bakingbuyer - September 2011 - (Page 74)

Social Butterflies in the Baking Business Social media encourages an open dialogue between consumers and bakeries by Timmy Trabon Striving for prominent recognition as a bakery in a town like New York City can be like trying to shout your cupcake menu to a sold-out Yankees game. Without amplification, your voice goes hoarse and unheard. When Maria Baugh, co-owner of Butter Lane Cupcakes in New York, NY, created her bakery’s Facebook page, she didn’t anticipate its effectiveness as a digital megaphone. “We started out with three ‘likes’, me and the two other owners,” says Baugh, “I was so excited when we got to twenty.” Since then, digital befriending has become a key marketing strategy for the bakery. The fan base of Butter Lane Cupcakes has exponentially grown from three to nearly 6,000 Facebook users. Inside their shop, an iPad is mounted underneath a sign reading “Free frosting shot if you ‘Like’ us on Facebook!” Recently, social media has led to several notable productbranding opportunities for the bakery. Connecting through Facebook, 74 · BAKING BUYER · SEPTEMBER 11 Butter Lane Cupcakes partnered with Buick in Quest for the Keys, an online scavenger hunt sponsored by the General Motors Company. In addition to promoting interactivity by both baking and auto consumers, it tremendously expands Butter Lane Cupcakes’ marketing platform. Give Tweets a Chance Despite the global popularity of social media, many offline individuals remain skeptical about its long-term relevance. Vampire novellas and Justin Bieber are unstable pop-culture trends. On the other hand, social media represents an era. It will be a long time before anyone says, ”Instant, global connectivity was so last year.” Illustrations by Brent Engstrom

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bakingbuyer - September 2011

bakingbuyer - September 2011
EDITOR’S NOTE - See You in Schaumburg
INDUSTRY NEWS - News Bites
INDUSTRY NEWS - Oklahoma Sugar Art Show: Wedding Cakes Rock!
INDUSTRY NEWS - RBA Names 2011 Class of Emeritus
INDUSTRY NEWS - Cakes.com Gives Bakers Online Tool
INDUSTRY NEWS - Barry Callebaut Bolsters European Footprint
INDUSTRY NEWS - “Get Back to Scratch” Contest Winner
INDUSTRY NEWS - AMF Completes Acquisition of BakeTech
INDUSTRY NEWS - USDA Extends Sugar Import Entry
CONSUMER PURCHASING - Discovering America's Bakeries
BREADWINNERS - The Whole Truth About Whole Grains: Installment Three
BREADWINNERS - Team USA Profi le
BREADWINNERS - Why Not Rye?
DESIGN OF THE TIMES - Strokes of Genius
DESIGN OF THE TIMES - Keepsake Cakes
DESIGN OF THE TIMES - Fall is the New June
DESIGN OF THE TIMES - Figure Piping 101
BAKERY BIZ TIPS - Add Business to Add Revenue
CHOCOLATE - Ganache Secrets
FOODSERVICE INNOVATIONS - Food Labeling Fight
CONSUMER PURCHASING - Keep Them Coming Back
CONSUMER PURCHASING - get Social
Social Butterfl ies in the Baking Business
Fighting, Surviving, + Thriving
Allin the Family
EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY - Bakers ON ICE
FEATURED PRODUCTS
LIQUID ASSETS - COOL COMBOS
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
MARKETPLACE NETWORK
AD INDEX
panaderia
CARTA DE INTRODUCCIÓN - La Diversidad de Tampa
INTRODUCTORY LETTER - The Melting Pot of Tampa
PAN Y PANADERÍA - Pan Cubano: Estilo Tampa
PASTELES Y DECORACIONES - La Magia de la Plantilla
PRODUCTOS - PRODUCTOS DESTACADOS DE TRIGAL DORADO
Estrategias de Venta para la Nueva Economía
PERFILES - Moreno Bakery
PERFILES - La Segunda
PERFILES - Florida Bakery
PERFILES - Acapulco Tropical
PERFILES - Mi Patria
TENDENCIAS DEL CONSUMIDOR - Las Necesidades Particulares de los Hispanos
CALENDARIO DE DÍAS FESTIVOS
FÓRMULAS
CONSUMER TRENDS - Unique Needs of Hispanics
BREAD & BAKING - Cuban Bread: Tampa Style
CAKES & DECORATING - Stencil Magic
Sales Strategies in the New Economy
PROFILES - Moreno Bakery
PROFILES - La Segunda
PROFILES - Florida Bakery
PROFILES - Mi Patria
PROFILES - Acapulco Tropical
CALENDAR
PRODUCTS - FEATURED PRODUCTS FROM TRIGAL DORADO
FORMULAS

bakingbuyer - September 2011