Today’s interview is with POUR Cafe and Wine Bar owner Anthony Colasacco. If you are looking for a real business owner in the Westchester area who is putting social media to work for a real business — Colasacco is your guy. POUR Cafe — which is located in Mount Kisco, NY — is an extremely well-run business, and Colasacco is using various forms of social media to amplify his message. Colasacco is one of the founders of Westchester140.
Twitter Professor: How long have you been engaged in social media?
Anthony Colasacco: I have been following the social media trend for some time now but as far as using it for my business, it has been about 6 months now.
TP: Did you “get it” right away, or was there a learning period?
AC: I absolutely got it right away. I just needed to figure out the best way for me to use it for POUR.
TP: What is your business objective or goal(s) with social media?
AC: Grow my business, stay connected to and feel the pulse of my customers and potential customers.
TP: Are you able to see measurable results so far?
AC: Absolutely. Since the first TweetUp was hosted at POUR, business has taken off. I can’t say for sure it’s all due to social media but I can certainly say it has helped immensely. Put it this way, here’s an example I use all the time when trying to explain to people who don’t “get” social media or want to know why to use social media. At the first TweetUp at Pour we had 50 twitter users attend; now those 50 people had a reach of at least 10,000 people through Twitter, so if 50 people can reach 10,000, how many can those 10,000 reach? It’s unlimited and grows exponentially. When I use that example, people “get it” right away!
TP: What has worked? What hasn’t?
AC: It’s all worked. Anything that drives business works.
TP: Any surprises?
AC: Yes, the speed in which it took off. My getting involved in social media was a natural progression for my business. I like to think I stay one step ahead of the crowd in what I do at Pour and social media was a no-brainer. If used correctly, the potential is unlimited and the ability to reach out to my customers as well as potential new customers via social media is very compelling, and also free, which in this economy is very appealing.
TP: You’ve mentioned that Sarah O’Grady — one of the other co-founders of Westchester140 — has helped you with your efforts. What has she done to help?:
AC: I have never done traditional advertising at Pour — its growth has come strictly from word of mouth and grass roots marketing, so social media was a natural progression. I just needed to pull it all together, which is where Sarah O’Grady came in. I had reached out to a few people regarding a social media campaign and Sarah was the one to pull it all together. After a few meetings with Sarah, we came up with a plan to use social media to expand business at Pour, which it most certainly has done. Her knowledge and professionalism blew me away — bottom line is she gets it better than most anyone I’ve met, period.
TP: Any advice for other businesses as they consider whether to get involved with social media?
AC: Take it slow, figure out what your objectives are. Be real, people will see through you immediately if you are trying to pull something over on them. Don’t be a used car salesman, meaning don’t always be trying to sell something — that will get old real fast, and people will stop following you. I read somewhere to think of it as a conversation at a party. If you sit and talk about yourself all night, people will walk away. Engage, interact, listed, share, just as if you are speaking to a friend.
TP: Why do you think so many businesses are reluctant to get involved with free services (such as twitter, Facebook and blogs) that have the ability to help them reach out to their customers?
AC: I don’t think they understand it. They assume they don’t have the time, it’s too complicated, it doesn’t work, etc. There are a host of reasons and excuses people use for not getting involved, but they will — they will have to if they want to stay in the game. It’s not an option anymore — get social or go home.
TP: Is there any reason why you think your business is particularly well suited to benefit from social media?
AC: Yes. I sell a product people are very passionate about — food and wine. The ability to engage with my customers about something we’re both very passionate about is incredibly rewarding. To post a new wine I just got in or a special and see that so many people click the link and take a look at it and comment is awesome. There’s never been such an immediate way to connect and interact with customers and potential customers so quickly. There’s a reason large successful companies are changing their marketing efforts to include social media… it works!
TP: Do you have any particular social media philosophy or strategy?
AC: Yes, keep it simple and truthful, the same as I do in my business. Integrity is my top priority.
TP: How has the Westchester TweetUp worked for your business?
AC: It has gotten POUR’s name out to lots of people, and it continues to do so. I have met some great people via Twitter and Westchester140.
TP: Future goals?
AC: Grow my business and expands on to others. Use social media to help people to give back in some way. I’ve only just begun.
Pour Cafe & Wine Bar is located at 241 Main Street, Mt. Kisco, NY 10549. POUR will be hosting a Sip & Twit European Tasting Tour Tuesday March 23, 2010. For more information, call 914-864-0606, or go directly to this website for a discounted price: http://www.eventbee.com/view/tasting/discount?code=pour. You can learn more about POUR at http://PourMtKisco.com.
