WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Twitter is where credit unions now "tweetup": they meet online and work together to launch new projects, including the well-known "What Are You Saving For?" (WAYSF) campaign launched last year by Members CU here.
For WAYSF, the $208-million CU wanted to learn how to build a social networking savings account and a community of savers to use it. The CU's public relations director, Matt Davis, turned to Twitter for a "tweetup," or meet-up of like-minded people.
Twitter users can post messages of up to 140-characters in length to a selected community of "followers" - anyone who chooses to tune-in to the user. In turn, each user can see all of the messages sent by his or her followers, posted in chronological order.
"When I started developing whatareyousavingfor.com, it was my Twitter friends who talked me through some of the integral aspects of the site." Projects like WAYSF have "taken flight only because of relationships I have built via Twitter," explained Davis.
For the WAYSF site, that meant that one follower walked Davis through customizing a blog. Another helped him spruce up the logo and color palette, while other followers lent a hand in integrating video, calculators and Facebook badges, said Davis.
Davis is now "tweetingup" to create "NC Change Agents," an online social network of "energetic employees from North Carolina credit unions who are trying to find ways to attract young members, volunteers and employees to the movement."
Twitter is a "conversation conduit that can spawn collaboration," agreed Doug True, president, FORUM Solutions, the CUSO of Indianapolis, Ind.-based FORUM CU. "In some cases, it keeps you connected to others you may collaborate with in the future."
Limited to 140 characters or fewer per post, Twitter conversationalists can't be long-winded. "The succinctness is appreciated," True said.
FORUM Solutions uses Twitter to deliver "quick, succinct" updates on the progress of "YOUR Symposium," an annual credit union conference created and organized by attendees, according to True. And "speakers who are vying for a speaking slot at YOUR Symposium are using Twitter to promote their efforts."
But Davis argued that Twitter is more than a tool for newsflashes — it's also a networking tool for the symposium. "Nearly everyone who has been involved in YOUR Symposium over the past few years has gotten to know each other via Twitter."
Credit Union Journal networks with credit unions on Twitter as well — recently, the Journal "tweetedup" with Brandon Ballentine, a Knoxville, Tenn.-based programmer who answered our call to
Twitter makes for anytime, anywhere access to CU contacts, Davis said. "If you have developed a strong professional network on Twitter, you can instantly communicate with experts, creatives and thought leaders across the country in just a few mouse clicks."
Twitter is the perfect medium for brainstorming and planning a project, added Davis. "Facebook could work, but it's much more involved" - and has an element of "silliness. Twitter's brevity works wonders."
Of course, Twitter can't be used for the more complicated pieces of a project, he said. "When more detail on a topic is needed, email, blogs and the telephone work their way into the communication."
The one ongoing issue with Twitter: how to monetize it-something the foks at Twitter are still struggling with, as well.
