Boost with Social Media

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter reign supreme and social media had become a place where most people access news and keep in touch with friends. It is also quickly becoming the number one destination for finding new and interesting places to shop. And no, you don't need an online store to be part of the action. There is plenty of room across all social media platforms for devoTEAS to post, share and comment about your business and your unique tea blends.

So how can you start taking advantage of everything social media has to offer? Here are a few starting points:

A great way to get your tearoom some exposure on social media is to start taking photographs. Most of us carry a camera everywhere we go with our smart phones, and surprisingly enough, these little guys have a pretty decent quality camera. So just hold steady (no blurry photos here!) and work your way around your tearoom snapping up interesting images of what sets your business apart. These may include some happy customers sipping on a great new Earl Grey, a close-up shot of a particularly delicious herbal tisane, a nice foamy chai latte or even a how-to video on whisking together your best matcha. Once your following starts to grow, you may even consider hiring a freelance photographer to come in for a day and take some professional quality shots.

Is your tearoom a steeped-in-tradition, sit down type of establishment, or is it more fun, funky and casual? Let the essence of your business be infused into your social media accounts. If you have a more conventional type of tearoom, then consider sharing facts and history about the teas your serve and the traditions that go along with them. If you have more of a laid-back café, then perhaps you'll take a more humorous approach and share comical memes or quotes to go along with your teas. Either way, you and your business have a unique point of view; don't be afraid to let that shine through.

Once you begin to expand your following it is time to consider your audience. Who are they? What are their interests? You may want to spend time on posts which engage your customers, such as posing questions, taking a survey on the best black tea, or even getting a little controversial by saying why you recommend putting the milk in first (gasp). The point here is to get your audience involved and active on your social media feed. A fun thing to do is coming up with catchy hashtag unique to your tearoom and encouraging customers to post photos using it. The more people you can get talking about you, the faster word will spread about how awesome your place is!

There's nothing worse than going to a business's social media account and seeing that they haven't posted anything in months. Try to keep your social accounts as part of your weekly or even bi-weekly routine (yes, there is such a thing as over-posting). Let your customers know about new blends that have just arrived, or old ones that they may be getting discontinued. Consider creating a coupon code that is only offered to your social media following, to encourage them to step into your brick and mortar. It is also a good idea to promote your seasonal offerings, from your most refreshing citrus iced-teas in the summer to your spiciest chai blends for the winter.

Finally, and this may not come as much as a surprise, but don't forget to boost your posts! If you want to get your content out there and seen by as many people as possible, you're going to have to pay up. The great thing about social media is that they make it incredibly easy to narrow down your target audience and give you the option to serve your ads only to those close to your location who would be most interested in them. Take advantage of these amazing user-friendly targeting tools which are already as your disposal and you'll be the owner of a successful social media account before you know it.

Have fun! Yes, this is your business... but don't forget to have fun with it. Let your personaliTEA shine through and you'll be sure to attract like-minded customers and followers who cannot wait to see what you post next. Social media provides a wonderful opportunity to give your customers back-stage access to your tearoom, let them feel like they have insider access to something special or unique and you might just find yourself going viral in no time.