Future in social media

           This semester I discovered that social media isn’t just for posting pictures of your cat, your food or other random pictures.  For my own personal use – I have “checked-in” someplace, “liked” companies on FaceBook, and looked at Yelp reviews and more.  Now I have learned how a business can use that same information to market the customer.  Tea Around the World is in its own little unique niche.   Yes – we would like the company to grow although that can be a little hard since in is almost completely a one-woman operation.  The business side comes from catering tea events for the customer.   Although the planning part is easy – the prep (creating the menu and creating all the delicious treats & desserts) can take up to a week.

         For this business, we have decided to spend one day a week updating and adding to all the social media options.   Spending lots of money for advertising isn’t an option at the moment – but some of the $5-10 Facebook ads will be re-evaluated again to give it a try.   This may not sound like it’s a lot or that we are interacting with the customers and followers enough.    The plan is once a week on Facebook, to pre-schedule posts that are going out at least every other day.   If there is an event we have catered or another afternoon tea location that has been reviewed – then that will give us even more content to post.

         FaceBook, Twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin and Instagram will still continue to be the major sources for social media outlets.  They all seem to partner well with the type of business this is.   Using the FaceBook and Google analytics will definitely be used to show not only where people are clicking and linking from but what the demographics we are reaching.

      Looking at the analytics has also helped us start thinking of the future and how to advertise.   Instead of just thinking about today and the immediate events that are planned or locations being reviewed.

      Some of the longer term plans we are putting in place (for blasting on all social media) is holiday specials and discounts.  For February – we are going to try to target a more male audience with discounts and reminders about ordering sweet & sinful desserts for their sweethearts.  And for March/April – advertising for Easter treats and baskets.   Also adding to list for advertising and using social media to make our presence known is to use newsletters once a month and link it to the website and Facebook.   A new goal is to find and partner with as many local afternoon tea locations to be featured in our newsletter and a new blog on the website.   We are already being featured in a local hotel to host an afternoon tea over the holidays which will get our name out there.   We are also in the process of re-doing the website, brochures and business cards to include all the logos where we can be found on social media.

    It may be a little slower to grow and create a larger presence on the majors forms of social media – but we are excited to keep trying and discovering new ways to get our name out there and advertising the business (sometimes at little to no cost).

We are excited about continuing down these new paths to help the business thru the adventure and journey called social media.