The P3 Mastermind Restaurant Marketing Summit just concluded in Columbia, SC and I am beside myself with gratitude.
This was a brand new event created by Chip Klose, an incredible restaurant coach. He and I co-hosted it along with a number of incredible thought leaders. Over the course of 2 days nearly 100 restaurant owners and leaders were exposed to strategies, tactics and frameworks in nearly every facet of restaurant marketing that will guide the growth of their business.
It was a great honor and pleasure to be at the helm of helping these incredible people. I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach, share and also learn!!
And you don't feel totally left out, here are some ...
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1. FIVE QUESTIONS
- Who are you?
- What do you do?
- Why do you do it?
- Who are you for?
- What makes you different?
When you can clearly answer these questions you not only have the basis for incredible marketing, these are the foundations of your restaurant business. If you and everyone on your team cannot clearly answer these questions and in the same manner, its time to take a moment and align.
2. THE MARKETING JOURNEY IS THE GUEST JOURNEY
Want to know how to figure out what you should focus on in your restaurant marketing? Plot out the course of what it takes for a guest to discover your business (awareness), what it takes for them to choose dining with you (acquisition), what happens while they are dining (experience) and what channels they would like to be a part of to come back and dine with you again (retention.)
Once you know all of those channels, you have to actively manage them!
3. CONTACT DATA IS PRIORITY #1
70% of your guests will only ever dine with you 1 time. We heard this from every single person on stage at the event. If you want to get to reduce the amount of 1-timers, you have to be able to market to guests after they have had an experience. The key - you have to get their contact data and you have to make it easy!
Acquisition without contact info is a waste.
Acquisition WITH contact info is a WIN.
4. ATTENTION IS RETENTION
Guest retention starts while you have your guests' attention, not AFTER the experience. When you have their attention because they are enjoying the experience and the food, do the following things:
- A. Provide an experience that is so outstanding, they will want to tell everyone
- B. Capture their contact info (online ordering, reservations, pay at table, gated wifi, loyalty, feedback, etc)
- C. Ask for feedback, immediately!
- D. Invite them back in while you are still top of mind
- E. Send personalized follow up communication to get them back in.
5. THE SECRET FORMULA FOR WORD OF MOUTH
Word-of-mouth happens when you first have points of differentiation in the food and the experience and THEN make it easy for the guest to share the experience with others.
Word of mouth starts with you. If you don't give them a reason to share and make it easy to do so, they won't.
Example: You can't just say "we have the best pizza" you need to explain why to the guest and get them to agree. But then you have to ask them how it was and if they would like to tell others.
6. GET HELP!
If you know you "should do it” or “should be better” about it … but continue to move marketing efforts to the bottom of the pile, please just hire out. Stop saying you’ll get to it and just pay someone else to do it. Especially marketing, which is an investment, not a cost.
Really need help with your marketing? That's what we do ... send me an email rev@brandedstrategic.net
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If you have any questions, or need help send me an email rev@brandedstrategic.net
WHAT DOES REV DO?
*I help restaurants to build guest marketing programs.
*I help hospitality tech companies with lead generation and content marketing.