Las Vegas, Jockey brief underwear sightings, Tweetups and no sleep means that the Ragan Social Media conference has just ended and, well, forgive me if this post is somewhat longwinded, but I am in Las Vegas this week as Definition 6 sponsored the Twitter lounge at this conference, and still not fully recovered. And more about the underwear sightings later.

I've just absorbed so much great insight it still has my head spinning.

Which actually brings me to the one of the key takeaways from the conference, as Chris Brogan put it best in his closing keynote, "we are in consumption overload." Part of the problem is that we have many tools and channels to communicate that it becomes increasingly difficult to cut through the clutter when you try to convey a message, create a connection, and ultimately drive more sales for your brand.  So how can you avoid this?

1- Create good content.  It all begins here. From almost every presenter I've listened to over the past day and a half, they all basically said the same thing.  From Southwest Airlines whose "Nuts about Southwest" blog showcases customers, to Zappos focuses on the mission to "Deliver Happiness" (not just sell products) with video content, it all results in positive social media conversations, high brand affinity and ultimately- more sales.

2- Use Twitter for Customer Service - this is where many companies can exceed expectations or have a PR nightmare.  It's all in the response.  Many presenters talked about this, as Zappos mentioned in their closing keynote, their Twitter account is managed / works closely with the Customer Service teams in the organization.  

3- Tools are not "neato" - stop focusing on the new shiny app, site, platform and create content that resonates. 

4- For lead generation, use Twitter Search vs. "Like-gating" and measuring the value of RTs: Use social media to listen, search for relevant connections and provide value.  By understanding what people are searching for, you can then respond to them and drive sales. 

5- Video Video Video - Video has the power to connect sight, sound and motion, telling your story like no other medium.  Whether you use it as a response to a PR crisis situation, or to highlight the culture of a brand, or even empowering your fan base to create user generated videos that a brand promotes/shares, video has the power to reach us all on an emotional level. 

6 - Google+ is a must. This is the first time I've heard practical advice on why Google+ is so game-changing.  Search Plus Your World combines search, leveraging the data in your circles, connections, and bring you relevant results with meaning.  Every brand should make sure Google+ is on their social media list and do it fast. 

Ragan Conferences are chock-full of great communicators, eager Tweeters and a hunger for knowledge. 

Not only did Definition 6 host a Twitter lounge, but we also had a raffle going on for the best tweet.  The winner was RBelcher3, Ryan Belcher at Jockey, who kept leaving these mini Jockey brief keychains in places around the conference like the Twitter lounge, men's bathroom (so I've heard), conference chairs, the welcome sign and more.  By creating these shareable moments and good content sparked many Ragan attendees to "LOL" and RT the images, and we applaud you for doing so.  With a conference focused on creating content, it couldn't have been a better fit (insert underwear pun here).