Social media marketing for restaurants is what I write about, and often times I get inspiration from GuestFeed clients that I work with on a daily basis. Often if the owners/managers are attempting to use social media to market their restaurants they are doing so ‘As the Restaurant’. In other words, it is as if they are expecting their guests (or potential guests) to interact with the restaurant itself online. It is understandable that this is a common strategy, but it is counter productive.
There is a reason that guests feel good when a bartender remembers their name, or like to say they ‘know the owner’, or are thrilled if the chef visits their table. Restaurants offer three things: 1) delicious food+drink, 2) the service of not having to shop/cook/serve/or clean, and 3) human interaction. Don’t forget the third one, especially when your guests are online and they are getting: No Food and No Service, why take away the human interaction too? That is what they are looking for, and you already know that your guests like to know you.
So some quick advice, DO these things:
1) Be you by using your name, face, and of course that means speaking as yourself.
2) Highlight people that work for you just as much as the products you sell.
3) Encourage your employees to post/share/tweet the things that they are doing at your restaurant.
Your restaurant is your stage, and you and your staff are the stars of that stage, stop and sign a few autographs don’t just hand out the menu. They can get a faceless, all business, interaction anywhere.
What do you think? I love working with restaurant managers and owners to create positive change in their marketing efforts, so if you are interested in what I would do for your place do not hesitate to contact me.
