| Are you Social Enough? | | | | marketing. Consumers extend trust to other |
| The power of the crowd can no longer be | | | | consumers who have purchased from you. |
| overlooked in the hospitality industry. In the same | | | | According to a July 2009 Nielsen Global Online |
| way that websites and emails revolutionized | | | | Consumer Survey, 90% of consumers trust peer |
| business, social media is a true business | | | | recommendations, while in a different study it is |
| technology game-changer. Consider this - | | | | estimated that only 18% of traditional TV |
| Facebook has more than 300 million active | | | | campaigns generate a positive ROI. |
| users. 50% of them log on to Facebook in any | | | | Twitter is an easy to use medium to announce |
| given day and the average user has 130 friends. | | | | news, features, entertainment, etc. It’s |
| The fastest growing segment on Facebook is 55 | | | | instantaneous and costs you nothing to |
| – 65 year-old females. | | | | participate. Blogs can showcase testimonials, |
| The sheer volume of people enrolled and actively | | | | pictures from a specific event, menu items, the |
| participating in these sites makes it a compelling | | | | view, food & drink recipes, employee bios or |
| reason for restaurants to join the conversation. | | | | anything that relates to your restaurant. A blog |
| Guests are talking about your concept online | | | | is also an excellent way to get indexed in search |
| through social media sites with or without you. | | | | engines and gives that out-of-town hockey team |
| The rapid growth and influence of social media is | | | | a way to find you on the web over your |
| changing how restaurants and bars are doing | | | | competitors (25% of search results for the |
| business. Progressive restaurant chains are | | | | World’s Top 20 largest brands are links to |
| actively engaged in the social conversation, | | | | user-generated content). Every blog post is a |
| listening to their patrons, molding the conversation | | | | gateway into your website, so be sure to |
| and using it as an influential vehicle to enhance | | | | optimize your content with the correct keyword |
| their brand’s identity. | | | | branding, post titles, tags and so on. |
| Projected Growth | | | | Don’t forget to email a monthly newsletter |
| According to the August 2009 CMO Survey | | | | with the latest happenings, new menu items, |
| Highlights and Insights, social media spending is | | | | entertainment news, recipe of the month etc. |
| expected to grow by 300% in the next 5 | | | | Make sure your restaurant can be found on |
| years. Marketing budget spending is projected to | | | | restaurant guides like and Set up a Facebook |
| grow from the current levels of 3.5%, to 6.1% in | | | | fan page to connect with your customers. Keep |
| the next 12 months, and 13.7% in the next five | | | | it updated with fresh content and always make |
| years. The biggest growth is expected in the | | | | sure you’re involved with the conversations |
| Business to Consumer service sector. | | | | that are taking place. Like your blog, YouTube |
| Do you know what they’re they saying | | | | and other video sharing sites take your customer |
| about your brand and do you know how to deal | | | | behind the scene and show them a part of the |
| with it? | | | | restaurant that only insiders are allowed to see. |
| Unlike traditional marketing that uses bold | | | | Provide a few quick tips and how-tos from the |
| messaging to grab the consumer’s attention, | | | | house chef. Show them the magnificent view |
| social networking combines the fine art of | | | | from your patio. Photosharing sites like Flickr can |
| relationship building and the media savvy of public | | | | achieve the same purpose. |
| relations to build positive brand awareness and | | | | Here’s what Social media marketing can't do: |
| develop a following. The social media space is an | | | | Serve great food |
| excellent way to monitor the consumer’s | | | | A social media marketing campaign is not going to |
| perception of a brand, as well as their competition. | | | | stop the negative chatter if customers are |
| Creating a loyal following of your brand requires a | | | | routinely having a bad experience. Focus on a |
| subtle approach based on understanding, | | | | great guest experience first. The social |
| observation and offering company information and | | | | mediasphere will spread the positive message. |
| incentives at the appropriate times. It’s a | | | | No amount of spending is going to circumvent the |
| place where fans of your brand can meet, | | | | bad press from repeated bad experiences. |
| exchange their experiences and let others know | | | | Substitute for marketing strategy |
| about you. | | | | A Twitter campaign, or a Facebook page that |
| How it Builds Your Business | | | | announces your weekly specials is not a |
| Getting involved in the social media conversation | | | | marketing strategy. Social media is a part of |
| shows fans of your brand that your interested in | | | | your overall marketing efforts. |
| building a relationship with them and hearing what | | | | Succeed without top management/owner’s |
| they have to say. There is no other medium | | | | buy-in |
| that allows any business to stay that close and | | | | Social media requires a way of thinking that |
| engaged with their guests. It builds brand loyalty, | | | | includes a willingness to listen to customers, |
| keeps the consumer informed about your | | | | implementing changes based on feedback, and |
| business, and encourages positive word of mouth. | | | | trusting employees to talk to customers. |
| What to do? | | | | The culture of fear (of job loss, of losing |
| Listen. The crowd is talking. | | | | message control, of change) is ingrained in many |
| Start with the basics. Facebook, Twitter, blogs, | | | | corporate cultures. Top management/ownership |
| forums and restaurant review sites are all good | | | | has to want to change. |
| choices. Use Google Alerts to track keywords | | | | Be viewed as a short-term project |
| and brand mentions. Use a reputable social | | | | Social media is not a one-shot, silver bullet. It's a |
| media monitoring tool to follow the Facebook and | | | | long-term commitment to communication, |
| Twitter conversation as stories about your | | | | experimentation, and change that requires time to |
| business could go viral within minutes. Negative | | | | gain traction. Do not expect a quick fix to |
| press within the cyber world can be proactively | | | | sagging sales or a tarnished reputation. Like PR, |
| managed provided your following the | | | | social media marketing often produces its best |
| conversation. | | | | results in the second and third year. |
| Implement Guidelines | | | | Be done in-house by the inexperienced |
| Bored Domino’s Pizza employees decided to | | | | Even though you may have "kids" on your team |
| film themselves performing unflattering acts with | | | | who "understand social media innately", you need |
| sandwiches, and thought it would be clever to | | | | strategy, contacts, tools, controls and experience. |
| post their deviant behavior on YouTube. The | | | | Experience and perspective makes for better |
| video was a viral hit. Dominos was quick to | | | | execution. Companies trying to run social |
| respond and used their social media network to | | | | media without experienced consultants can waste |
| apologize. Monitoring the chatter is crucial so | | | | time, money, and reputation on their efforts. Is |
| companies can act before the situation gets out | | | | it really wise to allow the lowly “Twintern” |
| of hand. | | | | to communicate your brand values to your |
| Engage your audience | | | | customers and influencers? A successful social |
| People who are talking on social media networks | | | | media campaign integrates social media into the |
| are current or potential customers. This form of | | | | many elements of marketing, including advertising, |
| word of mouth marketing can either champion or | | | | mobile, and PR. |
| erode your brand. Respond to everyone that | | | | Be done without a realistic budget |
| talks about your brand whether it’s positive | | | | A lot of social media marketing is inexpensive or |
| or negative. Reaching out shows that you are | | | | free, but building a site that incorporates |
| taking an interest and care about your | | | | interactivity, allows user-generated content, and |
| customers. Whenever possible, engage them in | | | | perhaps also includes e-commerce requires |
| a conversation or at the very least send them a | | | | funding. To turn a free blogging service such |
| thank you. In the event a guest had a negative | | | | as WordPress into an effective interactive site |
| experience, reach out and rectify the problem | | | | that use branded style sheets and incorporating |
| before it spreads. Acknowledge when your | | | | e-commerce requires experience, skill and money. |
| service levels did not live up to your company | | | | Replace PR |
| standards, and communicate how you plan on | | | | No matter how great your website, video |
| making positive changes. | | | | contest, blog or Twitter strategy, you still need a |
| Social Marketing | | | | managed Public Relations strategy that |
| The two main objectives of Social Media | | | | communicates key messages and keeps your |
| marketing are to achieve greater engagement | | | | brand top of mind. As you craft your social |
| with your customers to build loyalty; and drive | | | | marketing campaigns remember to be genuine in |
| positive word of mouth. It is also an excellent | | | | your communications, valuable in your content, |
| tool to build your brand, share ideas, provide a | | | | and diligent in providing a steady stream of new |
| forum for feedback, increase awareness, and | | | | and valuable content. Do not spam, be overtly |
| entice new talent to seek employment with your | | | | commercial, or waste people’s time. It’s |
| brand. | | | | a social network that requires newsworthy |
| Social marketing is inexpensive, incredibly | | | | information to keep fans of brand interested and |
| responsive, and has the ability to develop brand | | | | engaged. |
| champions more than any other form of | | | | |