When people are trying to decide where to go for a meal, coffee or drinks, increasingly they are likely to base their decisions on what they find on Facebook, in an email or text blast, at a website, or from a photo on Flickr.
As social media permeate the business world, restaurants in Springfield continue to use no- or low-cost online networks as vehicles for promotion, in many cases outpacing the use of conventional marketing. This trend benefits customers in many ways, giving them more information, access, and, to a certain extent, power.
Owners and marketers of two Springfield start-ups (Brown Egg and Boca Mocha) and two established venues (Gem of India and Parlor 88) shared social media strategies based on budget and stage of development. Everyone emphasized the imperative of using free social media to promote their businesses, engage customers and control costs.