Fresh Trends: July 2013

Here are five reasons social media is a must-do for your bakery

Here are five reasons social media is a must-do for your bakery

If you are an owner or operator of a bakery today, it is essential that you have some sort of social media presence. Whether you believe in it or not, it is now a standard part of every business’s marketing plan, with time, staff and a budget set aside for social media marketing. In a recent poll, nearly half of restaurant operators said social media was the main focus of their recent marketing campaigns.

You might think that having a website for your operation is enough, but the reality is that your customers are not checking your website daily for updates or news. However, social media users are checking their Facebook pages and Twitter feeds several times a day. So it’s important for your bakery to get in there!

Facebook now has over one billion users worldwide, which represents a lot of potential customers. Facebook is constantly creating new apps, programs and tools to help businesses promote themselves on its site. If your bakery is not on Facebook yet, you are missing out on huge opportunities to gain new customers. Here are a few reasons why.

1. Easy and inexpensive
Getting aboard social media is pretty easy and doesn’t cost much money. Just follow the step-by-step guidelines provided by Facebook on how to create your own business page, and use the options provided to establish how little or how much you want to do with it. All you need is a computer and some time.

2. Great for sharing content
Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram make it easy for you to share content immediately with a large group of people. As a bakery, using photographs and videos are the best ways to attract customers into your store. If you post tantalizing photos of your cupcakes, cakes, pastries, sandwiches, breads and other products, the imprint of your photo will stay in the memories of your fans and followers, which will remind them to shop at your bakery the next time they need baked goods or are in your neighbourhood.

3. offers Free word-of-mouth advertising
Social media also helps to generate a lot of free word-of mouth advertising. Once one of your fans or followers comments on your update or photo, everyone can see it. Each positive comment you receive is like a free testimonial to your operation. If you happen to receive a negative comment, you also have the opportunity to apologize and rectify the situation immediately before you lose the customer. Social media users are also more likely to recommend a brand that they follow on Facebook or Twitter.

4. Gives the ability to reach out to your customers
Social media sites are the simplest and most effective ways to reach out to your customers. They are designed to offer you the ability to create highly personalized, one-on-one and immediate interactions with your customers. From this, you can shape your customer relationship from becoming aware to being a passionate consumer of your bakery’s products. It is a great way to build customer loyalty and also to get feedback from your customers on how to improve your products and services.

5. Teaches You a lot about your customers
Your Facebook page is like a virtual comment card about your bakery, and the best place to find out about your customers’ needs and expectations. Social media is also useful if you are considering developing a new product line or running a new promotion. You can use social media tools such as a Facebook survey or SurveyMonkey to conduct market research for you for free! In order to succeed in your business, you need to give your customers what they want, and the easiest way to find those answers is by getting aboard social media.

Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping restaurant, foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for more than 30 years. Contact her by e-mail at chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.