source: www.squeezein.com

Checking In on a Diner That Understands Social Media  is a blog entry on the New York Times marketing blog that discuses about a restaurant called Squeeze In that uses social media to build a relationship with its customers. Squeeze In uses social media such as Pinterest, Instragram, Foodspotting, Foursquare, and Google+, which ultimately helps the business to grow and expand into four locations and franchising.

Understanding the customers is one of the most important thing in Marketing. Squeeze In has done just that. It understood the change in its customers’ culture, which differed from when the restaurant first started in 1974. Now customers  shifted their interactions from face-to-face to social media. Squeeze In recognized the opportunity to increase interact and building a relationship with its customers after noticing the increase in traffic of its video clip on YouTube.

After watching this video, Omma Lette, talking about how they cook their omelettes, using grade A eggs, and the atmosphere at the restaurant, it makes me want to go try their food!

I think using Social Media to build a relationship with customers is one of the most important tools that a business owner can use. Social Media such as YouTube allows business owners to relate to their customers’ culture while they can also use this as a channel to promote the quality of their product. Video such as “Omma Lette” is fun and at the same time letting the customers know that if they come to eat at Squeeze In the customers will get quality food.  Furthermore, Squeeze In has Facebook and Twitter account for each of its location, which allow the local customers to communicate directly to their favourite restaurant and tell the restaurant owner exactly how they like or don’t like their experience at the restaurant. This ultimately gives Squeeze In valuable information about the customers preference and consumption pattern, which allows the business operator to maximize customers’ willingness to pay.

“Best Omelettes on the Planet!” Now, who can resist that!