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.

Congratulations! A newspaper wants to do a story on your business

Congratulations! A newspaper (or blog, magazine, TV show or radio show) wants to do a story on your business.

As a reporter, I’ll tell you that these types of stories don’t get assigned very often, but when they are, it’s because an editor has identified something newsworthy about your business. Perhaps it’s because your business is doing something groundbreaking that no one else is doing or you’re succeeding despite the odds of the economy or your business model . Sometimes, it’s because you’re the new kid on the block and/or you’re doing something no one else is doing . Of course, if you’re bringing in a bunch of well-paying jobs, you can count on a reporter (or several reporters) calling you, too.

As a reporter, I’d also like to share what news stories are not.

• News stories are not advertisements or advertorials (paid ads that look like news stories). Although they lend a certain amount of credibility that people remember much more than an ad, this is not the place for a reporter to write about your products, services or pat your loyal staff on the back.
• News stories are written by reporters, not by you. Final approval of news copy is not dependent upon your OK. If you would like to double-check quotes, facts and figures, ask the reporter to give you a call before deadline. If there’s a tight deadline, this may not be possible, but most reporters are amenable.

In some cases, I’ve seen business news stories get killed because the owner, manager or spokesperson:

• Did not return calls in a timely manner because they were certain they were being Shanghaied into buying advertising. For every publication for which I have ever written, this has never been the case. Editorial and advertising departments work independently of each other. In the case an ad rep calls you after a story has run, consider the benefits of continuing paid exposure. You can always say “no.”
• Did not return calls in fear of being misquoted.
• Never heard of the publication, TV/radio show or blogger and didn’t think returning a phone call was worth their time. This is especially true for local “advertiser” papers. Ironically, you can get more targeted coverage out of these kinds of publications than you can out of a daily paper or glossy magazine. Don’t discount them.
• Was too coy about revealing numbers. If you run a private company, at least provide percentages of growth or loss. The same goes for refusing to name client companies. It’s impossible to write a business story if a reporter can’t demonstrate the tangibility of what you’re doing.
• Wanted too much control over content and photos. Let the reporter do his or her job. I’m sure you don’t appreciate when others tell you how to do your job.

As a social media specialist, I’d be remiss in not recommending how to get the most out of your free press.

• Link the story on a prominent spot on your website.
• Share the story on Facebook and Twitter. (What? You don’t use social media? Read this blog post.)
• Copy and frame the story in your reception or point-of-sale area.
• Make copies of the story for your collateral for pursuing bids and loans. Companies you’d like to do business with like to see that you’re a strong and vibrant company, and a news story definitely demonstrates that.

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.

(News) feed me with humor

During the six years I was on staff at the Grosse Pointe News, I ate most of my lunches at my desk – partly because it’s a bad habit and partly because I had the luxury of the guy from Lunch Box Deli make the rounds on The Hill business district in Grosse Pointe Farms. Normally, I’m not a sandwich gal, but Lunch Box Deli in Grosse Pointe Park makes that a huge exception with its artisan breads, quality deli meats and fresh veggies. With almost 100 sandwiches on its menu, I had my favorites – roasted red peppers, basil and Provolone on house-baked focaccia; the Godfather with some of the best hard salami I could never get my hands on in the market. I tried but could never replicate its egg salad on wheat. Trust me, words can barely describe my former midday indulgences.

It’s been seven years since I’ve moved on from the Grosse Pointe News and away from my favorite sandwich shop, but like old friends, I keep in touch with Lunch Box Deli on Facebook . I also follow them because I follow a lot of restaurants and other people and businesses on Facebook because it’s part of my journalist/media relations/social media toolbox. And yes, I do get hungry when I glance at the tempting specials throughout the day, especially when there’s a sweet deal. Do the overtly marketed messages that fill my news feeds get boring and mundane? Not really. But what’s been catching my eye are Lunch Box Deli’s latest daily feeds.

Do they have anything to do with describing how incredibly delicious their sandwiches, soups and salads are?  No, but they are getting heard above the noise of everyone else’s sea salt chocolate chip cookies, sheep’s milk gouda cheese, and pink blossom sushi rolls competing for my salivary glands’ attention. Plus, I think their feeds are fun and remind me that there are real people behind the tempting posts I read.

Is Lunch Box Deli’s new communication strategy groundbreaking? For social media, perhaps, but adsmiths have been connecting to us with creative humor that has little or nothing to do with their companies, services or products for years. It’s a lesson worth repeating.

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.

The most interesting bartender in the world

With the call to adding videos to websites and Facebook, I think of some of my favorite TV commercials, especially the ones that have gone viral like the Dos Equis Man campaign.

Sophisticated, sexy, savvy and with a persona that could only match Chuck Norris, sometimes I forget that the most interesting man in the world is trying to sell Dos Equis. It’s not an approach to online videos for every business, but in Ferndale, I’ve found the Dos Equis Man’s match: the most interesting bartender in the world – Dean Bach, owner of Dino’s Lounge.

I’ve been to Dino’s Lounge a few times over the past few years. It’s my favorite place for karaoke, and the food is pretty good, too (in other words, it’s not straight-from-the-freezer-into-the-fryer fare). But what caught my eye a few months ago was one of Dino’s online videos – a takeoff on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show,” which led me to chat one-on-on with Dean for a City’s Best Detroit article.

Like a good talk show host, it’s not just all about Dean. Over a couple of episodes, he’s pulled in some business neighbors for some good conversation and to support them, as well.

Not only does he do the Carson shtick well, but he could be the next Food Network star.

Mmm … that Dino-rita looks good, but complicated. It’s nothing I’d want to try at home, but it’s enough to send me out to Dino’s Lounge to try. How’s that for a call to action?

And, yes, Dean is quite a character … or should I say characters?

Yes, videos can be time consuming and expensive, but with the popularity of online videos, they can be a great enhancement to your online presence – on your website, on Facebook, and on Twitter. If you want to kick out some of the most interesting videos in the world like Dean’s, check out the guys at M-1 Studios in Ferndale. Personally, I can vouch for the guys at Orange Dragin Group in Troy, especially Ryan Lehr who has done a great job of editing “Dining in the D,” shown on WTVS/Channel 56 on Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m.

Lastly, but certainly not leastly, a great way to post your videos (as well as pictures and PDFs) to Twitter is via ScreenTweet, developed by Scate Technologies in Orion Township.

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.

Social media for schools

When my sons were in K-12, every day I would ask them: “What did you do in school today?”

For 13 years, both of my boys claimed to have done “nothing.”

I knew that wasn’t true, but getting communication from teachers and the school was sometimes a bit of a hit-or-miss thing – especially since some days they’d go straight to their dad’s house and some days they’d come home to me. I won’t even begin to get into the clutter that was stuffed in their backpacks. If it weren’t for the magic of snail mail and e-mail, I would have had even less of a clue.

Now that one son is in college and the other one just graduated, I envy parents who can now check Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates of what is going on at their kids’ school. This, from my point of view, is an excellent idea. After all, I think I follow more newspapers, magazines, and radio and TV stations to get the latest and breaking news than I do friends and businesses I frequent and follow.

As I prepare to pitch my social media services for a Detroit-area private school, I’ve seen that some schools are doing a great job while some can use a boost in their communication social media strategies.

I realize this puts another demand on school support staff, but there are benefits:

• Promote student achievement: This is perhaps the No. 1 reason schools should shout out the accomplishments of their students such as National Honor Society inductees, plays and concerts
• Position the excellence of the school’s teachers and administrators and their accomplishments – especially their expertise on issues and professional practices
• Get the word out about open houses and school of choice enrollment
• Assist with development efforts and fundraisers
• Contact with alumni
• And, of course, urgent messages such as weather-related closings

After all, schools strive to provide the latest technology resources for their students. It’s time they put those resources to use themselves.

WANTED: A fun social media strategy

Sometimes, we have to get away from our laptops and smart phones and get out into the world and do things like going to the market.

One thing I love about working with Dining in the D and its partnership with The Urbane Life (see Should you cross-promote with other businesses?) is working with people who are always thinking outside of the box — crazy outside of the box.

As part of my efforts in building Chef Tom’s (host of Dining in the D) visibility is getting him in the press and out at public events. So where are foodies on a Saturday morning? At the Royal Oak Farmers Market.

So here’s the plan: get out there an hour before Chef Tom, pass out “wanted” posters, and encourage people to find him and take pictures of him to post on The Urbane’s Life Facebook page. Of course, Urbane’s Heather Stallsmith is making this worthwhile — she wrangled up two tickets to the Royal Oak Wine Stroll from Vintner’s Cellar to give away to the person who gets the most “Likes” on The Urbane Life’s Facebook page.

Oh, what fun it is to have work that’s like play. I’m having a blast watching the poster go viral.

See you all at the Royal Oak Farmers Market Saturday morning. Don’t bring the handcuffs — just your smart phone.

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

Making the Digital Move

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I realize what I’m about to write is a lot like preaching to the choir, so I’m asking you to help me out and print this out and pass this along to a business owner or non-profit organization that isn’t … Continue reading →