Social Media Helps Some Small Businesses Endure Bad Economy
Published: Monday, March 1, 2010 on Clickz.com
By Christopher Heine
Whether it’s a 50-cent discount for knowing architecture trivia on Twitter or a Hawaiian pizza night aimed at college students on Facebook, many small businesses say that social media sites have been godsends for weathering the current recession. With a dash of creativity, these companies – including some start-ups – have leaned on Facebook and Twitter as low-cost options to communicate with customers who, in turn, have helped spread the word.
Take Coolhaus, an ice cream sandwich venture by real estate developer Freya Estreller and architect Natasha Case, the latter having become recently unemployed in her field. When they launched about 10 months ago in Los Angeles, the foodie entrepreneurs didn’t rely only on their architecture-themed street vendor truck to market the brand. Instead, they took their handmade ice cream concoctions and figured out how to meld them into the local consciousness via social media.
Facebook and Twitter accounts were quickly established, and Case began experimenting with promotions. In one example, followers were provided a link to the work of well-known architectural photographer Julius Shulman. If a customer came to the truck and said his name, they got 50 cents off the “Orange Julius Shulman” ice cream sandwich (regularly priced at $3.50).
Another example of a tweet: “today’s password: ‘he lives in a pineapple under the sea’ for our AMAZING secret flavor AND 50 cents off.” The password was good for a half-dollar off a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed cool treat.
Less than a year later, the small business has almost 8,000 Twitter “followers” (longtime ice cream giant Baskin-Robbins has 10,000, by comparison) and nearly 1,300 Facebook “fans.” Better yet, it plans to launch another truck in the current locale as well as one in the Hamptons on Long Island, NY, and a fourth in Austin, Texas.
And recent research by Rice University suggests that Coolhaus’s social media strategy will be just as effective with multiple locations as it has been with one. The university’s three-month study found that Facebook “fans” for a chain of Houston-based cafés visited 20 percent more often and spent 33 percent more money when compared to non-fans.
While stating that social media has “absolutely” driven Coolhaus’s growth, Case sounded like a marketer who has only begun to post and, more particularly, tweet. “Twitter is a self-marketing machine,” she said. “People take pictures of the ice cream sandwiches and the truck and post them. Friends tell their friends. It’s been an exponential source of growth for us. We didn’t get into Facebook until later… I think there are a lot of non-Twitterers out there, so you have to make time for Facebook. For a mobile business like ours, both social media sites are totally required.”
Pizza Joint Uses Facebook to Corral College Kids
On the Facebook side of things is Golden Knights Pizza, a one-location restaurant that has seemingly navigated the tough times by positioning its Facebook page as an orders engine for selling pizza and bar food to college students. The Orlando, FL-based operation posts weekly specials at its “fan” page, which has picked up 2,200 members since the account opened in November.
Through online transactions vendor BigHoller, the establishment links the offers to a landing page where “fans” can complete orders for deals on pizza, hot wings, salads, etc. The same landing page is used for GoldenKnightsPizza.com.
Owner Chas Warner predicts that his restaurant could someday do up to 40 percent of its business through a combination of Facebook and its Web site. At times, the restaurateur has gone so far as to individually recognize “fans” for their orders with a quick “thank you” post the following day on the social site.
“The whole idea really didn’t come together until we [recently] combined Facebook and the online ordering aspect,” Warner said. “It is probably the biggest part of our marketing thrust at this point in time, because we are trying to rebrand/relaunch our image on the college campus for the University of Central Florida.”
Social Media’s Been Doggone Good to New Hampshire Small Businesses
Axel’s Food & Ice Cream was named after a dog – Axel – that passed away two years ago and therefore didn’t get to witness the positive effect social media had on his namesake business. The seasonal ice cream business, based in Merrimack, NH, is currently closed for the New England winter, but is gearing up to push deals via Facebook, Twitter, and AxelsFoodandIceCream.com for the second consecutive year.
In 2009, said founder Kristen Costa, the social sites were marketing boons to her drive-in/sit-down establishment. An interesting loss-leader she’s run via Facebook and Twitter is the “Doggy Sundae,” a free ice cream treat for dogs brought in by their owners.
“We want people to post their pictures of their dogs eating their ‘Doggy Sundae,’” Costa explained. “We are definitely going to be doing more [social media] efforts this year.”
To build a social media presence, Axel’s has used signage around its store, encouraging patrons to become Facebook “fans” and Twitter “followers.” It has accrued fewer than 200 for both accounts, but it plans on getting a fast jump on the upcoming warm-weather season by leveraging the sites.
“Social media is not like direct mail or local print advertising,” Costa said. “Those marketing mediums don’t make much difference with our customers. On the other hand, our Facebook fans and our Twitter followers want information from us.”
Jenny Cheifetz began marketing her one-year-old Bedford, NH-based company, a confectionery brand called The Sugar Mommy, on Facebook right after launch and then through Twitter two months later. In less than a year, numbers for both accounts mirror what Costa’s brand has achieved. More importantly, though, Cheifetz has seen her company grow from a local-only entity to fulfilling national orders.
“[Social media] is viral, and it’s free,” she said. “I’m a new business. I don’t have the money to spend on a large advertising campaign.”
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Area Eateries Find Promotional Tool in Twitter
Published: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 on the Nashua Telegraph’s FeastNH.com
By Michelle Collins
If you’re still communicating with friends and family using handwritten letters or the telephone, you’re one of the few that remain.
Thanks to Web sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, social media is changing the way people communicate. In the midst of a tight economy with high advertisement rates, it’s also changing the way local restaurants and eateries are reaching their hungry audiences.
Twitter, at www.twitter.com, is a social networking Web site that allows friends, family, customers and co-workers to “follow” one another and let each other know, in 140 characters or less, what they are doing.
Axel’s Food and Ice Cream (@eatataxels) in Merrimack is one such establishment that has realized the importance of Twitter in reaching out to its customers.
“We’ve been wanting to get on the Web and reach our customers on a daily basis,” said Kristen Costa, one of four family member managers at Axel’s. “It’s just another way to keep contacting them.”
Axel’s created its Web site, Facebook profile and Twitter page right before it opened for the 2009 season. Through its new Web presence, Axel’s has been running special promotions for Twitter followers and will start providing coupons via Twitter in the near future. For instance, on Earth Day, Axel’s offered free soft-serve ice cream with a purchase to any customers that walked, biked or drove a hybrid to Axel’s that day, by simply saying Twitter at the time of their order.
“The Twitter presence is really ramping up,” Costa said. “With the economy now, people are looking to save.”
When Axel’s originally signed up for Twitter, it received followers through providing a link to its Twitter page on its Web site, as well as any e-mails sent from the company. Employees at Axel’s even give out information sheets to customers that visit the ice-cream stand that lets them know Axel’s is on Twitter and the Web.
“We’re trying to educate all our customers that we are available,” Costa said.
Although the number of Axel’s Twitter followers has continually increased since the eatery signed up, especially once it started posting more status updates and discounts, Costa admits that their main source of success hasn’t come from the site.
“Right now, our Twitter followers hasn’t expanded as much as we thought it would,” Costa said. “We do have a bigger following on Facebook right now.”
Axel’s loyal customer following may contribute to its success on the Web, but there are other local eateries that are new to this food market, and are using the Web to get their name out there.
The Sugar Mommy (@thesugarmommy), for instance, is a local source for homemade baked goods and confections, and was founded only a few months ago by Jenny Cheifetz. Cheifetz’s products are made to order, and though she also has had more success on Facebook, she’s still trying to find a way to successfully use Twitter.
“The more I talk to people, the more they tell me they’re on Twitter,” Cheifetz said. “Twitter, to me, is still a mystery.”
Cheifetz created her Twitter account more than three weeks ago, and she has been using the site in order to provide status updates that let her followers know what current products she is making. For instance, last week Cheifetz posted that she was making vanilla creams and raisin nut clusters. She is hoping, in this tough economy, that daily or weekly updates will provide more publicity and exposure to her new business, without having to pay a hefty advertisement fee.
“I think there’s good potential because you don’t get the (same) exposure on Facebook,” Cheifetz said.
Other local eateries and restaurants on Twitter include Luisa’s Pizza (@LuisasPizza) in Bedford and Manchester; Jillian’s (@JilliansNH) in Manchester; The Cozy Tea Cart (@thecozyteacart) in Brookline; The Common Man (@thecmannh) and T-Bones and Cactus Jack’s (@tbonesnh) with several locations throughout the state; and even a fan who constantly updates for Patisserie Bleu (@patisserie bleu) in Nashua.
Restaurants such as Luisa’s offer coupons and promote current specials via Twitter updates, while others, like The Common Man, provide constant updates about what’s going on with the restaurant – in 140 characters or less, of course.
“It’s a powerful tool,” Costa said of Twitter. “We didn’t know quite to the extent.”
To read this full article, visit http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090429/FOOD/304299956/-1/feast
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Spring Is Here, And So Is Ice Cream
Published: Thursday, April 9, 2009 on the Nashua Telegraph’s Encorebuzz.com
For some people, a sure sign of spring is a purple crocus popping up through the ground or a robin singing at the window.
For foodees, the vernal equinox isn’t official until the ice cream stands and clam shacks open. We headed for Axel’s Food and Ice Cream in Merrimack during its opening week of the season.
Admittedly, the chilling temperatures and blustery winds on the day we attended kept us eating in the car and not at the nice stone benches out front, but that didn’t daunt us or Doggie T for T, who accompanied us. Axel’s was in fact named for a dog who has since passed away, but whose spirit lives on in the stand’s logo and in the free doggie sundaes – a cup of soft serve vanilla with a dog biscuit on top.
Because of the chill, we went for the hot dishes. We began with cups of Clam Chowder (in this case, they came with our meals; but normally cups are $3.50), which were actually on the lukewarm side but tasty and hearty just the same.
Mrs. T for T’s soup came with her Lobster Roll ($8.59) and a bag of chips. This is really a fantastic lobster roll – especially for the price. The soft, tasty roll was spilling over with heaps of fresh lobster and thankfully not too much mayonnaise, which can downright ruin good lobster. For the price, we think it’s any amazing deal.
In a sense, Axel’s has the spirit of a clam shack but with a lot more than clams, including a Scallop Plate ($12.49), Fisherman’s Combo ($15.49) and a Haddock Sandwich ($4.99).
Axel’s also has tempting non-seafood recipes like a Smokey Joe ($4.69), a grilled turkey breast sandwich with bacon, barbecue sauce and melted cheese, a Steak Bomb ($4.69) and an Axel’s Reuben ($4.69).
There is also a kids’ menu for children 10 and younger.
Mr. T for T went for the Whole Belly Clam Plate ($14.99), fried whole clams, french fries and cole slaw. This was a very satisfying meal with plenty of fresh clams, fried crispy, but not greasy, and tasty, seasoned fries. The cole slaw was definitely home made, with thick slices of cabbage and a slightly sweet flavor. Mrs. T for T loved it. Mr. T for T prefers a more traditional, thinner sliced slaw.
The Table for Twos also split one of Axel’s bargain offerings this week – a $1 grilled hot dog served on a buttered, toasted roll. This was really excellent, and we would have easily paid twice for the same dog.
Mr. T for T really loved his choice of drink with his lunch – a tall fountain Coke ($1.39) with lots of ice and just the right measure of syrup to soda. He thinks a true clam shack experience isn’t the same with a soda out of a can. Mrs. T for T would have liked her cup of coffee (99 cents) for its rich, fresh brewed flavor, but it, like the chowder, was on the cold side.
On a hot day, we’d like to try the Pineapple Freeze ($3.60) or a Raspberry Lime Rickey ($1.59).
On the other hand, Doggie T for T was all about the cold when he scoffed his gratis doggie sundae. And there is plenty to choose from if you’re a human ice cream lover, too. The stand sells soft serve and hard ice cream, frozen yogurt and even offers low-carb/no-sugar- added ice cream in Black Raspberry and Coffee.
We suggest visiting Axel’s Web site. There are often coupons, and Axel’s is fully plugged in to Facebook and Twitter.
There’s also a nice message about Axel’s owner’s policy to not raise any prices this year in recognition of loyal customers and the tough economy.
*** Axel’s food and Ice cream
608 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack.
429-2229, www.axelsfoodandicecream.com.
Food: ***
Service: ***
Value: ****
CUISINE: Clam shack/ice cream stand.
Prices: $1-$15.49.
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-9 p.m. Sunday.
Handicapped Accessible: Yes.
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes.
Alcohol: No.
DRESS: Casual.
WOULD WE GO BACK? Yes.
To read this full article, visit http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090409/ENCORE03/304099990/-1/encore03
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MERRIMACK, NH – The town’s Fourth of July pie-baking contest brought in more pies in the youth division than the adult division this year. After a tasting session by judges Dean Shankle, Charles Hall, Finlay Rothhaus, Laurie Rothhaus, Robert Desaulniers, Ken Coleman and Rosemarie Rung, winners were announced and ribbons and prizes awarded. Donna La Rue won first place overall with her strawberry rhubarb sparkler pie. She received a blue ribbon and a gift certificate from Currier Orchard. In the youth division, Theresa Connelly, 14, won a first-place ribbon and a gift certificate from Hannah Jack Tavern for her colorful lemon meringue pie. Jacob Gruber, 10, with his most patriotically decorated pie, received a second-place ribbon and a gift certificate to Axel’s Food & Ice Cream. Sisters Allie Philip, 10, and Sammy Philip, 8, received a third-place ribbon and a gift certificate from Axel’s for their mint pie. Rounding out the ribbon presentation, Erica Comstock, 15, received a third-place ribbon and McDonald’s gift certificate for her summer berry pie. Jeremy Gruber, 8, received a certificate of participation for his I Want S’more pie. All the pie bakers received certificates of participation. All the pie bakers in the youth division received certificates from McDonald’s. Thanks go to the judges, servers Jane Desaulniers and Jill Vacchiano, sponsors Currier Orchard, Hannah Jack Tavern, McDonald’s and Axel’s, and those who baked pies to make this event a success.
Copyright 2003, 2004 The Telegraph, Nashua, N.H. All Rights Reserved.
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MERRIMACK, NH – JoAnn Costa will be the first to tell you that the scoop on the ice cream business involves difficult decisions. Dishing out “Jungle Heat,” “Mint Explosion”, and “Mocha Toffee Chunk” instead of “Frozen Pudding,” “French Vanilla” or “Grapenut” has been one of the hardest parts of running an ice cream stand. “We only have 24 slots, so it’s hard to narrow down all the goodies to 24 holes,” said Costa, the new owner of Madden’s Ice Cream Stand. Costa and her husband, Len, bought the stand — soon to be named Axel’s Food & Ice Cream after their Dalmatian — on April 24. Pat and Richard Madden, who still own Madden’s Family Restaurants in Merrimack and Derry, decided to sell because they wanted to “semi-retire,” according to their son, Rich Madden Jr. Besides the name, the Costas won’t be changing much about the stand, except adding a few lunch specials such as soups served in bread bowls, and introducing sorbet, a fat-free, low-calorie, dairy-free dessert for people who are lactose intolerant. Costa has seen children go out for ice cream but not order anything because they were diabetic or lactose intolerant, and it broke her heart. After all, seeing kids smile is her favorite part of the business. “Just to see kids’ faces, a child who got the winning hit for his baseball team, they get to come out for ice cream,” she said. People can choose from 24 hard and six soft serve flavors of Blake’s Old Fashioned Premium Ice Cream, straight from Blake’s Creamery in Manchester. There are sherbets (milk-based mixtures of sugar, water and fruit), low-fat frozen yogurts and sugar-free frozen yogurt. Owning her own ice cream stand has been a longtime dream for Costa, who has always had some kind of food job on the side of her full-time jobs. Before buying the ice cream stand, she worked in the circulation department at The Telegraph for about 15 months. She’s also worked at Crosby’s Bakery and in grocery store bakeries. She’s even worked in school cafeterias. Now that both of their children are in college, it seemed like a good time to get down to business. “I called (Len) six weeks ago and said, let’s make it happen,” she said. The ice cream stand was on the market for a year. Pat and Richard Madden were waiting for the right buyer to come along, according to Rich Madden Jr. “We weren’t just gonna sell it to an investor who would put college kids in there to run it,” he said. The Maddens, former franchisees of two Blake’s Ice Cream restaurants, have been in the restaurant business for two decades. They ran the former Blake’s in the Commons Plaza in Merrimack from 1982 to 1997 and another in Derry from 1985 to 1998. They helped train the Costas and have said they would be there to give the couple advice anytime they need it. “We’d like to make them proud of how the business is doing,” JoAnn Costa said. And the same goes for the customers, many of whom say they want the “Moose Tracks” flavored ice cream. So she’s ordering it. “I’m going to try to make everyone happy.”
Copyright 2002, 2004 The Telegraph, Nashua, N.H. All Rights Reserved.