Does it annoy you when you serve a customer a beautiful filet mignon and before they take a bite into that beautiful tender steak, they pull out their iPhone and snap 100 photos. Since when did people start enjoying food through their Instagram feeds, instead of through their taste buds….
These days, having a successful restaurant and cafe is not only dependent on a delicious menu, but also the experience you’re selling. If you want to promote your business and stand out from the crowd, AGC Catering Equipment & Hospitality Supplies has the tips and tricks for you!
Are you hungry for more? Keep reading.
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Let them take their photos – ENCOURAGE UGC
People are valuing experiences over products, ESPECIALLY the millenials. Restaurants and cafes need to keep in mind that this growing epidemic LOVE food, eating it and posting about it. So make it not only taste delicious, but aesthetically pleasing. In other words, according to the younger generation, make it “instagram worthy”. Encourage user-generated content, it’s FREE marketing!
What goes best with Quesadilla and other foreign foods? COCKTAILS. So make sure you whip up a Happy Hour menu, custom cocktails can easily win this group over.
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Encourage online reviews
Positive reviews are a big deal for all industries, and in most cases, having more reviews can also lead to higher rankings in Google. This will encourage potential customers to view your page over competitors.
In order to encourage past attendees to leave a positive review, you can use their email address from online bookings and send them an incentive to leave a review, such as 10% off their next meal.
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Make it easy to order, INCLUDING ONLINE
Make it easy for clients to contact you and order. If you want more exposure, we encourage joining online food delivery companies, such as Menulog and Deliveroo.
Whilst this next recommendation isn’t ideal for business that frequently update their menu on a weekly basis, businesses with stable menus should post their menu on Facebook. Ensuring your menu is highly accessible can encourage new potential customers.
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Find the Foodies – get descriptive in captions
Did you fail journalism but still have a decent way with a pen? Prove it with your fancy descriptions on social media. “Buttery, flaky, homemade crust” sounds better than “homemade crust”. When in doubt, the thesaurus can help you out!
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Share Specials
A lot of businesses make the mistake of not featuring their specials. This is a shame because specials and ONE TIME OFFERS give you the chance to leverage scarcity, and encourage walk ins. Also, put some money on these posts and BOOST them on Facebook and Instagram. Let your audience know these specials can only be redeemed in-store.
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Hashtag
If you’re posting on Instagram and Twitter, you NEED to be using the right hashtags. This will increase your visibility and attract new customers towards your restaurant – once again, for FREE. For instance, #FoodieFriday , #InstaFood , #FoodPorn and #VeganForLife are popular in the restaurant industry.
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Be involved in the surrounding community
If you’re involved with your local community, local customers will flock to support you. Attend farmer’s markets or community holiday events. You can also partner up with local businesses, which can help you build valuable relationships over time. Such as booking live music and buying paintings from local artists.
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Be on social media, and RESPOND
If you want people to engage with your post, you must engage back! Clarifying details about whether or not something is vegan, diabetes-friendly, or gluten-free can make the difference between someone making a reservation or heading to your competitor.
Therefore, social media marketing can make a huge difference to how quickly your restaurant grows. It’s important to stay dedicated and committed to keeping your social media and online presence up to date, but if you do so (and you do a good job), it will help your restaurant boom in no time.
If you are interested in purchasing any catering equipment to give your restaurant an extra BOOST, visit AGC at 13-15 Hume Hwy, Greenacre NSW 2190, or alternatively, shop online www.agcequipment.com.au.