So what makes a successful Twitter campaign?The answer to that question depends on your ultimate objective and how you measure your success. Many companies make the mistake of treating their Twitter presence as just another advertising medium. They couldn’t be more wrong. Social media marketing is about building relationships. When you’ve built rapport and trust your customers are more likely to recommend you and your prospects are more likely to buy from you.

Here are some examples of organizations that are successful in using Twitter.

ZapposZappos brand profile is high due to the way they use Twitter to build personal relationships with their customers. They serve multiple business goals by using the feedback to enhance customer experience, brand the company as a service-related and reach out directly to new customers.

With nearly 200 employees Tweeting on a regular basis they are able to put a human element in to their online retail business. They manage to get people talking about Zappos by using the enthusiasm of dedicated fans and connecting customers with people who work there.

They helped build traction by giving things away. On one day they gave away ten pairs of shoes to random followers. On another day it was a trip to Vegas that included lunch with Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh.

DellDell has multiple Twitter profiles that are for specific purposes. One Twitter account @DellOutlet has the latest deals on refurbished Dell computers whilst another, @DellSmBizOffers, targets small businesses with exclusive deals. They also keep in touch with the needs of their customers via their IdeaStorm website. This is really using Twitter as an integrated part of their business so it’s not just for sales but also to gain business intelligence.

StarbucksStarbucks was an early adopter of Twitter and they have totally embraced the concept as a means of promotion. Starbucks is considered to have one of the best social media strategies that also encompasses Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. They focus on what people like and want. They follow this up with relationship building to gain new customers.

JetblueJetblue has over 1 million followers and has the largest airline presence on Twitter because it uses Twitter to answer consumer questions quickly, typically these could be flight delays or luggage limits. They have now created an additional Twitter account @JetBlueCheeps to tell customers about flight deals.

Small PlacesThis is an unusual Twitter account because it actually creates a shared novel. Followers can interact with the storyline and it creates exposure for the author. It’s a prime example of how to be successful by being both entertaining and useful.

Malaria No MoreBy involving Ashton Kutcher the actor and CNN this charity was able to get out the viral message about supplying malaria nets to Senegal. The involvement of celebrities & mainstream media corporations helps to raise the excitement level to world changing proportions.

In summary the key to a good campaign is to interact with your audience to build rapport. Make sure your Tweets are entertaining as well as informative. Find a unique angle or get the collaboration of someone with a bigger presence on Twitter or other media streams. Be authentic and show you care about your customers and the wider social impact of your company to develop trust. Above all, be consistent in Tweeting regularly so people remember you.