Using Twitter and Facebook to Your Advantage

I'm a twitter newbie -- my twitter account (@NMSTravels) is only a week old.  However, I've been using twitter for a while.  Sure, as twiiter took off, there was a 90/10 split -- about 90% of twitterers (is that a word?) just used twitter to send out completely worthless comments to the world and 10% of twitterers actually put out great information, late-breaking news updates or just good stories.  Once corporate marketers learned about the power of twitter (and all of social media, most notably facebook), the world of twitter completely changed.  Now, a good deal of twitter accounts are owned and operated by companies - from Fortune 500 corporations to local outlets.  Though some people might fret about the commercialization of social media, I absolute welcome it because, if you know where to look, you can reap all kinds of great benefits.

Over the past year or so, I have religiously checked the twitter and facebook pages of airlines, hotels and resorts to uncover "secret" deals and promotions.  The travel industry has learned that they can manufacture buzz by rewarding devotees and enticing prospective customers with twitter or facebook promotions.  More recently, companies are using foursquare and other social media outlets to do the same thing.  Use of social media will grow and grow for one reason -- it works.

One prime example is Kimpton Hotels' twitter feed (@Kimpton).  Kimpton is running a twitter-only promotion this summer whereby it posts a monthly secret word and if you use that secret word when you check in (July's secret word: flip flop), you get loads of free stuff.  My wife and I stayed in the Palomar Philadelphia over Memorial Day weekend and when we said the secret word, we were rewarded with an upgrade to a suite and free appetizers at the hotel bar.  We are always happy to get free stuff!  But, since the secret word promotion makes you feel like an insider, you are compelled to spread the word to your good friends.  Just a couple weeks later, I told my sister and friend about the secret promotion just before their stay at the Lorien Hotel in Alexandria, Virginia. 

My advice is to use social media to your advantage -- before you book your flights, check for promotions on the twitter pages of the airlines; before you book your hotel or resort, check for deals and special amenities offered only through "liking" their facebook page; and if you are a fan on facebook or a twitter follower, make sure to let the resort know you're coming -- they might just surprise you with a welcome gift!