social media – Gab Communications

Regardless of what kind of restaurant you own and how long it’s existed, I’m sure you have frequently thought about the different marketing methods you could use to effectively drive sales and get more customers through your doors.

Maybe you’ve exhausted all traditional outbound marketing methods. You know – the ads in print/radio/television, the coupons in direct mail pieces, the key chains and koozies you hand out at festivals and fairs, etc. I’m not saying that outbound marketing doesn’t work – it does for a certain audience. Generally speaking, the older the customer, the better chance you have of getting them into your restaurant or business through outbound marketing methods. This is really just because the older generation – I sometimes call them the “yellow pages generation” – is used to this form of marketing. So if they’re looking for a restaurant to dine at with their friends this weekend, they’re more likely to flip through newspaper ads or direct mail flyers.

But that’s enough about outbound marketing. What about inbound marketing, and how can you use it to bring new energy into your restaurant?

Let me give you a great example of how one locally-owned restaurant right up the street is using inbound marketing to absolutely dominate the neighborhood dining scene (many of my local readers will know right away exactly which restaurant I’m talking about).

1) They highlight the staff by telling their stories on social media. You know how you always see the same server or bartender every time you go into your favorite restaurant, but you’re not really sure what their background is? This restaurant spotlights one of their staff members each week on Facebook and even posts a picture of them as a baby/child, and then talks about what local high school they attended, where they played little league, what hobbies/interests they’re passionate about, etc. It really adds personality to the restaurant – and to all the frequent visitors (myself included), this is a very valuable creative marketing technique.

2) The use a trivia question to get people in the restaurant. One day a week they host trivia night, and as an incentive to get people to attend, they post a question early on in the day and everyone who answers correctly is entered to win a free appetizer or dessert. The only little catch? Those who answered correctly must be present at trivia night in order to be eligible for the free app or dessert. It’s brilliant.

3) They’re proud to show off their community spirit. From high school reunions to fundraisers for local schools, they not only host these events – they highlight them with photos, videos, press and more on their social media channels.

4) They connect and partner with other local businesses. The restaurant just recently teamed up with several local wedding vendors to host their first-annual bridal expo. What a fantastic way to get a very specific demographic (brides) into their doors to learn about how the restaurant can help them with catering, rehearsal dinners, cakes, signature drinks, etc.

5) They engage with their customers. If you came from way out of town just to dine at their restaurant, or if you’re celebrating a super significant occasion, then they’ll take your picture and highlight you on their social media pages. Again, just another cool little trait to add personality.

6) They don’t overly promote menu specials. Many restaurants don’t know what to post on their social media pages, so their go-to is usually just something along the lines of “Check out what our soup of the day is!” or “Happy hour starts at 4!! Come on in for half-price domestics and rails!” Blah, blah, blah. People get tired of this. Only post your specials when they are in fact really, really special.

Basically, restaurants can no longer afford to ignore inbound marketing. We live in a world that is completely immersed in social media, smartphones and mobile apps, and it’s no question that the millennial generation uses each of these tools to check out and keep up with your restaurant. Make sure your presence on these platforms provides something valuable – something your customer will actually return to. After all, as a restaurant, you want to provide an experience – one that delivers so highly that it leaves an impression on your guest. That’s what it’s all about anyway, right?

Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all inbound marketing plan that works for every restaurant, café, eatery, etc. Each strategy requires a little creativity, a lot of enthusiasm and definitely a good bit of knowledge about your customers. Need help coming up with some ideas? Let’s chat.

For the last decade, Hayley has been leaving her mark creatively on small, independently-owned businesses through editorial- and design-based marketing strategies. As a believer in the art of storytelling and the influence of a strong brand, her goal is to unlock the value that all small businesses possess and use it to their advantage using creative, strategic marketing methods.

Morning Coffee with Gab is a weekly feature aimed to inspire and encourage small business owners to get on top of their organization’s marketing game. So before your day gets crazy, grab that cup o’ joe and give this a quick read – we’ll get your day off to a great, motivating start!

Ways To Boost Your Business’s Social Media Presence Right Now

Use images. People are visual, and if you’re only posting text or links on your social media pages then your audience will surely get bored. There’s no need for you to be a professional graphic designer who can use every Adobe program with your eyes closed, but you should be able to consistently post simple, high quality photos of your products, services, etc. Invest in a decent camera and aim for photos that spotlight your products/services in a setting and background that isn’t overly busy. Want to touch up those photos with a super easy-to-use and free photo editing program? I swear by www.picmonkey.com.

Use the power of storytelling. This is a really effective tool for your social media marketing because it’s a surefire way to persuade people and call them to action. Have you ever been sucked in to watching an entire infomercial on TV because it began with someone’s real-life story – maybe even one you could relate to somehow? That’s why infomercials work – they tell a story. Your job is to tell a story, too – it could be yours or it could be your clients’. If you own a salon, take some before-and-after shots of a client’s hair and ask them for the story behind it. Why did they want this change and why did they hire you to do it? If you own a restaurant, promote your front of house staff by telling their stories (where they went to school, what their favorite dish off the menu is, why they enjoy working there, little-known fact about them, etc.).

Be interactive. This seems like an easy one, but the sad truth is that there are too many businesses out there today that have social media pages (as well as a significant following) that have gone stale because of their lack of engagement. Listen up: If people choose to like/follow you, this means they genuinely want to hear from you. Don’t let them down. Throw out an occasional fun question of the day, survey, etc. and see what your audience has to say. Also majorly important is that if someone asks a question or makes a comment that invites your response, be sure to reply to that person in a timely fashion. In this day and age, there is such a thing as social media etiquette (which we’ll cover in another post) and it should definitely be followed.

Evoke emotion. Any content that evokes emotion from your audience is almost always more likely to generate shares or retweets. So, how do you do this? Tell stories (see above) about your customers that have a happy ending. Infuse a little bit of your personality through each of your posts, and use emotionally-charged, descriptive words. Whatever you write should light a fire in people and ultimately inspire, motivate and entertain them.

Be consistent with your posts. Two to three posts per week is ideal for a small business, but if you really want to step up your game, make it five to seven times per week and see just what happens. Come up with a list of a few creative post ideas, think a little strategically about the kind of response you want, when you should post them each, etc. and then schedule them via a social media management program such as HootSuit, Sprout or Buffer. Not feeling up to it or don’t have the time? Contact us today and we’d be happy as a clam to do this for you.