How many businesses are still freaking out about social media because it’s so complex? Yes, there are a lot of moving pieces and parts, and a lot of shiny objects to sift through. Yes, some “advanced” social marketing efforts can be quite complex. But today I experienced a business that is jumping in to social marketing in a poetically simple way. This case in point: Coa restaurant in Milwaukee’s upscale Bayshore Town Center shopping mall.
I was a fan long before they “got into social media.” I tweeted about every experience there enthusiastically. For a while, it went more or less unanswered, which was OK, I said what I said because I meant it and expected nothing in return. Then I went to a Cinco de Mayo party there this year, and had the pleasure of meeting owner Marc Bianchini and new “social media guy” Sam Sova.
Sam and Marc know they have some loyal fans, and they also get something even more important than that: the best way to get people talking about you is to offer an extraordinary experience. So they invited 10 of us, plus guests, to come sample their brunch menu and give them our feedback. And of course, nearly everyone at the table was tweeting about their favorite dishes (and the ones they liked less). I recommend the Chilaquiles for some spicy Mexican comfort food, and the breakfast burrito if you’re into spicy chorizo.
I have set up social “ambassador” programs for clients before; I’ve never really been a brand ambassador myself. (I would have been for Specialized Bikes, had they not ignored my enthusiastic tweeting, but that’s a different story.) And Coa’s effort isn’t what I would classify as a “formal” ambassador program. But whether they intended to or not, today, they turned me from merely a fan into something of a self-appointed ambassador. The food is always great at Coa. That’s not what changed. The service is always solid. That’s not what changed. What changed? The incredibly simple act of making a customer feel truly appreciated and “special”.
What are you doing in your business to make your customers into fans and your fans into ambassadors? Or, what could you be doing? If you’re not sure also drop a note below and we’ll get you some ideas.
