How Anton’s ice cream business uses social media to succeed – with some help from Hookle
Background
The Ylisoutaja ice cream kiosk has been in its current spot in Joensuu, Eastern Finland, since 2015. In 2019, Anton Sutinen’s friend, who was then running the kiosk, asked Anton if he wanted to become an ice cream entrepreneur. Anton had been an entrepreneur since 2017 through his firm Anton auttaa (“Anton Helps”), and decided that moving to the ice cream business would be an exciting next step for him. You can enjoy coffee and other drinks in his kiosk too.
Anton’s day starts between 7-9 am. After receiving the day’s ice cream delivery, he goes to pick up the water and starts selling ice cream. According to the firm’s web pages, it is open 12:00-20:00, but especially in the summer Anton frequently opens early and closes late – in the midsummer, they were open until 11 pm. During winter, Anton focuses on the other businesses in Anton auttaa’s portfolio, such as real estate service, marketing, and events.
Entrepreneur Anton Sutinen
Social media presents huge opportunities
Anton notes that social media presents huge opportunities for the ice cream business – as well as for his other businesses – and he has received new customers from all age groups through social media. “The most challenging thing for me is to keep all of my social media channels active enough,” says Anton. “It would also be important to have something in your channels to differentiate from others.”
For his ice cream kiosk, Anton uses Facebook, Instagram, Google My Business, and TikTok, and the first three he also uses for his other businesses. He posts at least once a week on Facebook – an ice cream tasting video on Saturdays – and tries to make a few other updates weekly. He tries to update Instagram at least once a week and Google My Business once every two weeks. During the summer, he mostly focuses on the ice cream business and posts less in the other businesses’ channels.
Google My business updates are powerful
Anton's famous ice cream tasting video on Saturdays
Ability to post to multiple channels is useful
Anton mostly publishes photo posts in his channels immediately when he creates them, although he occasionally schedules some posts for convenience. Anton finds the ability to post to multiple channels at once particularly useful, as well as the ability to quickly add previously used hashtags and Hookle’s social media statistics that show how his social channels are doing.
Ability to quickly add previously used hashtags is useful and Hookle’s social media statistics that show how his social channels are doing.
Hookle saves entrepreneur's time
As a social media tip for other entrepreneurs, Anton recommends taking up Hookle: “It saves so much time that you can use it for something else.” He also reminds everyone about the importance of staying active on social media – here, having a weekly or monthly repeating content item (such as Anton’s ice cream test video) is very helpful. “Remember to update your social media like you were serving your customer in your own premises, and put your personality into it,” concludes Anton.
For delicious ice cream in Joensuu, see ylisoutajanjaatelokioski.fi.
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