How many users here utilize FB or Twitter to let customers know where you are going to be?

Am reading online that many mobile food vendors have a "following"...One guy has 42,000 "fans" or customers who like his food and want to know his daily locations.  Some say that sending out a tweet prior to arriving can create a line before they get set up ?  Wondering how many users on this board use these electronic tools and is it really beneficial ?  Could this be a big city only kinda practice.  Isn't the primary twitterer person a kid ?  Maybe I am behind times...?  

I am in the planning stages of transforming a step-van type truck into a mobile kitchen.  I want to set up somewhere different each day.....will go to one of several small towns who surround my larger city which is about 150,000 population....may have some regular spots in the larger city too.  Maybe this will be too small-town to use facebook and twitter....any thoughts ?

I use twitter to let people know of any specials or if I am going to be closed because of weather. (people don't buy when it is 100F or pouring rain)

I'll also tweet if I am going to be giving away dogs at a car dealership promotion. I brings 'em in for free food, and the salesmen can do their thing and sell cars! I tweet when I am doing a fund raiser too. I don't have 42,000 fans - heck I don't even have 1,000 fans......

Twitter is for "twits" that don't have a life, or think people will be interested in their life. BUT it can be a valuable marketing tool for businesses if used correctly. (hollywood celebutards, etc.)

I don't think twitter has made a dime yet, so enjoy it while it lasts!

I'm still in the planning stages but I intend to use twitter and facebook.  Not sure what good either will do but every little bit helps.  I'll be doing it for just the purposes you're thinking of.  

I also want to do a daily blog of my hot dog adventures and pictures of customers.  It will give me something to do if things get slow.  I think it's important to build "followers" not necessarily on the internet but on the ground.  It's just another tool.

I agree, it does seem like a knubskull (sp?) thing to do, except that it seems to work and bring customers to the vendor.  People seem to like the Twitter thing.....like "belonging" to something cool, popular, etc.  Just for the sheer simplicity of having a way to get connected to customers who like your food, and create a "base" of followers or repeat customers sounds like a good idea.  I plan to put the twitter address on both sides of my truck in large letters.  people can see it while I am driving down the street, and while sitting at a work location.  Times...... they are a changin

Whalehead K....That is a great idea.  I have a Facebook account where I started out just to stay in touch with friends and family everywhere.  Now I have found lots and lots of restaurants, caterers, and food vendors that I want to keep up with.  You can "like" their page and then receive all theirs posts on your facebook page.  I can track Kogi for example...a wildly popular mobile food truck vendor.  I can read about all his events, where he is, see the food, and even see videos of his customer comments and reactions.  It is both fun and informative.  We don't have opportunities for big vendor events like that here in the midwest, but it is fun to watch others having so much fun and activity with their dream.

TheIke


I agree, it does seem like a knubskull (sp?) thing to do, except that it seems to work and bring customers to the vendor.  People seem to like the Twitter thing.....like "belonging" to something cool, popular, etc.  Just for the sheer simplicity of having a way to get connected to customers who like your food, and create a "base" of followers or repeat customers sounds like a good idea.  I plan to put the twitter address on both sides of my truck in large letters.  people can see it while I am driving down the street, and while sitting at a work location.  Times...... they are a changin

 
If I didn't have this business, I would not have a twitter account. Who in the hell would care or want to know what is on my mind, and why in the hell would I think anyone would shive a git? Times may be a changin', but with all the myspace/facebook/youtube losers looking for their 15 minutes of fame, are things changing for the better?
 

 

Yelp is another site to utilize.

About 6 months ago a girl has a hot dog and says, "Now I'm going to tweet about your hot dog cart."  I couldn't help myself, I blurted out, "But, who cares what you think?"  Sometimes the mouth works faster than the brain.  She came back 5 minutes later and said that 43 people just read about my hot dog cart.  I started a twitter account later that week.  I also do FB, and have a website that is more blog than website.  All of them require a little attention most days.  I tweet, post and blog about specials, where I'm going to be and the odd wiener joke.  Not sure how important it is yet, but I do often some response.  The best known use of Twitter has been with the Kogi Taco Trucks in L.A.  They have to move every two hours and they do have more than 45,000 twitter followers.  Social networking is the ad medium of now and the near future.  I'm all for using it.  It is pretty much free.
It is hard to utilize yelp.  Yelp is a user based review site.  Pretty hard to control that.  But if you do show up well it can drive alot of business your way. 

I'm on the receiving end.  I have a Twitter account, but I do not Tweet, it is just for following mobile food trucks.  I activated the feature to send the Tweets to my iPhone, and I lunch at various trucks several times per month.  I would not know where they were without it, unless I logged on to Facebook to check their postings.  The trucks post locations, weather reports and specials.

It's a big deal here, but of course I cannot speak for other areas.  The only cost for the sender is that he has to have a means to Tweet from the field (phone, or a laptop with air card).

Where do you find the time or inclination to do all that tweeting?  I have days (weeks) where I really don't even want to check my email. Although I do think I did sign up for s twitter account.  I don't remember or know how to find out.  It was while I was setting up my webpage, which I need to update.

You can Tweet and Facebook right from a cell phone now.  People are interested!

Not from my Tracfone.  All I do is make/receive phone calls...

TheIke


Am reading online that many mobile food vendors have a "following"...One guy has 42,000 "fans" or customers who like his food and want to know his daily locations.  Some say that sending out a tweet prior to arriving can create a line before they get set up ?  Wondering how many users on this board use these electronic tools and is it really beneficial ?  Could this be a big city only kinda practice.  Isn't the primary twitterer person a kid ?  Maybe I am behind times...?  

I am in the planning stages of transforming a step-van type truck into a mobile kitchen.  I want to set up somewhere different each day.....will go to one of several small towns who surround my larger city which is about 150,000 population....may have some regular spots in the larger city too.  Maybe this will be too small-town to use facebook and twitter....any thoughts ?

I have booked a few gigs using facebook. Moms will contact me to serve at their kids B-Day parties. I have also found events on facebook that I got in for next to nothing. Another good thing about twitter and face book is what another thread said. You can always let your customers know if your going to be out at your location, sick,  or if your on vacation.

I am in the same process as you TheIke. I am converting a step van or large ice cream truck in to my rolling kitchen. I already have companies that have me out to their location and i am using my cart attached to my truck for now. It willl be so much easier when I get my lunch truck done.
I work next to a fusion truck MoGo BBQ (Korean/Mexican fusion). I have done many event with them, and I like what they are doing. I know they have a specific food you can't get anywhere, but if I can get 1/8th the fans they have I will be doing really well.
They have about 7000 followers on facebook and growing by the day.They do their business mainly on facebook and Twitter. I posted a link to a truck I am looking at. I want to convert it to steamers and repaint and slap my logo's and food menu all over it. I am waiting on a call back from the Health Department to give me the requirements.

http://sfbay.craigslist.o./eby/cto/1865224581.html

Hey Quickdog...that truck looks pretty good...what is the mileage ?  The one I mentioned earlier with 425K miles is for sale for $2500.....the one I found with 10K miles is around $9000.  There are lots of these trucks for sale all over the country.  Hold out for a good one if this isn't the perfect one.  Are you gonna do the renovation yourself ?

We've put this on the back of the cart (at the built in condiment counter):




It will also be visible as I tow it down the road.

Our plan is to take photos, upload them with our iphone on location and maybe even figure out how to post a map location to facebook with our current location.

Once we start building any kind of following, have a sort of "twitter dog" special available only to our followers (half price drinks, free bag of chips, or half price dogs) for the next hour and post the current time.

Cetainly can't hurt.

OK, people...time to get on the Social Media bandwagon, even if you think it's stupid or don't understand it. 

The fact that YOU think people don't care about what someone tweets or says on FB doesn't change the fact that they DO.

Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Foodspotting....these are all basically free advertising, so what are you complaining about? Set up the accounts, and get goin'!

I've said it many times before on Roadfood, but if anyone needs help to set up a Twitter account, or how to use Twitter or Facebook, I will be more than happy to help. 

I have two Twitter accounts - 1 personal, with 1,418 followers, and 1 for my Examiner.com Milwaukee Restaurant Reviews, which has 1,713 followers.
I am on over 100 Lists on each account.  I interact daily. I have Twitter and Facebook on my Droid, so I can interact even away from a home computer. 

I follow dozens of food trucks and restaurants on Twitter and Facebook - many tweet their location, daily food specials, and generally interact with people that are (potential) customers. THAT is the key...Social Media is social. If you start a Twitter account, don't follow anyone and just tweet at people, then Twitter will not help you very much. You need to interact; talk to people. Ask for suggestions for a location or a special or "what's your favorite ____?" (topping on a dog, cheese on a burger, etc). Customers and potential customers like the feeling that someone is listening to them...that someone has replied to them...that they are heard. 

If you need examples, Google AJ Bombers Milwaukee and Streetza Pizza Milwaukee - 1 restaurant and 1 food truck that are Social-Media savvy to the point that they've written a book about it, as well as featured nationwide in many different publications. 

Oh, and as far as Twitter "taking too much time"....that proves you don't understand Twitter. It's specifically made for our ADD society. You tweet 140 characters, and that's it. While you can sit and read peoples Twitter streams, you don't have to. If you click on @replies...that is, things said specifically to you, you can take care of those replies in less than 2 minutes. 

Another thing - Twitter is NOT "for kids". I have seen articles stating that more people between 25 - 45 use Twitter than kids do. Same for Facebook. 
I, myself, am 41. Most of my friends (IRL) are on Twitter, and they are between 38 - 64. Not only that...kids have the most disposable income, and if they like you, they will spread the word better than anyone...so CATER to the kids.

Whalehead King


I'm still in the planning stages but I intend to use twitter and facebook.  Not sure what good either will do but every little bit helps.  I'll be doing it for just the purposes you're thinking of.  

I also want to do a daily blog of my hot dog adventures and pictures of customers.  It will give me something to do if things get slow.  I think it's important to build "followers" not necessarily on the internet but on the ground.  It's just another tool.

I see you're in New Orleans. You are going to be competing with Lucky Dog?
Also, if you need examples on how Twitter and Facebook work in New Orleans, follow Taceaux Loceaux, the Mexican-food inspired food truck. 

One final note: Twitter and Facebook are FUN, so stop being so darn curmudgeonly! Serious business doesn't have to be SERIOUS BUSINESS. I like businesses (business owners, managers, wait staff) with a sense of humor and personality, rather than some perfunctory-smile-shove-the-hot-dog-at-me-NEXT! kinda person.

Well said X1, and appreciated,
I do face book, just a personal account, I might visit it once a month.
I hardly ever use it. I like sites like this that benefit my business and me personally. I've made some good friends here, someday I might even get to meet them.
I do follow your logic but I have enough customers now and growing every year. But if you need customers it;s a good tool.

X1


One final note: Twitter and Facebook are FUN, so stop being so darn curmudgeonly! Serious business doesn't have to be SERIOUS BUSINESS. I like businesses (business owners, managers, wait staff) with a sense of humor and personality, rather than some perfunctory-smile-shove-the-hot-dog-at-me-NEXT! kinda person.

X1-I agree with you. Almost any exposure is good. I remember when people were saying I'll never have an answering machine, now most all of them rely on it. I don't know how to twitter and my facebook is all screwed up but I think it is a good way to gain some additional advertising at no cost and that is good. I think as business people we need to keep up with technology. Many of us didn't utilize computers not too long ago.
 
Jerry
Tasty Dogs

Ice Cream Man and Tasty Dogs - 
Thanks!

Ice Cream Man - I've met several people from Roadfood (I *am* a member of The Contigent, after all!), including at last year's Roadfood Fest in New Orleans. I count many of them as my IRL friends, not just internet friends.

Tasty Dogs - if you need help setting up and how to maintain a Twitter account, let me know. 
How is your Facebook screwed up? I might be able to help with that, too. 

Anyone may e-mail me at X1.Christin@gmail.com

PS Jerry - I don't have an answering machine...I have Voicemail on my cell and Google Voice. I don't own a landline. 

Tasty and I are dinosaurs, I still have an answering machine, because I hate the phone, I don't have a phone in the store, my cell is pay as you go at 10 dollars a month.
If you want to talk to me come and find me.
I only learned how to use the computer for the wife, she had one and kept bugging me to fix it. So I had a friend teach me how.

Ice Cream Man


I hate the phone

I don't understand this. 
They look like real words, but they don't make any sense to me!

Diamond Dogs


... and maybe even figure out how to post a map location to facebook with our current location.

Check out foursquare.com

Thanks for the tip X1.  I'll check them out.  No comment on Lucky Dogs.

I use Facebook and have Twitter tied into it for business. I also printed up some "Twit-Face" cards that include my phone #'s, website and T-FB name. My customers have been kinda slow to pick up on it, they are bunch of working guys that don't really use T-FB but it does work.

BigRedLunchbox


... I also printed up some "Twit-Face" cards ...

Somehow that sounds like an insult....

lornaschinske

BigRedLunchbox


... I also printed up some "Twit-Face" cards ...

Somehow that sounds like an insult....

 
Lorna......funny funny!  I'm gonna have to remember to come to this board for all my laughs......

The Travelin Man

Diamond Dogs


... and maybe even figure out how to post a map location to facebook with our current location.

Check out foursquare.com

 
Thanks!    

foursquare.com