New Somerville business thrives after using social media despite slow in growth

Growth in Somerville is slowing, but small business in Somerville are adapting, using new advertising methods like social media to attract customers.

• The City of Somerville is seeing less growth than last summer, but businesses like The Sandwich Station are finding success through social media.
• About 77% of small businesses use social media to connect with its customers, according to Forbes .
• Burleson County Chamber of Commerce Director Susan Mott says social media is a new trend that many local businesses in the county are starting

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

There's not much foot traffic in our neighborhood of Somerville on a Tuesday afternoon, so I just had to ask: "What is it like kind of doing business in Somerville?"

"It's been fun and successful so far," Elizabeth said.

"It's taken off. I mean, it's a lot, getting bigger every week," Steven said.

But not in the way you'd think.

Steven Bauer and Elizabeth Juengerman are the owners of local business, The Sandwich Station.

"Our advertising is just basically social media, Facebook and then word of mouth," Elizabeth said.

It's a new approach to business, Burleson County Chamber Director Susan Mott tells me, becoming a hit in small business.

"It costs nothing to have a Facebook page, you know, it costs nothing to have a Instagram page, you know," Mott said.

About 77% of small business in the U.S. use it to connect with customers.

"So, to utilize those tools is very effective," Mott said.

And can lead to economic growth, which is slowing in the city.

City Administrator Danny Segundo tells me he's only seen about one business ask the city about property compared to about five last year.

"I think the inflation has something to do with that, you know, the marketability, the people that are willing to invest in properties and infrastructure," he said.

But he says businesses like Steven and Elizabeth's are a start.

"There's not a lot of spaces in Somerville, but we would like to remain in Somerville. We like it here in the community," Elizabeth said.

"Like she said, it's not something we wanted, but I've wanted to own something, you know, not a restaurant but something else, but this kind of helped out," Steven said.