First adopters of social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and blogging understand that their success can be measured and based on audience engagement, recognition, and involvement. Yet, Social Media’s Achilles heel, in the eyes of corporate decision makers who still utilize Web 1.0 analytics and measurement for their marketing, sales, and promotion efforts, is the lack of compelling ROI case studies: until now.

Dell’s Twitter Strategy: ROI of Engagement

The Washington Post reported on Claire Baldwin’s  article in Reuters “Twitter helps Dell rake in sales“:

• Twitter: Dell established their Twitter account two years ago
• Measurement: Dell measures and “track sales with proprietary software”
• ROI: Dell “has raked in more than $3 million from Twitter followers who clicked through its posts to its Web sites to make purchases.”
• Trend: Dell has “made more than $1 million in the past 6 months” utilizing Twitter

@DellOutlet: Dell’s Twitter Strategies

Dell has over 650,000 followers on Twitter. Although they are only following 23, they are known as a value provider:

• Coupons: Dell distributes valuable discount coupons through Twitter
• Customer Service: Dell answers questions and solves problems by engaging with their audience
• Crowdsourcing: like their efforts at Ideastorm, they crowdsource their Twitter network for ideas on products, services, processes, and anything related to making their consumers satisfied
• Network: Dell brilliantly and seamlessly integrate their Twitter network of followers with their Facebook fans for their Facebook company page. They convert many Twitter followers to Facebook fans and vice-versa