The Lead

While having a brand idenity on Twitter may make sense, consider the power of having multiple (or multitudes of) socially conntected individuals representing you on Twitter. Your brand is personified every day by the individuals who are in contact with customers and other stakeholders. And the more approachable they are, the more approachable your brand. Leverage those relationships and extend as much loyalty as possible from the individual to the brand.

It's a matter of scale. With many voices singing in unison, but with their own special sound, your organization can tap their social networks and amplify its message. For example, when one of my tweets was retweeted by our Social Media Elite Response Force (SMERFs) recently, I got nearly eight times the reach. You'll need to define the strategy and other guidelines outllined in the bullets above plus a few more:

• Whether the tweeple will/should have separate accounts for personal use
• Their role when crises or sensitive issues arrise
• Make sure your social media guidelines give guidance on tone and how to keep it positive

Of course, all this assumes you get the first bullet right -- have a strategy. Getting into social media is more than tapping a new channel. It's a strategic move and a cultural shift for your organization.