'Buy A Round' The Virtual Way With New Program

HOLLAND (WWJ) -- The Holland-based social media service Conpoto.com has signed East Lansing-based property and hospitality management company Equity-Vest Inc. onto the Conpoto service, allowing businesses and consumers to "buy a round" for people in a bar or restaurant, even if they aren't present.

This partnership adds five new establishments to the Conpoto offering, making it possible to "treat a friend" at East Lansing's Beggar's Banquet, Harrison Roadhouse, The Riv, Rick's and Lansing's Nuthouse.

"Conpoto is excited to offer services in a location with a high concentration of college students and social media users," said Matt Lepard, co-founder and CEO of Conpoto. "I am enthusiastic about the positive momentum local establishments have experienced through our social gifting platform."

How does it work?

Go to conpoto.com, select the city where the establishment is located and then choose the restaurant, bar, coffee shop or ice cream shop. Enter the number of each product to send your friend, your friend's contact information and a personal message. Pay for the order and Conpoto will send a redemption code in an email to your friend. The establishment logs into their order queue and checks the order off the list as soon as it's redeemed. Each week your friend will receive an email reminding them of their treat in queue. Treats never expire, so your friend can stop by an establishment the next time they are in town.

Added Tom "Dewey" Bramson, president of Equity-Vest: "This call-to-action marketing program not only brings people to the restaurant, but puts big smiles on their faces while they are already here. This program has far-reaching appeal, and in this age of social networking, nothing else quite reaches out like Conpoto does."

These "treats" are highly personalized, as they can be for specific menu items or beverage offerings so the buyer can choose the recipient's favorites.

"This program stands out above all others for me as an owner because unlike other social media marketing programs, it doesn't ask me to discount anything," Bramson said.  "The buyer pays a slightly higher price for the items through Conpoto, which, in reality, is a small price to pay for giving the recipient the cool experience of being 'treated' from someone outside the restaurant."

Bramson said Conpoto has him thinking about bringing back the "Buy Board" at the Nuthouse. Instead of the board being a chalk board, listing who is buying drinks for whom, it would be a flat screen television as a digital chalk board, using Conpoto as the medium through which to buy drinks for others.

Conpoto, which means "drink together", is a gifting service that creates a quick and easy way to send treats to business associates, friends and family and share a social experience. Conpoto has partnerships with establishments in 12 cities in five states.