This morning I attended "Eat, Drink, And Be Social," an event for foodies and social media practitioners, in Boston. Run by Tyson Goodridge and the team from Dialogue who brought together over 100 people at Le Cordon Bleu school in Cambridge, MA.
A Chat With Barbara and Jody
The day began with a chat with, Barbara Lynch and Jody Adams, two Boston restaurateurs who once worked together right around the corner at Michela's Restaurant. When asked where the most creative food was coming from in the Boston area, both answered "Cambridge." And when asked what was the most important technology affecting the Boston restaurant business, it was a toss up between OpenTable and the Microplane grater.
Social Media Case Study: Caminito Argentinean Steakhouse
Justin Levy of New Media Labs, talked about how after buying into Caminito Argentinean Steakhouse, he immediately cut the traditional marketing budget by approximately 80% and began implementing a social media strategy that lead to increased sales. He said that you should think of your blog as your home base and that you should not get hung up on other platforms like Facebook or Twitter. Always think of what a platform can do for you and use it to your advantage, but remember that your website and your blog belong to you and are your magnet for attracting business.
How Are They Doing It?
There was a great panel made up @eatBoston, b.good restaurants, City Search, Yelp, Upstairs on the Square, Amy Traverso, and Zagat who talked about how they are using social media in action. Of special interest to me was listening to Mary-Catherine Deibel of Upstairs at the Square (a favorite restaurant of mine) talking about marketing today. She said that they rarely buy advertising any more. Instead they depend on "capturing the hearts and the e-mail addresses of their customers" and marketing to them via e-mail and special events.
Geolocation and You
It's fascinating to see the technology of Foursquare and Foodspotting in its nascent stage. It's amazing to see folks (or perhaps geeks like me) using geolocation technology available through their smart phones to learn more about what's good on food and drinkwise where ever they are. Already a Foursquare user, I downloaded the Foodspotting app to my iPhone while it was being presented. Can't wait to start using it in my neighborhood and when I'm on the road.
Thanks, Tyson & team for pulling this event together. You deserve all of the great praise you're going to get for pulling the foodie community in Boston together for this event. Bon appetit!
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