Marijean:
Did you listen to me on the radio with Coy Barefoot last night?
Rusty:
Aw, HELL no. I don’t even know what time you were on.
In case you missed it, too — you can listen here!
In December of 2010, I wrote about the casual restaurants in Charlottesville that I thought were doing a pretty good job using social media A plethora of others have opened and joined the social web since then, and those I wrote about at that time are still going pretty strong.
I was willing to go to the web to see what other favorites were out there.
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/DanaMarieAdams/status/188286924383989760″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/gingergermani/status/188292965612011520″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/saw2w/status/188289299303768064″]
What do you think people like to see restaurants post?
- Specials, like Tavola does on Facebook
- Pictures, like the one below from BBQ Exchange, are always recommended
- Answers to others’ questions.
Nothing frustrates me (or the common social media user) more than when they face a lack of responsiveness. A while ago I asked a grocery chain for the location of their food truck. I asked via Facebook. I asked via Twitter. I wanted to know THAT DAY. (I was hungry).
A week passed and I finally got a response.
Not good enough.
If you’re going to have a presence online in a local market as a restaurant serving the people in that market and the many people just passing through, you must have someone dedicated to being present online in that space.
Every. Single. Day.
I know, it’s hard. But gee, you have people eating in your restaurant every day. You have people cooking and washing dishes and serving in your restaurant every day. So get on it. Be present, and watch your business grow.
Now, who wants some delicious pork belly?
My good friend and local celebrity Coy Barefoot (pictured at left) has me on his fabulous radio show from time to time. When I’m there, I talk about social media (and pie, of course. Always pie.)
This week I joined Coy to talk about the current state of social media — how consumers are accessing social networks, what it means for businesses and what the break down is in consumer demographics.
It’s always great fun to be with Coy and to share the latest in media, to define and talk about best practices for using social media.
Take a listen to the short podcast here.
I’ll be on again next week to talk about the fastest growing social platform: Pinterest.
I have a blank wall before me in a fresh new office. That’s not a metaphor; we’ve moved into space at 820 E. High Street in Charlottesville. We quickly outgrew the last space we were in and this one allows for some future growth and accommodation of the current Jaggers Communications team. Sitting here this morning, unpacking a box and reorganizing files, waiting for a new, comfortable chair to arrive, reminds me of all the “new” offices I’ve had in my past.
There was the corner of the mailroom at Illinois History magazine, a job I held in high school and prized because it felt grown up, and was on the path I envisioned for myself back then. I hung a poster of Sting in my “office;” really a desk surrounded by filing cabinets.
I had a desk in the back room of a Sears store when I was a merchandise coordinator while in college. The area doubled as storage space and was depressed with florescent lighting and false retail cheer.
I sat in what appeared to be the receptionist’s seat, right inside the door in a tiny office of my first agency where I was an intern, then an associate. The desk was in the line of sight of the boss. She liked having me there. I couldn’t wait to leave.
Next I was in a fabulous downtown building in St. Louis — right near the riverfront with a fantastic view. The job sucked, though and I had that view for a short, miserable six months.
The next office landed me in suburban St. Louis for six years or so — hard to get to, musty, uncomfortable space that was made unpleasant by equipment that needed upgrading and fellow tenants who were either loud or smelly.
The next career jog spanned two offices, both decidedly “meh;” one with a windowless space painted industrial green.
The office I loved best was with Standing Partnership in Creve Coeur, St. Louis, Missouri. Spacious, individual offices for 20+ people, a useful conference room, a nice break room, clean, well-appointed restrooms. I was spoiled by that office.
After that I worked from home for five years. It was great, in a way. I have a very nice home office with a walkout, a nice view, a puppy at my feet and great furniture. I was happy in that office but it was awfully lonely.
I did a stint at OpenSpace, which I recommend to anyone who is a sole proprietor, working remotely or in need of a landing space to get work done in Charlottesville. Tell them I sent you.
I’m happy to have a fresh new office. It’s clean and pleasant; convenient and roomy. It has a great conference room and a decent kitchen. I think we’ll be very happy here for awhile.
What kind of offices have you had? What were your favorites? What were the worst?
Individuals and companies struggling with the plunge into the social media pool can consider this: try LinkedIn first. LinkedIn is a business network, first, foremost and always, and for the uninitiated, the perfect place to establish a social network for business growth that is easy to understand and not overwhelming.
LinkedIn is a constant resource for my business. Here are just a few ways I’ve used it in the last week:
- I connected with client contacts so they can have access to my network as second degree contacts
- I’ve reviewed who is interested in my profile, to see if there are any likely warm leads to whom I should be conducting outreach
- I researched client prospects and their businesses and sent messages to individuals I want to meet
- I posted news from my own company, as a way of sharing our growth and capabilities
LinkedIn is a very useful business tool — for companies that are not otherwise engaged in social networking tools at all, it is absolutely necessary to take advantage of what LinkedIn has to offer.
If we have a working relationship and we’re not already connected on LinkedIn, feel free to reach out: http://www.linkedin.com/in/marijeanjaggers