Note to self: never underestimate the power of social media. OK, pretty much EVERYONE underestimates the power of social media, largely because it’s new and unknowable at this point. But here’s a personal story of how our Adventures on Twitter resulted in a new project we’re excited to undertake.

First, what’s “Twitter”?
For those unfamiliar, Twitter is a micro-blogging site where Twitterers (or “tweeps” or “tweeple”–please forgive us, we’re still drafting the jargon) send out posts of 140 characters or fewer. Those posts go in to a massive public stream. If a reader likes my tweets (messages), he or she may decide to “follow” me. Every time I post another tweet, my followers receive it on their computer or their phone or whatever device they’ve chosen.

It sounds silly, I know, and a lot of what goes out on Twitter isn’t exactly earth-shattering news. There’s a lot of chatter about PopTarts vs. Toaster Struedel, for example, or entire streams about the lives and loves of celebrities.

There’s also a lot that’s very important, like a revolution.

Why is GHCU on Twitter?
For all its potential for silliness, Twitter is actually an extremely powerful and useful tool. Anyone who’s surfed the Web knows that there’s an enormous amount of information out there–far too much for any individual to sift through, separating chaff from grain, sheep from goats, etc. Fortunately, on Twitter, I am part of a team of people who are professionals in the financial industry, filtering information and passing on the best of what’s available.

Twitter also allows me to be in immediate contact with members who follow me. Along with financial information I pass along, I can tweet about our events, special promotions and great products. I tweeted about the Grand Opening of our new Bellevue branch and the Shred-a-thon we hosted at our Northgate branch. I tweeted about the amazing success we had in raising money for the Race for the Cure. Twitter is a great tool for letting our members and community know what we’re up to.

So about that “new project”?
In keeping with our on-going efforts to be environmentally aware, we’re working on a promotion that will involve having live trees in our branches. The idea is that we will plant the trees in a permanent home where they can provide beauty, shade, a home for wildlife and less-romantic sounding but very important “carbon sequestration.”

I sent out a tweet, asking for advice. A few hours later, I got a phone call from Robert Smith of Lincoln, Nebraska, asking if he could help. As he is a Staff Arborist for the Arbor Day Foundation, well, he could. He got me in touch with the Seattle City Arborist, Noland Rundquist, who had the great idea that we should coordinate with local pea patches. I have since been in contact with the Pea Patch Coordinator for Seattle (yes, there is one: Rich McDonald), who has contacts with a pea patch administrator who just happens to be planning an orchard.

Seriously, how cool is that?

If you’re not following us on Twitter, please consider doing so. Ask questions, pass along information, join the conversation! And if you have a strong position on the PopTarts/Toaster Struedel debate, well, you can weigh in on that too.

And be on the look out for trees, coming this fall to all of our branches!

Filed under: GHCU News by Shannon