Top 10 List -Wisdom From The C Suite That Tweets

This is the 2nd part of The Great Debate - Should The C-Suite Tweet? which features wisdom from       C-Suite business leaders who tweet. Some use Twitter as a personal outlet to communicate with industry thought leaders, some use it to stay connected with business peers, and others utilize Twitter as the voice of their brand.  I think you will be swept away with their social media insight, as it gives us  a better understanding of the value that social media can bring to c-suite leaders and their organizations.

I recommend following Kat Cole, CEO of Cinnabon @katcoleATL. Be sure to take notes because Kat does an exceptional job interacting with Cinnabon’s customers. Kat makes a personal connection with these customers, engaging in a fun, witty, and authentic manner.

Jeff Jones, CMO of Target (@jjones), “plans to harness all of the modern tools to help target guests interact with us when and how they want to. Twitter is a channel for us to connect with our guests using our authentic brand voice.” I asked Jeff, what prompted him to use Twitter, and he responded, “while I was hesitant at first, Twitter is now my go to resource to stay connected both personally and professionally. As Target's CMO, I am focused on enhancing our multichannel experience as a critical way to connect with our guests and I believe Twitter will continue to play an important role in strengthening our brand love.”

Chuck Pascalar, VP of Marketing for Payless Shoe Source (@cpascalar), uses Twitter as personal account. I love Chuck’s philosophy “social media is a dialogue not a monologue. It is a place to engage with people . I have learned SO much from people that are subject matter experts and genuinely want to try and help others, and not because of a sale’s expectation.  I also have made virtual friend with people I may never meet face to face, but enjoy conversations about personal and professional topics and literally enjoy spending time with them online.”

Seth Farbman is the CMO of Gap @sethfarbman. Seth uses the classic disclaimer, “these tweets are my own.” However, Seth mixes business with pleasure as he mixes it up with business peers, and high profile publications like Ad Week and Fast Company.  Seth chooses more of a top-line approach to Twitter and does a great job keeping people in the loop.

Dan Cathy, President and COO of Chick-Fil-A (@DanCathy), is full of wisdom and happy to share it. In fact, Dan is on a speaking tour, and based on his Twitter feed, he is getting rave reviews and making brand fans around the country. This is going to improve customer loyalty with Chick-Fil-A customers. P.S. Dan,    I look forward to meeting you when you speak at Grand Canyon University on July 12th.

Lisa Gavales (@ExpressLisaG) is the CMO of Express and was an early adopter of Twitter when she started tweeting in 2009 when Twitter was about one-on-one communication. Times have changed and   with Lisa’s 41,000+ followers, it is hard to imagine that her communication is as intimate.  Lisa believes    that “customers who follow me on Twitter want to be the first to know what’s going on with the brand.   They want to be brand insiders. I try to give them a glimpse into the brand that they couldn’t otherwise find. Also firsthand feedback continues to be the number one benefit of social media.” I love how Lisa uses social media to make her customers/followers feel exclusive, which drives brand loyalty and consumer evangelism.

Don Fox, CEO of Firehouse Subs (@donmfox), I asked Don how he uses Twitter for his personal voice   or that of Firehouse Sub.  “I speak with my own voice as the CEO of Firehouse Subs.  I restrict most of   my tweets to professional matters, but do put in some more personal commentary if I think it would be of interest to my professional circle”. I encourage you to take a look at Don’s Twitter feed, it is obvious that Don understands the true power of social media, and harnesses it to its full potential. Don is engaging, upbeat, informative, and authentic.

Patrick Adams is the CMO for Victoria Secrets Direct (@PAdamsNY ). Pat shares thought leadership on digital marketing, social media and retail insight.  Patrick’s tweets are jam packed with powerful information and resources impacting the marketing industry.

Jeff Hennion is the CMO of GNC (@jeffhennion). Jeff shares upbeat information about healthy info and showcases GNC athletes and events. Jeff is not over the top, nor understated. He is clearly passionate and excited about GNC and spreading the good word of their brand.

Todd Graves is the founder and CEO of Raising Canes, a fast food chain that specializes in chicken fingers. You can follow Todd @onelovefounder. Todd is as authentic and delightful as they come. You can feel his passion and love for his brand and the people that he engages with.  I have a feeling that social media is fueling the speedy growth of Raising Canes. 

I applaud these leaders for being early adaptors, by leveraging the power of social media.  I understand that social media is not for every leader, however it is a powerful tool when used appropriately, as proven within this blog. Please weigh in with your opinion, are you for or against C-Suite social media and be sure to share why.