It’s one thing to “Like” a cafe on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
It’s quite another to learn about who schmoozes with espresso lovers online daily.
Position: Social Media Consultant
Employer: Aroma Espresso Bar
Education: English, York University; Public Relations, Humber College
Favourite blog: Too many to mention. Is Twitter a blog?
Favourite mobile app: Twitter – it keeps me connected to news and ideas from dozens of industries and areas, all day every day.
Professional role model: I keep track of what the top professionals in my industry are doing, and try to adopt their best practices to fit within my roles and responsibilities. My father always told me the little things can make the biggest difference, so I try to pay attention to detail, make connections, and do my job the right way.
In 140 characters or less, what makes Aroma the best option for Canadian coffee aficionados?
Besides our freshly-brewed coffee? The wide scope of healthy and made-to-order menu items available, the customer service, and chocolates!
Which menu items do you recommend for first-time Aroma customers?
If you’re a coffee lover, obviously grab an espresso. The hot chocolate is among the best in Toronto, steamed milk over chocolate pralines. Our Sweet Potato Lentil salad has a devoted following, and people swear by the Grilled Halumi sandwich. Our alfajores melt in your mouth, and of course, save room for the complimentary chocolate!
As Aroma continues expanding internationally, how does Aroma maintain a consistent online presence?
As of now, there are several Twitter and Facebook accounts associated with the various Aroma Espresso Bar locations around the world. Speaking on behalf of Canada, Toronto is the only city with an Aroma Espresso Bar (actually, 10 as of this writing and two more a mere weeks away from opening). We consolidated all our GTA locations under one common social media umbrella to facilitate reaching all our customers in a timely manner, as well as to maintain consistency across all locations.
We strive to post a few tweets a day, and a few Facebook posts a week. The most important use for social media in our case is the ability to talk directly to our customers. We try to acknowledge everyone who mentions us online, whether positive or negative. If you’ve taken the time to visit our location and tell us or your friends about it, we want to thank you personally. It’s the least we can do.
Aroma recently opened its 10th location in Toronto on Avenue Road. Describe your involvement in planning the opening of a new cafe.
Personally, I have very little involvement in the planning the opening of new cafes. My responsibility lies in communicating to our customer base the timelines for opening, answering questions, and any other pertinent details regarding new locations or menu items. Once open, I coordinate with cafe managers as well as senior management on promotions and special offers, holiday hours, and other notes of interest.
What is it about Aroma’s allure that draws professional communicators to Aroma rather than other coffee shops?
You can connect your laptop anywhere, but Aroma Espresso Bar offers an alternative to some of the more ubiquitous coffee shops. Our menu is much wider in scope, more nutritious, and entices people to stay longer. The atmosphere of the cafe is more modern and minimalistic than other coffee shops, and I think design-minded people pick up on that. If I may say so, Aroma Espresso Bar is also pretty unpretentious (is it pretentious to say that?). If you follow us on social media or speak with a manager, you’ll find we’re very transparent and honest, and we like to think it’s a trait communicators appreciate.
How does Aroma select music for the playlists at each cafe?
The music comes from our head office. We use a company called DMX, owned by Mood Media. Cafe managers choose a number of genres they feel appropriate for their location, depending on the time and day, and the service chooses the specific music to be played. Ah, technology.
