Getting involved in the social  media scene in San Diego is easy and fun thanks to Social Media Breakfast San Diego (SMBSD). The group meets once a month at the Milano Coffee  in Mission Valley to network and collaborate with other social media enthusiasts  and to share their experiences in recent  social media initiatives.

This month we got up close and personal with the social media team from Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. otherwise known as Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes. Erika DiProfio and Ginger Anderson are the masterminds behind the company’s social media strategy and shared with us how Garden Fresh utilized social media and how their fully integrated approach has proven to be successful.

Below is the presentation from the event. You can also check out the Ustream video to the right. I suggest fast forwarding the video 16  minutes because that’s when the actual Souplantation discussion begins.

Key Take Aways

1. Erika & Ginger are responsible day to day execution of Souplantation’s social media strategy.
2. Social media was not viewed as a single campaign but a way to integrate everything they do for promotions.
   1. Use social media to capture customer feedback and drive marketing initiatives.
3. Their goals were to open the lines of communication and to increase brand loyalty.
4. UGC contest on Facebook has included: Best Pucker Face & Best Salad Face.
5. The company has over 5K employees. Downward communication has been vital to their success to date.
6. Over 1.1MM Club Veg Members to date.
7. CEO has supported the team’s social media initiatives.

[Image Source: DiscoverSD]

[Video Source: SMBSD]