Interview with @SeattleMaven
@SeattleMaven is none other than Ann Peavey, the visitor info and concierge extraordinaire for Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. A self-described “Seattle Know-It-All, Concierge, Information Guru, Food & Wine Enthusiast, History Buff & Aficionado of Good Hygiene”, Ann knows what’s shaking in and around Seattle and gets the word out through Twitter, Facebook, and in person at two prominent locations in downtown Seattle: the convention center and the heart of the city’s most popular attraction: Pike Place Market.
Ann definitely grasps the importance of cultivating relationships and conversations with her audience. I asked the ‘Maven about what motivates her to tweet and post what she does, how she knows she’s really reaching her audience, and how she manages to pull it all off.
LD: It seems we all just woke up one day there was this Twitter thing everyone was talking about. How did you start out with Twitter? Why? What attracted you to it?
AP: I’ve noticed social media modes for years. My teens initially introduced me to Myspace, Facebook, and now Twitter. I dabbled (perhaps I should say ‘somewhat floundered’) in these initially, but found Twitter spoke to me in a different way. I liked the idea of something brief, yet powerful. While a woman of many words, I recognize the necessity of brevity and clarity. My job is to deliver a message – generally this message has been in-person and by phone, but I recognized that there might be a way to tap into another genre of traveller with Twitter. I recognized Twitter as being much like an enormous billboard, but one where others can pick and choose the message they want and who they want to deliver it.
LD: Can you tell us about your Twitter workflow? What tools and apps do you use for the Visitor Center? Do you Tweet all day or just in bursts?
AP: Initially I was solely a web-based Tweeter. A few tweets here and there between questions at our concierge desk let me interject what I was seeing, specials that came my way, and messages I wanted to share with others. I quickly found that the Twitterberry app for my Blackberry gave me more freedom when I need it – to-and-from work … walking from place to place … and even in the stairwell or elevator. I love having an app that allows me to Tweet whenever I want to! Tweetdeck has become my favorite dashboard at work. I feel a little like Capt. Kirk at the helm of the Enterprise with my Tweets, @mentions and DMs all well-organized (and practically begging for Klingon attack).
Tweeting comes naturally during my day. Frustrated in the past with being placed ‘on hold’ when assisting guests, I’ve found Tweeting to be the perfect fill-in! (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that I type nearly 100wpm). I have started to keep a MSWord doc of important upcoming events I don’t want to lose track of before I have a chance to tweet. Timing IS everything!
LD: Any tips that you could share with other destination Tweeters wanting to grow their Twitter network?
AP: Be yourself (with a caveat of ‘you’d better be interesting’!). Nobody wants to hear, “I’m boiling water for macaroni”. Everyone wants to hear, “A bite of my fresh-baked pecan rolls dripping in carmel-goodness couldn’t have been a better way to start my morning!” Make the mundane exciting! (Now there’s a lesson for life!). Try to be fresh and offer something unique to your followers that they can only find in following YOU. Tell them something they might not otherwise know or hear. Offer something new and interesting and don’t constantly retweet what others are saying unless you think there’s real value in it. I prefer a good mix of education (my history bits), personality (my anecdotal comments smattered through the day), and Seattle events and information (after all, I am the Seattle Maven!).
Bottom line? Be true to who you are. This may sound odd coming from me – as a representative of Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, but I think I’ve done precisely that; I offer real, pertinent information and I encourage my followers to follow our bureau members (those who I follow). It offers up something different, but also gives them a chance to get a well-rounded vision of what our city has to offer. This also brings added-value to their membership.
I’ve followed a few social media folks for the last 6 months and have found a wealth of information out there relating to the do’s and don’t's of Twitter. I prefer to just do what feels right. I occasionally scan other Visitor Bureau Twitter sites to see what they’re doing to ‘keep it fresh’. I haven’t pulled any useful ideas off of them yet, but it’s always wise to see what others are doing right (and wrong).
LD: Do you have specific goals set for growing your audience?
AP: Initially I felt that I needed a particular number: 2,500 followers. This was something I arbitrarily set, with very little or no reasoning. I could certainly pump up my followers easily by following more Twitterers than I do, but I’d rather have followers who are truly interested what I have to say rather than just giving a ‘reciprocal’ follow back to me.
LD: What’s the best feedback or Twitter-related story experienced by a follower?
AP: I was a bit surprised a few weeks ago when a woman walked up to the desk and said, “You must be the Seattle Maven!”. I asked who she was, and mentioned that I appreciated her following me – to which she replied, “I don’t officially follow you, I just follow you on the web for my Seattle information and knew I wanted to meet you when I came to Seattle.” I hadn’t considered before that moment that there are probably many people like her who found me initially through our www.visitseattle.org website, and simply follow directly from the web. Twitter allows even non-Twitterers to find the information they want without even having to sign up!
LD: How has Twitter and Facebook expanded your reach to visitors and conventioneers? If these social media tools disappeared tomorrow, would your service be as effective without them?
AP: Twitter adds another positive dimension to visitor services. Not everyone is of the ilk to drop by the concierge center for their information. Twitter allows them to keep on top of what’s happening in the city through their PDA, their phone, or their computer … literally anywhere! Our maven-on-the-go information gives them the opportunity to get their information in their unique style.
Likewise, conventioneers and visitors can now find great discounts and information from the comfort of their hotel room!
Thanks Ann! You have really stepped-up the game and embraced Social Media for destination marketing and visitor relations. You are a sublime example of how other CVB’s and tourist-dependent venues like hotels, restaurants and attractions can engage and interact with their patrons. We look forward to more great tweets about what’s happening in Seattle!
More about destination marketing with Twitter and @seattleMaven >>
