I’ve been following a recommendation I hear everywhere for when you first start using twitter (or any social networking site) – to mostly listen for the first few months before really working to get engaged. I’ve been taking small steps. It’s been a great tool for our magazine (in terms of getting reader feedback) and I’ve been absolutely amazed at some of the ideas I’ve seen.

One bunch does a twitter ‘party’ (they call it #barkhunt I believe) and they give away free products to anyone who answers a question correctly. It requires sending consumers to different sites, and therefore exposing them to information you want them to know – quizzing them on it essentially. What better way to ensure you create an impression? They do it the same time every week … and have a steady following that play along… and a good number of manufacturers donate products (heck, I even got our magazine to donate some products).

Now THAT is getting consumers involved.

Stores and publishers need to think outside the box and really work to put these things to the test. Push them for all they’re worth. Otherwise, someone else will.

Perry Brass, author of Carnal Sacraments, A Historical Novel of the Future, A ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Finalist

They are on Twitter, but clearly are not monitoring the Twitter stream (if they are they aren’t responding in any manner whatsoever). If you look at their corporate accounts, only the UK account actually follows people back. The US corporate accounts show a distinct disconnect between followers and following.

Compare S&S’s approach to any of Hachette’s corporate Twitter accounts or even their website and you can tell immediately which company is focusing on engaging the consumer as part of their corporate culture.

S&S lost me as a consumer a long time ago (around the time they withdrew ebooks in the format I was buying them is around the time I stopped being their customer). Every time I even contemplate buying something from them they give me a new reason not to (for instance charging $20 for a paperback novelization of a movie *cough*).

They can’t even give away a free ebook without making it impossible to actually find on their site (yet they issue a press release to promote it).

Nothing S&S does really surprises me anymore, least of all discharging a loaded gun into its corporate foot, yet again, on the ebook front. Now if they did something consumer-friendly that would shock me. I think I’m safe for the next few decades.

Biblibio — There are some really smart booksellers out there who get the future and see a clear place for themselves in it. The conversation I referenced is proof of that. Person A would not likely shop in Person B bookstore’s if they lived in the same area because the bookstore wouldn’t have what Person A is seeking. And while Person B knew this, it seemed like there was a bit of revelation as well. She’s trying to change how she views her customer base, and I think that’s so positive.

As for the Twitter conversation, you may just have to trust me on this. It’s happening, it’s goofy, it’s serious, it’s productive. The final aspect, to me, is really important. I love that I can toss out ideas and have them debated by some very smart people. I love even more that those smart people come from different perspectives and backgrounds. It helps cement thoughts and approaches.

Kat — Interesting comment. The publishers who are already engaging are reaping benefits, but it’s hard (boy, is it hard!) to change corporate culture. Yet this kind of dramatic change is exactly what needs to happen.