “transcript”…

Bob: Please tell us a little about Vistaprint.
Jeff: Vistaprint is an online provider of marketing materials for micro businesses and the home.

Bob: How does Vistaprint typically communicate with and market to its customers?
Jeff: Like many companies involved with NEDMA, Vistaprint is a direct marketer that leverages a number of marketing channels. These include everything from catalogs and direct mail to search engine ads and TV campaigns.

Jeff Esposito

Bob: When and how did Vistaprint get started with social media?
Jeff: We started out in social media in 2008 around the time of Stephen Baker and Heather Green’s cover story in BusinessWeek entitled “Beyond Blogs.” After reading the article, the PR team was tasked with figuring out Twitter. We listened for six months or so to get a sense of how the network operated. When we first started tweeting, we were told that we were doing it wrong, so we asked the community what they wanted from us. With that feedback, we altered our strategy and then applied that to other networks as they emerged (including Facebook, which at the time was not open to non-students).

Bob: What is a typical day like for you there?
Jeff: Every day is different. Our team engages with customers from 9-5 on Facebook and Twitter. We also take a look at how the company is being mentioned across social media sites in comparison to our competition.

Bob: How do you measure the success of your social media initiatives?
Jeff: We look at a number of different areas for success in our social media program including direct revenue from social media, conversation share, equated net promoter score and SIM score.

Bob: What have been some of your biggest challenges and successes?
Jeff: One of the biggest challenge to any company working in social media is finding the time. You will never have as many resources as you would like for this ever-evolving channel so it is a matter of working within resources. It is also important to evaluate opportunities on new networks and if they are something that your company should embrace right away.

Bob: Does Vistaprint have a social media policy and, if so, what does it include?
Jeff: Our policy contains what our employees are and are not allowed to do within social media. This mostly focuses on speaking or acting on behalf of the company.

Bob:What is your favorite and/or most successful social media channel?
Jeff: It is hard to decide and is like choosing between your children as a favorite. On one hand, Twitter is great for getting quick-hit updates and conversations which are very valuable. Facebook on the other hand is great for building up a community and longer-lasting relationships with customers. The network also offers really good metrics to see if your efforts are paying off.

Bob: What do you feel are some of the biggest benefits of using social media?
Jeff: The biggest is in building relationships. Social media is also a very good at seeing unfiltered commentary on your company from your customers.

Bob: Can you name some other companies that are using social media well?
Jeff: Locally, Boloco is company doing some pretty innovative things via social media. On a more global scale, I always keep tabs on what Dell, Ford and Major League Baseball are doing. Recently I have been keeping a close eye on the NFL teams in the playoffs that are doing some pretty cool contests for their fans.

Bob: Who has had an influence on you in the field of social media?
Jeff: The list could go on and on, but the five I always look at are Julien Smith, Geoff Livingston, Olivier Blanchard, Jason Falls and Laura Fitton.

Bob: What advice would you give to others who are trying to learn social media or install a social media program at their place of employment?
Jeff: The biggest thing is to go in with a clear plan and goals. Pick what you are going to measure and stick to it. Without a plan or measures, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Thanks, Jeff. And thanks to those of you who took the time to read my “interview” of Jeff. If you have any questions about social media for him, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment here on my blog or feel free to contact him directly via Twitter, Facebook or his blog. I’ve listed his, along with Victoria’s, contact information below.

Jeff Esposito’s Contact Information
Twitter
Facebook
Blog

Victoria Smith’s Contact Information

Twitter
Facebook
Website

Since I included a list of 50 reasons why people don’t use social media in my most recent post, I thought it only made sense to follow up with a similar list, only this time focusing on the opposing point of view, the reasons why people do use social media.

Sure, as I wrote in that last post about those who are reluctant to jump on the social media bandwagon, “there are still plenty of skeptics, detractors and naysayers among us, especially in the corporate world, where cautiousness and conservatism abound.”

But as I also pointed out, there are more than 800 million users of Facebook, over 120 million people on LinkedIn and more than 200 million accounts on Twitter. There’s certainly a critical mass of people using social media today, enough practitioners and proponents of these online communication platforms for those of us who are immersed in this space to be able to confidently draw the conclusion that this is no passing fad.

Why so many aficionados and devotees? Why all the fanfare? What’s the big deal? Ask anyone who uses social media on a regular basis what they like about it and they could probably go on forever. These are just some of the reasons you’d likely hear…

50 Reasons Why People Use Social Media

1. It’s my job.
2. I enjoy making new friends.
3. It’s a great way to keep up with the news.
4. I don’t want to be left behind.
5. I like sharing pictures and videos.
6. It’s how I stay in touch with friends, relatives, colleagues and clients.
7. It’s how everyone communicates nowadays.
8. It’s easy.
9. It helps my search engine rankings.
10. I like talking to celebrities.
11. It’s where I go for customer service.
12. It saves me time.
13. I like to express my opinions.
14. My favorite stores and brands are using it.
15. I use it to screen job candidates.
16. It’s free.
17. It’s where I turn for help and support.
18. I like the immediacy of it.
19. People expect me to be using it.
20. I’m a writer.
21. People answer questions about practically anything there.
22. I like to influence others.
23. I enjoy a good argument.
24. I use it to promote my work.
25. I like “listening” to others.
26. I’m lonely.
27. I’m not shy.
28. I need to keep up with the younger generation.
29. My employer encourages it.
30. I like being a “publisher” of my own content.
31. I use it for networking.
32. I like technology.
33. I like anything to do with the Internet.
34. I’m a people person.
35. I have to keep up with the competition.
36. It’s how customers and prospects find me.
37. I want to be known as a thought leader.
38. I care about my brand.
39. I like checking in from restaurants, concerts and other special events.
40. My online reputation is important to me.
41. It leads to sales.
42. It leads to donations.
43. I hate talking on the phone.
44. I’m tired of email.
45. I’m looking for a new job.
46. I’m in front of a computer all day anyway.
47. It’s fun.
48. I like the camaraderie.
49. I enjoy getting feedback.
50. I’d be bored without it.

There you have it – 50 reasons why people use social media. What other reasons have you heard people give for publishing a blog, establishing a presence on Facebook, using LinkedIn for networking and tweeting up a storm? Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts on what I’ve written about in this post by leaving a comment below.

With more than 800 million users of Facebook, over 120 million people on LinkedIn and more than 200 million accounts on Twitter, you might say the tipping point’s been reached as far as social media usage goes.

Yet despite such a large critical mass using these social media properties, there are still plenty of skeptics, detractors and naysayers among us, especially in the corporate world, where cautiousness and conservatism abound.

As someone who’s been talking to anyone and everyone within earshot about the benefits of using social media since I launched my own blog in 2004, I know this for a fact: Unless you’re preaching to the choir, the life of a social media practitioner and proponent is often a lonely, uphill battle.

At this stage of the game, those of us with significant social media experience — and enthusiasm — are less likely to be surrounded by like-minded converts than to be facing opposition and resistance to this revolutionary, new way of online communications.

Why would someone be so reluctant to jump on the social media bandwagon? Let me count the ways. Seriously, I’ve heard so many explanations why some people won’t even try social media, I thought I’d pull them all together in one long list. Ask one of these holdouts why he or she doesn’t use social media and you could get any one, or more, of the following 50 reasons for an answer…  

50 Reasons Why People Don’t Use Social Media

1. I’m too busy.
2. It’s just a fad.
3. It’s only for young people.
4. It’s not my job.
5. What would I say?
6. I’m successful without it.
7. I’m not interesting enough.
8. It terrifies me.
9. I’ll get a lot of spam.
10. It’s a waste of time.
11. I’m afraid of getting negative comments and criticism.
12. I prefer to use the phone.
13. There’s no ROI.
14. I can’t write.
15. I know nothing about computers.
16. I don’t like to brag.
17. I have enough friends already.
18. It takes too much time.
19. I don’t want anyone to see my picture.
20. It’s impersonal.
21. I don’t want complete strangers following me.
22. I don’t care what someone else had for lunch.
23. I’d rather meet in person.
24. I’m too shy.
25. I don’t want the responsibility.
26. I’m in front of the computer enough already.
27. It’ll get you into trouble.
28. I don’t want to get hacked.
29. I don’t know how to use it.
30. I like my privacy.
31. I don’t want anyone at the office to know anything about my personal life.
32. It’s too complicated.
33. I guess I’m just old-fashioned.
34. I’ve got better things to do with myself.
35. I just don’t get it.
36. I don’t like change.
37. My computer will get a virus.
38. I’m too tired.
39. I’m too old.
40. It’s too personal.
41. I’m afraid I’ll be stalked.
42. My company doesn’t allow it.
43. I don’t have a smartphone.
44. I don’t want to embarrass myself.
45. I have too much to lose.
46. I prefer email.
47. I don’t want my friends from high school to find me.
48. There’s too much to learn.
49. It’s too much work.
50. I wouldn’t know where to begin.

There you have it – 50 reasons why people don’t use social media. What other reasons have you heard people give for not publishing a blog, establishing a presence on Facebook, keeping a LinkedIn profile up to date and showing up at least once in a while on Twitter? Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts on what I’ve written about in this post by leaving a comment below.

Related Resources and Information

Facebook Now Has 800 Million Users (Mashable)
LinkedIn Now Adding Two New Members Every Second (TechCrunch) 
Twitter Celebrates 5 Years and 200 Million Users (AOL News)

This post was initially published on BostInnovation on September 14, 2011. To read the original post there, click here.

There’s a palpable camaraderie among most people who use social media, a strong sense that we’re all in this together and out for the same things — new friendships, opportunities and experiences.

Unfailingly, we jump onto Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and our own blogs to listen and learn, chat and connect, educate and entertain, inform and inspire, publicize and promote.

Sure, you see a fair share of debate and dissent in social media. It’s not always sunshine and roses. But more often than not, you see a rousing demonstration of mutual respect and quid pro quo, the golden rule being put into practice.

That’s what I like about social media. More often than not, you can count on the crowd for inspiration and support. Like a big group hug, it’s reassuring, to say the least.

And that’s what I like about a Tweetup, too, where you’re surrounded by a small sea of kindred spirits, many of whom you’ve exchanged tweets with but have never met before in person.

If you haven’t been to one yet, a Tweetup is similar to any other networking event except that it’s promoted heavily via Twitter and the majority of those in attendance are social media zealots.

Many Tweetups have an agenda, of course — featuring guest speakers, entertainment, food, beverages, giveaways and more — but some are simply social gatherings of like-minded folks. What takes place there is left to the hosts’ discretion. They set the tone. They makes the rules.

The focus of the two Sudbury Social Tweetup events I co-hosted (with Phil Hollows, CEO of Feedblitz and author of “List Building for Bloggers“) at Bistro 20 in Sudbury this summer was mainly getting to know one another and talking about how each of us in the room uses social media. It felt good to see that there were so many others in the Sudbury area who share the same unbridled passion for these relatively new online communications platforms and principles. It was definitely a lot of fun.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far as co-host of the Sudbury Social Tweetup…

Ten Tips for Hosting a Tweetup

1. Choose the right date and location. Getting a critical mass of people to attend a Tweetup is more than half the battle, so you want to make it as convenient as possible for them to be there. Think of a cool hang-out, a place that’s easy to get to and popular with everyone. And take a good look at the calendar to make sure there are no major conflicts – holidays, competing events, etc. – with the date of your event.

2. Come up with a good hashtag. Because you’ll be relying so heavily on Twitter for promotion of your event, having a hashtag – a keyword or term, preceded by the # sign, used for search and categorization on Twitter – that stands out is important. Phil and I turned the name of our Tweetup into the hashtag, #SudburySocial, which we’ve encouraged others to include in their tweets about it.

3. Invite plenty of people. Once you know when and where your Tweetup is going to be held, and you’ve decided on a hashtag, you can start the invitation process. Obviously, there are a variety of ways to reach out to potential attendees en masse (email blasts, blog posts, etc.), but consider approaching some people individually, especially those who you know very well or whose presence is critical to the success of the event.

4. Leverage mainstream media. To help get the word out about the Sudbury Social Tweetup, I wrote a simple press release and submitted it to the Sudbury Town Crier and Sudbury Patch, both of which ran with it. This helped us reach folks who were interested in learning more about social media, but who might still rely on mainstream, more traditional media for their news and information.

5. Ask your friends for assistance. You’d be surprised how many people are glad to be asked to join your team of volunteers. Acting as your own brand ambassadors, your friends and colleagues can help you spread the word about the event, track down sponsors, book entertainment and so much more.

6. Use an online registration service such as Eventbrite. I’ve used Eventbrite, a free event registration service, to manage registrations for the two Sudbury Social Tweetups we’ve had so far, and I can’t tell you how impressed I’ve been with it. It’s incredibly easy to use. But at the same time, it’s also quite sophisticated, offering a multitude of ways to create and promote a fabulous event

7. Don’t forget Boston TweetUp. Run by Joselin Mane, Boston TweetUp not only keeps a handy calendar of Tweetups and other similar networking events, it helps promote these business-related get-togethers via Boston TweetUp TV and plenty of timely, pleasantly surprising tweets.

8. Bring name tags and felt-tip pens. You may know everyone there, but many people will be meeting others in attendance for the first time. As your guests arrive, kindly ask them to write their name and Twitter handle – legibly – on the name tags you’ve provided, which will make it much easier for them to approach complete strangers and introduce themselves with confidence.

9. Make sure to mingle. Whether your hosting the event or not, it’s important to make the rounds, to chat it up with as many people as possible. It’s not just about being polite. It’s about taking full advantage of the many great networking opportunities that may exist in the room.

10. Share what you know about social media. Besides having a good time and making new friends, pretty much everyone who attends a Tweetup is interested in learning more about social media. Invite a guest speaker. Or go out of your way to share your own knowledge about the subject, either through a formal presentation to the group or simply in impromptu, one-on-one conversations.

Did I miss anything? What has been your experience with Tweetups? Have you ever attended one? Have you ever hosted one? What do you think are the ingredients of some of the most successful Tweetups? Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts by leaving a comment about this post below.

Additional Resources and Information Regarding Tweetups

HOW TO: Organize a Successful Tweetup (Mashable)
Boston Tweetup shares tips on how to host a successful Tweetup (Eventbrite Blog)
Bridging Offline/Online: Tweetups (Beth’s Blog)
Planning a Tweetup (TwiTip)
Twitter Tip Tuesday: Host a Tweetup (Sprout Social Insights)
How to Organize a Successful Tweetup (Social Media Today)
How to Throw a Great Tweet-Up (Social Media Explorer)

I’ve created a lot of lists on Twitter, including one for copywriters, another one for New England social media professionals and even one that I call All Star Bloggers. But out of all of these lists, the one that’s been on my mind lately is the list which includes the people and companies (38 and counting) I’ve found on Twitter from my hometown of Sudbury, Massachusetts.

You see, while I really only know personally a handful of these Sudbury-affiliated account-holders, my goal when I created this list was to get to know as many of them as possible. So little by little, I’ve retweeted them and reached out to them, thinking that you never know what might come of this small community within, well, a small community. But it wasn’t until I recently sat down for a cup of coffee with fellow Sudbury resident, Phil Hollows, that an idea I had been bandying about for a while with my neighbors and friends in town actually took root.

I knew Phil from Twitter, but this was actually the first time we had met in person. After chatting for a few minutes about our respective professional backgrounds and families, we quickly agreed to put on a Tweetup in Sudbury, which we hope will bring together business people in town who are interested in discussing — and learning more about – social media.  

What follows is the official “announcement” of this Tweetup (which I can’t tell you how excited I am to be co-hosting)…

You’re Invited to the Sudbury Social Tweetup on Thursday, July 21

Two Sudbury residents, Bob Cargill and Phil Hollows, will be hosting a free Tweetup called “Sudbury Social” on Thursday, July 21, at Bistro 20 at 120 Boston Post Road in Sudbury from 6-8 P.M.

The purpose of this networking event is to bring together business people, marketers and professionals who live or work in the Sudbury area who want to meet others from the community and learn more about such social media communications tools as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and blogs. 

“Both Phil and I thought a Tweetup – which gives people who may have already met one another online, the chance to meet face-to-face, in person – would be a fun way to introduce those in the community who are interested in social media to one another,” says Cargill, a copywriter, creative director and social media consultant.

“We’re looking forward to getting to know others in town who have the same passion for social media as we do,” says Hollows, the CEO of Feedblitz and author of “List Building for Bloggers.”

To register to attend the Sudbury Social Tweetup, go to http://sudburysocial.eventbrite.com. For more information on the event, please contact either Bob Cargill at Cargill123@gmail.com or Phil Hollows at phil@feedblitz.com. If you decide to write about the event online, the hosts ask you to use the hashtag, #SudburySocial.

Don’t tell me social media isn’t personal.

Sure, it’s not the same thing as actually sitting down and talking to someone in person, face-to-face. But it’s often the next best thing. And in some cases, it’s the only thing.

Using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the like is a great way to connect with people who otherwise might not give you the time of the day because they’re either too busy or have reason to believe they have little in common with you.

Social media is also perfect for keeping in touch with people who it’s impossible to meet up with in person because they simply live or work too far away.

For example, my friend, Amelia, is situated some 3,000 miles away from me in Seal Beach, California. We’re both copywriters. We’re both runners. We’re both former Toastmasters. And she used to live in Sudbury, Massachusetts, where I live now.

Clearly, we have a lot in common. But we hardly ever have the opportunity to see each other anymore. Except — you guessed it — via social media.

In this case, on one of my recent runs, I happened to take and upload a photo of the scene, a meandering trail through the woods that apparently is one that the Lincoln-Sudbury High School cross country teams have been running on for years.

After seeing this photo on Facebook, Amelia left a comment about a steep hill off of that trail that she used to run up and down as a member of the school’s cross country team back in the day.

So the next time I was working out in those woods, I went one step further and recorded a short video clip on my climb up that legendary hill and posted that on Facebook, too…

Well, she was so taken by the memories of seeing that hill again, she wrote a blog post about it, saying…

“Bob posted this [video] on my wall. It was one of the kindest, unexpected random acts a friend has ever done for me.”

What a pleasant surprise that was to me, to see just how much my spontaneous, seemingly small act of sharing on Facebook meant to Amelia.

And when she thanked me for that video on Twitter, I was more than happy to RT her, of course.

Now I’m talking about a real friendship between Amelia and I, as we’ve known each other for years. But whether you’re friends with someone or not, whether you’re a business or an individual, social media can be used to close the gap between distance and anything else that may get in the way of more traditional communications methods. Social media can – and should –  be personal.

By the way, here’s the video I recorded while running up that legendary hill in the woods near Lincoln-Sudbury High School…

If you can’t see the video in this blog post, you can view it on YouTube by clicking here.
To read Amelia Ostroff’s blog, 623 Tries, click here.
To follow Amelia Ostroff on Twitter, click here.

Even though Twitter recently celebrated its fifth birthday and there are now some 200 million users of this micro-blogging site, there’s still plenty of skepticism among marketers regarding its viability as a sales channel.

I understand. After all, those who are most successful on Twitter are those who are listening intently, sharing great content and engaging with others, not pitching their own products and services. And all that, well, socializing requires an investment of time and resources that many businesses have trouble justifying.

But apparently not The Quaker Oats Company. Let me explain…

One of the people I follow on Twitter is Dianna Huff, a very talented web marketing expert in the B2B world and someone I know quite well from my involvement in the New England Direct Marketing Association. After reading her March 27 blog post, Three Things Cap’n Crunch Taught Me About Facebook Engagement, I thought it would be something my followers on Twitter would be interested in reading, too – so I went ahead and tweeted about it. About six minutes later, I was surprised to hear from @RealCapnCrunch himself, asking me if I enjoyed Cap’n Crunch or had any good memories of it.

Not only was I impressed that The Quaker Oats Company was listening to what people were saying about one of its products, but I was also glad to have the opportunity to exchange a couple of tweets with the Cap’n Crunch persona. And the next time I was at the grocery store? Yup, I was quick to buy a box of this cereal that for anyone with a sweet tooth — like me — is almost impossible to resist.

So while Dianna was impressed with how Quaker Oats was working its Cap’n Crunch Facebook page, I’m here to sing the praises of this famous cereal’s voice on Twitter. Clearly, the folks behind the scenes are listening to who’s saying what online about Cap’n Crunch and going to great lengths to engage with that constituency accordingly. 

Yes, whether you like the cereal or not, you have to give @RealCapnCrunch a lot of credit for working the crowd. That’s how not just Twitter, but every other channel in social media is supposed to work — whatever you have to say, whatever you have to sell.

To read Dianna Huff’s “Three Things Cap’n Crunch Taught Me About Facebook Engagement” in its entirety, click here.
To follow @RealCapnCrunch on Twitter, click here.
To like Cap’n Crunch on Facebook, click here.