Communicating with customers on and off-line

Over the past few months working as director of social media and filling in for the field producer of “Dining in the D,” I’ve had the privilege of working with Mustafa Dakroub, CEO of Palm Palace.

Aside from having my limits pushed  beyond my go-to Mediterranean favorites (you have to try the spicy sausage, or sujek, and classic Moroccan lamb), I got to see how Mustafa has one of the savviest minds when it comes to running restaurants, especially when it comes to marketing.

Facebook? Check. Twitter ? Check. Staying in touch with customers through email newsletters? He does that, too.  If I wanted to pick up lunch from the office or pick up a carry-out dinner on my way home, placing my order online from Palm Palace would be at the top of my mind. And aside from Palm Palace’s beautiful website, I enjoy the ambiance at two of the three restaurants I’ve visited even more. They’re more luxurious and well-maintained beyond most other restaurants at its price point, yet still casual and comfortable. Service, however, is not a casual matter. It’s impeccable as it should be at every restaurant.

Short of being on site to keep up on every detail when it comes to quality control, Mustafa and his staff rely on comment cards. No, they’re not a random afterthought that some bored customer might want to fill out while waiting for a check. They’re presented by the servers to the customers before orders are taken, and servers make it a point to ask for them to be completed.

Some owners and managers might see this as one more thing to do on top of everything else they have to do, but Mustafa assured me that every card gets read and that he’s made changes based on what he hears from customers. For example, when times got tough and people started cutting back on their restaurant meals, Palm Palace put together a value menu that has many of its most  popular menu items but served in smaller portions at reduced prices.

If I haven’t sung enough praises about Mustafa and the food at Palm Palace, check out their segment on “Dining in the D.” Warning: don’t watch this on an empty stomach.

Bonnie Caprara is a Detroit-based freelance writer and media media relations and social media consultant. She can be reached at bcaprara@wowway.com and at MsQuote on Twitter.

Should you cross-promote with other businesses?

As the director of social media for “Dining in the D“, I’m very fortunate to have found a media partner in The Urbane Life, a lifestyle and entertainment blog that was initially intended to highlight life in the communities in which the Urbane Apartments are located.

As any savvy real estate professional knows, Gen Y-ers tend to want places to live that are downtown-centric and full of fun and activities – shopping, dining and nightlife. The also get all of their information online. Over the past three years I’ve been following it, The Urbane Life has taken on a life of its own. After all, where we live is more than just four walls, a roof and a place to sleep – not that Urbane’s properties aren’t cool places to live to begin with.

Needless to say, The Urbane Life has taken on a life of its own and now reaches people who live outside of their target markets and aren’t looking for apartments (like me, for example). It’s my daily dose of learning what’s cool and interesting in the Detroit area.

So when I pitched Eric Brown, The Urbane Life’s publisher, about doing a story on “Dining in the D” coming on the air on WTVS/Channel 56 in May, I was hoping he’d include a story that involved some restaurants in his communities and would appeal to his readers. What I got was a gift: he offered to do a series of stories on each of the episodes plus gift certificate giveaways from participating restaurants. Also, everyone pitches in with social media, including his writers and staff and the “Dining in the D” team. It’s a win-win-win situation for everyone. For “Dining in the D,” of course; for The Urbane Life, and for the show’s featured restaurants that choose to take advantage of “free” (plus their cost of serving a free meal or two) advertising.

Shared marketing is also what Community Marketing Associates, where I provide social media services and public relations support, is all about.  For a fee (about what a business might spend on one ad in a glossy magazine) that’s broken down into small monthly installments , the firm handles marketing, advertising, and public relations services for cities and small businesses within a local business district for an entire year. Combined, that’s a whole lot more money than what downtown development authorities get to market their districts and a lot more money than individual businesses spend on their own.

Is it joining forces with competitors? No, not entirely. Small businesses don’t exist on deserted islands. In Berkley, for example, I might want to do my shopping at Hiller’s Market, pick up a gift at Catching Fireflies, and some scones at Elwin & Co. (Do I pick cappuccino orange, caraway dill or black forest?) How would I do that if I didn’t know about Berkley? How many people know Berkley has a downtown? It all makes sense, especially with gas prices the way they are.

Bonnie Caprara is a Detroit-based freelance writer and media relations and social media consultant. She can be reached at bcaprara@wowway.com and at MsQuote on Twitter.