Taken from the What the Tweet blog, originally posted on 8/12/09.

Be a Social Media Rockstar Twitter session, featuring Element’s Kiar Olson.

A very relaxing session here with Kiar! It’s a full-house and I am currently sitting on the floor, but that’s just how relaxed it is.

We started out the session by helping people setup their Twitter accounts. I’m glad that I am not the only one who can never read the messed up word phrase when you sign up for a new account! Just about everyone is all set up now, so there will be a whole new group of Northeast Wisconsin Tweeps to start following. I’ll try to grab some of their @twitterhandles by the end of the session.

On a related topic, a question from the crowd… “How do we find our audience that we are looking for on Twitter?” @macdesign13 suggested using Twellow and Search.Twitter, but also reminded the everyone that one needs to ‘promote’ your own Twitter handle if you are reaching out to one large targeted audience, like the students of St. Norbert College.

We’ve moved on to a little bit of a random tangent including how to RT, what hashtags are, explaining #smrockgb, and a few of the related Twitter programs like Tweet Deck and HootSuite. Another good question from a young lady from the back row… “who makes the hashtag and how do they become the known hashtag?” The answer: Go to hashtags.org to find what hashtags are being used for a particular event or topic. Anyone can make a hashtag, just make sure there isn’t one already and just start tweeting it! Like #kiariscool.

Random side note: my legs have fallen asleep, and have started to do that pin needle tingle thing.

New topic: 140 characters, or ’short attention span theater.’ Explaining how to get your message out in a short phrase by including links and getting to the point of things. “It’s like a text message, but not really.” There are no Twitter specific short codes, but some Twitter language you should know. Check out this Mashable post.

ALRIGHT! It’s time for everyone to get tweeting! Here are some tweetbies and Twitter veterans who you can checkout and to start following:

@bobbiann1953, @advanceincubato, @StruesRxBay, @michelleschlies, @bigelowCO, @optivision, @oplan, @kvandenhouten, @wfrv5, @coinopgames, @colcantwell, @fratellosresturant, and @aloftgb

Here’s your chance to elbow your way to center stage. Join the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce for “Be A Social Media Rock Star.” You bring your laptop and a blank slate. They’ll provide a hands-on approach to setting up and using the following in breakout sessions:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Blogging
• YouTube, photo/video sharing and online buzz
• Selling social media to your CEO – policies and procedures

In addition to techniques, they’ll also provide ideas for creating and deploying your own social media strategy. Attendees can choose to attend four of the six sessions offered. To cover them all, we recommend teaming up with a co-worker and then sharing notes and insights.

Agenda

7:30 – 8:30   Registration and continental breakfast
8:30 – 8:55   Opening session/kickoff
9:00 -10:15  Breakout session - Choose 1 of the 6 sessions listed above
10:15–10:25 Break
10:30-Noon  Breakout session - Choose 1 of the 6 sessions listed above
Noon–1:00    Plated lunch
1:00 – 2:15   Breakout session - Choose 1 of the 6 sessions listed above
2:15 – 2:25   Break
2:30 - 3:45   Breakout session - Choose 1 of the 6 sessions listed above
3:45 – 3:55   Break
4:00 - 4:30   Closing session with a special guest
4:30 - ?         Tweet Up at The Abbey

Fee

$69 registration fee for Chamber members ($119 for non-members) includes breakfast, lunch, all breakout sessions, commemorative “I’m a Social Media Rock Star” T-shirt, special event lanyard and much more!

Registration details

1. Figure out which breakout session you want to attend at which time. Each session is capped at 25 participants and enrollment in the sessions is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
2. Click here or call 920.593.3419 to register.

Don’t miss this chance to gain a command of the latest social media marketing tools on behalf of your business. You, too, can perform and Be A Social Media Rock Star!

Tom Clifford, one of the most avid Twitterers in Wisconsin, will kick off and close the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Be a Social Media Rock Star” event on Thursday, August 13, at the F.K. Bemis Center on the St. Norbert College campus.

Clifford, known as TommyTRC to his Twitter followers, regularly rates as one of the top three Twitterers in Wisconsin and the top 100 in the world. He has more than 15,000 followers on Twitter and has created more than 50,000 tweets – and counting. Clifford’s presence on Twitter escalated to new heights when he tweeted about one of the pivotal events in his family’s life: the birth of his son, Andrew, on May 22, 2009. The resulting followers – from Hong Kong to Los Angeles – and ensuing news coverage even astounded Clifford, a self-professed technology nut.

“Being a Twitter centric is what has gotten me where I am,” said Clifford. “But it’s not about me. It’s about my followers and the relationship we have.”

Case in point: After tweeting about his son’s birth, the Clifford family got to know a California family who baked cupcakes in baby Drew’s honor and photographed themselves with them and a sign wishing him a happy birthday. The Clifford family responded with a cupcake “thank-you” video they posted themselves.

Clifford’s presentation at the Be a Social Media Rockstar event will address how personal experiences like these with his brand can translate to business brand- and relationship-building.

“I’m very passionate about this. People can see the passion I have about building my personal brand. If I can do this myself, others than do it themselves. They can translate it to Anna’s Autoparts, Jimmy’s Quilts or Susie’s Cookies and turn their brands into rock stars.

Join Clifford and several other presenters for the day at Be a Social Media Rockstar, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the F.K. Bemis Center at St. Norbert College. The hands-on learning will include breakout sessions on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogging, YouTube, photo/video sharing, and selling social media to your CEO. Attendees can opt for four of the six breakout sessions and attend the TweetUp after the event. The cost is $69 for Green Bay Chamber of Commerce members, $119 for non-members.

To learn more about Clifford, visit www.sparkatopia.com. Event details and registration are available at www.titletown.org or by calling (920) 593-3419.

What is Social Media?

A textbook might say that “social media refers to online activities that integrate technology and social interaction with the creation of information through words, pictures, videos, and audio,” but nothing about social media is textbook.

Online communities like Facebook, Twitter, Joost, Plurk, Youtube, and LinkedIn are open communication channels that you can use to develop relationships between you and your customers. Participating and engaging in timely conversations, sharing content and, of course, having fun with your audience generates awareness of your company’s products/services and enables you to build a trusting relationship with them.

Within the social media realm, there is not just one big idea but rather several small ideas that come together to create a large impact on your customers. The objective is to position your company as an expert in your field and to establish a relationship with current and potential customers by encouraging open and uncensored dialogue.

Importance of Social Media

Social media allows your company to increase its brand visibility, customer loyalty, and ultimately increase its sales because your target audience is given the opportunity to hear, see, and experience your brand in an unobtrusive environment.

When users are willing and able to comment freely on your content, you create transparency and authenticity, which builds a trusting relationship with your audience. By engaging in online conversations, you can receive important feedback that will allow you to improve your company by giving you an insight into your target audience.

Integrating social media into a marketing plan is important because it impacts your bottom line. It may not result in direct sales, but social media creates positive relationships with your potential customers, drives traffic to your website, supports your brand, advertises your brand, and offers another outlet for you to track sales.

Remember, social media is more than stating a random and disconnected train of thoughts. It’s an ongoing outlet to engage your potential and current customers through a well thought-out plan.

Name: Barley Atkinson
Title (one of many): Replacement Project Coordinator

Barley Atkinson, known to his closest friends as “such-a-good-boy-yes-he-is“, is Element’s newest employee, more than filling the shoes of our previous Project Coordinator.

“I only brought him to work that day because we had to leave for a fishing trip at the end of the day”, explained Ross Atkinson, Barley’s owner/daddy. “By the time lunch came, he had already merged everyone’s timesheets, paid all of the bills, made a stop at the bank, and created a spreadsheet to highlight inefficiencies in our workflow. Now, I’ve got two paychecks coming in.”

“If he makes more than me, he’s sleeping in the garage tonite.”

If you are an Element employee, it may be a good idea to get yourself on Barley’s best side early, considering he has taken over all payroll responsibilities. You could try giving him a good scratch on that hard-to-reach spot under his collar, or bring up…

• Lying on the sunniest part of the kitchen floor
• Rawhides
• That moment right after you’ve leaped off the dock and right before you hit the water
• Cheeseballs
• The ability to lick your own genitals tail

But stay away from…

• The weather (thunderstorms in particular)
• The veterinarian
• Government reform of the American health care system
• The Peanut Butter Spoon Culprit

Favorite Music:
Though you wouldn’t immediately expect it by looking at him, Barley’s musical tastes are eclectic. A brief glance at his iPod reveals a broad range of musical genres, from classical to Southern rock to 50’s country. However, his most played tracks can only be labeled as “Gangsta Rap”, though he prefers the West coast styling of Tupac Shakur and Snoop D-O-double-G over the music of Wu Tang Clan and Biggie Smalls, whom he considers “whack-*** tricks”.

Favorite Brands:
Apple, Volkswagen, Isaac Mizrahi, Purina Beggin’ Strips.

Quoting Barley, Quoting Someone Else:

“Reason itself is fallible, and this fallibility must find a place in our logic.” - Nicola Abbagnano

“Bark bark bark… *whimper*… bark bark.” - Rin Tin Tin

A vital part of our agency has been gone for sometime now. Project Manager Sue Barrett decided that a week vacation was necessary in order to keep her sanity. As she continues to float down the Mississippi River sipping her cocktails, the invoices have piled high, new jobs have been put on hold, payroll delayed, and the flowers…well, they’re practically dead.

We could no longer take the insanity, and Element was forced to hire a replacement. After minutes of searching, and with no other suitable applicants, we hired Barley, a close friend of Web Developer Ross Atkinson. We feel that he is a great fit for Element, and so far the perfect replacement for Barrett.

Director of New Media Kiar Olson commented, “I’m really happy that Barley smokes the same Grape Cigarillos as Sue. That sweet aroma always puts me in the mood to really crank out the work. The only thing I don’t enjoy is the slobber all over the copy machine.”

Brand loyalty and making great copies are not the only things Barley and Barrett have in common. Many of the employees like to hang out with Barely outside of work too.

“Barley and I went out after work for a few drinks,” said Ann Behling, Director of Publications. “We started off at Palukas for a Bloody Mary, but just like Sue always had to do, we went to the liquor store and purchased a few Colt 45s. We both ended up passed out somewhere down on East Mason Street. It was like I was with Sue the entire time!”

Though the employees enjoy the similarities, Barley wishes everyone would recognize the differences. To differentiate himself, Barley has given Fridays off to all Element employees, requires no timesheets, leaves the office lights on 24 hours a day, and has glued numerous toasters to the kitchen counter.

As Barley becomes more settled, Element will most likely be in for more surprises.

Some people really like their jobs. They get up each day looking forward to mingling with co-workers, tapping the free water from the kitchen cooler, and really making a difference. And then there are those who take their love for their work a little too far.

Nobody thought twice when Kiar Olson started dressing as a mad hamster scientist and spent lunch hours running on a handmade, human hamster wheel, but the day he showed up in costume, several considered that perhaps he had fallen off the deep end.

“Marketing is all about emerging yourself into various roles and understanding your audience. I really feel like the work I do for my customer is superior because of my decision to dress and act like a hamster,” commented Olson.

Olson was first spotted sporting the rodent rug on June 22 at the company production meeting. Because of Olson’s comical nature, co-workers believed it was just another practical joke. But there was nothing funny about it when he showed up in the costume every day after that unfortunate Monday.

Some believe this outcry for attention started even before the 2006 incident when Olson was caught trespassing in a local farmer’s field donning a full donkey costume, complete with a 24” tail. He refused to comment.

Olson has been struggling with keeping his past private and not having it interfere with his day-to-day duties at Element. It was apparent during a recent new business meeting, however, that clients, too, are becoming suspicious of Olson’s odd behavior.

“When he wore that outfit to our new business meeting last week, I was petrified. What’s worse? The prospective marketing director broke out in hives during our meeting and needed to be rushed to the hospital after her lips and throat swelled up. Turns out she’s allergic to synthetic fiber. I’m pretty sure we didn’t get the account.” Account Executive Nikki Pribnow said.

This unfolding identity crisis has sadly taken a turn for the worse.

“I forgot my laptop one night so I went back to the office. I found Kiar rolling in a pile of wood shavings and nibbling a Munchables Hamster treat. He just blissfully stared off into space,” co-worker Katelin Brown said as she sadly shook her head. “It’s just too bad it all came down to this. I mean, no job is worth a man’s dignity.”

Element is currently considering mental treatment options and facilities.

As of 6:31 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, Katelin Brown has officially joined Facebook. This of course is after the other 200 million active users decided to do it.

“I still don’t really get the point of MyBook, or I mean, um…Facebook, right?” Brown said, as she looked over to fellow designer Ann Behling, who also had no idea. “Well, whatever it’s called, I don’t think it’ll last. It doesn’t even work half of the time. I keep telling it what I am doing in order to update my status, but it doesn’t hear me.”

By Brown standards, there are many other things that are still considered ‘trends.’ Take for instance, cars. She continues to use her Columbia Racer (see image below) since she feels that cars are “unreliable and will breakdown at any moment.” Brown also commented, “I know a new trend will soon replace the car anyway, so why bother purchasing one now.”

Everyone at Element has his or her own unique personality. Some are laidback, while others are more intense. There are some employees who wear t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops, and others who wear dress shirts with black pants. These different qualities are important to our culture, and that is why we are concerned about one particular employee.

Overall, our Interactive Department is known for their more easygoing philosophies, including Web Developer Ross Atkinson. Everyone knows him for his love of flannel shirts, fishing, and Leinenkugel’s Berry Weiss (no longer just a ‘chic drink’).

“It says right there on the website, enjoy Berry Weiss’s sweet taste over ice,” Atkinson had once previously stated. “I don’t get what the big deal is. And yes, sometimes I make Honey Bears, you know, when you mix Berry Weiss with Honey Weiss…never mind.”

Recently though, Atkinson has been spotted wearing stylish dress shirts, sporting a clean shave, purchasing Leinenkugel’s Original, and is now even driving a Saab. Everyone here at Element is very concerned that Atkinson has displaced his true personality, and in response, we have formalized the statement below.

Ross Atkinson, if you are reading this, we would like to express our sincerest apologies for the jokes. We want you to know that we enjoyed the old Ross Atkinson, and we hope we did not push you in this direction. We beg you to put your flannel back on, bring back the white Chevy, and enjoy the last Berry Weiss in the fridge-your name’s on it big guy!

-The Employees of Element

Name: Sue Barrett
Title (one of many): Project Coordinator

Sue has been with Element since the beginning, and has over twenty years of accounting experience and a background in marketing. She loves the people she works with at Element, as long as they clean up after themselves. And a quick word to the wise, Sue has been known to throw away the office toaster if left out for too long. (Element is currently on toaster number three.)

Sue likes the sense of accomplishment, and does whatever it takes to get the job done right. Whether it’s lint rolling an account executive before they head out the door for an important client meeting, or dissecting ‘the books’ to compile an in-depth analysis. Overall, the highlight of any day for Sue is when she gets a loud “YOU ROCK” from Lance, or when Traci successfully makes copies.

Outside of work, Sue enjoys gardening, boating, ATVing, and driveway parties. If you find yourself incorrectly coding your time to the wrong job number, or have gone over budget on a project, try smoothing things over by talking about the aforementioned, or bring up…

• The weather (thunderstorms in particular)
• Big-ass clouds
• Something you saw on Facebook
• Ice-cold Corona
• Sunday mornings
• Cleaning (don’t let her complaining fool you)
• Funny email forwards

But stay away from…

• Plastic wrap
• Using your fingers to make air quotes
• Negativism
• Road rage
• The Peanut Butter Spoon Culprit

Favorite Music:
There is a wide spectrum when it comes to Sue’s favorite music. She was rocking during the Beatle’s sensation, recalls the first Stones song, grew up on soul music in Chicago, converted to country in her thirties, and now enjoys rap with a 16-year-old daughter.

Favorite Brands:
Apple, Pier One, Polaris, Pottery Barn, and Heinz Ketchup.

Quoting Sue, Quoting Someone Else:
“If life gives you lemons, stick them in your bra.” - Maxine