In this new series, we’ll find out how real brick-and-mortar businesses ar boosting their digital presence and raise social-media consultants for his or her best suggestions.
Red Hook Lobster Pound relied on e-mail blasts to lure customers to its Brooklyn eatery once it opened in 2009. it's fully grown since then, with a replacement location in Montauk, N.Y., victory food trucks troll big apple town and Washington, D.C., and up to fifty staff within the busy season. because the edifice evolved, therefore did social media, and owner Susan Povich has used it to her advantage. She has established an in depth social presence and focuses her on-line efforts on complete building, making a unusual temperament for her urban lobster business. however with social-media sites perpetually hungry for attention, she’s had to seek out new ways that to stay up.
What’s operating
Make customers a part of your story. once Red Hook Lobster Pound’s Brooklyn web site took on six feet of water throughout cyclone Sandy, Povich had a bonus not each native business had: A loyal following. With concerning six,000 Facebook fans, several asking however they may facilitate, Povich knew customers World Health Organization had unfold the word concerning the edifice would unfold the word to assist reconstruct it. She turned to Smallknot, a crowdfunding web site, and invited customers to shop for $100 gift certificates, with $75 redeemable for food and $25 progressing to the cause. The campaign went microorganism, generating $35,000, and grew her social media following by concerning five %. Mailing out the gift certificates additionally gave Povich valuable insight into World Health Organization her customers were, wherever they lived and alternative demographic data. Jay Baer, president of convert & Convert, a Bloomington, Ind.-based social-media practice, and author of Youtility, says the hassle speaks to however avid the Lobster Pound’s fans ar. “Most restaurants don’t have that sort of relationship with their customers,” Baer says.
Have fun. Povich depends on social media to present her business a voice. “I use it to speak with my customers, to form them laugh and have some fun,” she says. Povich is thought for posting retro song lyrics, and got particularly artistic on Pinterest, making icon galleries that go so much on the far side food. quite 350 pins showcase everything from lobster tattoos to crustacean dressmaking. Baer appreciates the approach. “It’s nice that they're giving themselves permission to form their stories larger, not regarding their own comes and menu things, however lobsters within the wild and alternative funny things that permit you to form a reference to them that transcends the edifice surroundings,” he says.
Have fun. Povich depends on social media to present her business a voice. “I use it to speak with my customers, to form them laugh and have some fun,” she says. Povich is thought for posting retro song lyrics, and got particularly artistic on Pinterest, making icon galleries that go so much on the far side food. quite 350 pins showcase everything from lobster tattoos to crustacean dressmaking. Baer appreciates the approach. “It’s nice that they're giving themselves permission to form their stories larger, not regarding their own comes and menu things, however lobsters within the wild and alternative funny things that permit you to form a reference to them that transcends the edifice surroundings,” he says.
Image credit: Red Hook Lobster Pound
Yet Povich's dedication to social media born off because the demands of her company accrued. For a moment, she dedicated concerning AN hour on a daily basis to change Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, however recently determined that wasn't enough. She employed a part-time on-line content manager World Health Organization can devote 15-20 hours every week to her Twitter and Facebook accounts to grow her presence and increase engagement.
What the specialists advise
Don’t drown the facts. whereas abstract lobster art is fun, bear in mind the fundamentals. Media contriver raincoat mineworker, author of suppose sort of a rock 'n' roll musician, says what fans most have to be compelled to recognize is what’s on the menu and wherever the food trucks square measure. “It feels like they are missing lots of opportunities to drive sales particularly throughout off hours,” he says. several of the Lobster Pound’s eight,300 Twitter followers in all probability sign up to seek out the roving food trucks, therefore the edifice ought to post the truck's schedule at the start of every week and provide constant updates throughout the day, mineworker says. Sprinkling in additional references to daily specials at the brick-and-mortar locations will stimulate food truck customers to “dine in” similarly. The Lobster Pound will check the effectiveness of Facebook versus Twitter with promotions like free fries to the primary 5 those that visit the edifice. "You might provide a unique code on every channel to work out wherever you are obtaining the foremost engagement," he says. Once that is known, the Lobster Pound will target social media to herald diners once too several tables square measure empty. mineworker suggests that time-pressed entrepreneurs will focus their energies on the social media platform with the foremost direct business results. "The worst issue they'll do is try and do an excessive amount of, get engulfed and dump it all," he says.
Address your critics. The Lobster Pound has a lively Yelp page with over 325 reviews and a 4-star rating. whereas most reviews square measure positive, there square measure some negative comments and a few stay unrequited. All restaurants will take pleasure in claiming their Yelp listing and respondent each critic, Baer says. “The massive lesson is to understand that client service now could be a athletics,” he says. “It’s concerning ensuring that each one the many thousands of individuals World Health Organization browse that review see you’re listening which you’re attempting to try to to higher.” Povich says she in private messages customers World Health Organization post less-than-stellar reviews, however notes she'll add public responses similarly thus anyone World Health Organization involves her page can recognize she acknowledges all of her customers.
Yet Povich's dedication to social media born off because the demands of her company accrued. For a moment, she dedicated concerning AN hour on a daily basis to change Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, however recently determined that wasn't enough. She employed a part-time on-line content manager World Health Organization can devote 15-20 hours every week to her Twitter and Facebook accounts to grow her presence and increase engagement.
What the specialists advise
Don’t drown the facts. whereas abstract lobster art is fun, bear in mind the fundamentals. Media contriver raincoat mineworker, author of suppose sort of a rock 'n' roll musician, says what fans most have to be compelled to recognize is what’s on the menu and wherever the food trucks square measure. “It feels like they are missing lots of opportunities to drive sales particularly throughout off hours,” he says. several of the Lobster Pound’s eight,300 Twitter followers in all probability sign up to seek out the roving food trucks, therefore the edifice ought to post the truck's schedule at the start of every week and provide constant updates throughout the day, mineworker says. Sprinkling in additional references to daily specials at the brick-and-mortar locations will stimulate food truck customers to “dine in” similarly. The Lobster Pound will check the effectiveness of Facebook versus Twitter with promotions like free fries to the primary 5 those that visit the edifice. "You might provide a unique code on every channel to work out wherever you are obtaining the foremost engagement," he says. Once that is known, the Lobster Pound will target social media to herald diners once too several tables square measure empty. mineworker suggests that time-pressed entrepreneurs will focus their energies on the social media platform with the foremost direct business results. "The worst issue they'll do is try and do an excessive amount of, get engulfed and dump it all," he says.
Address your critics. The Lobster Pound has a lively Yelp page with over 325 reviews and a 4-star rating. whereas most reviews square measure positive, there square measure some negative comments and a few stay unrequited. All restaurants will take pleasure in claiming their Yelp listing and respondent each critic, Baer says. “The massive lesson is to understand that client service now could be a athletics,” he says. “It’s concerning ensuring that each one the many thousands of individuals World Health Organization browse that review see you’re listening which you’re attempting to try to to higher.” Povich says she in private messages customers World Health Organization post less-than-stellar reviews, however notes she'll add public responses similarly thus anyone World Health Organization involves her page can recognize she acknowledges all of her customers.