“一个很难否认online testimonials are valuable, but those generally come after the sale," writes Kimberly Smith at MarketingProfs. "What if you could start that engine earlier by introducing a social component while customers are still excitedly anticipating the arrival of their new purchases?" San Francisco's Rickshaw Bagworks found a way to do it—and its strategy might work for your company, too.

When research showed that its target audience preferred Twitter to other social networks, the plan went into action:

• During the checkout process, Rickshaw Bagworks asked customers for their Twitter handles.
• When a new bag was about to be shipped, staff would snap a photo and send a tweet with the customer's handle and the #FreshBagFeed hashtag. For instance: "Tweed meets camouflage. We're in LOVE. Great choice @floflidesign #FreshBagFeed."

Initially, the tweets linked to images posted at Twitpic, but Rickshaw Bagworks encountered a problem. "The pages displayed third-party ads, including some from a major competitor," explains Smith. The fix came in the form of personalized landing pages that echoed the design sensibilities of the company's website.

The results were spectacular:

• Sixty percent of customers who received @ mentions responded with a reply or retweet.
• On the low end, landing pages receive between 10 and 15 visits. But others get much more traffic, according to Smith: "One received more than 1,500 views, though that's unusual; highs typically range between 300 and 500 views."

The Po!nt:If you produce share-worthy content and make it easy to share, customers might start spreading the word before your product ever arrives.

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