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Marketing and Branding – An ongoing blog by Randy Lopez

Apr 10, 2017

 

“I don’t have time to market my business (or the money).”

When I speak with clients, 9 out of 10 times I hear the same thing. Small chains and start-ups don’t have the benefit of having a marketing department, and those that do, often wait for the “field marketing team” to step in and help build sales. After all, “Isn’t that what the marketing folks get paid for?” It’s a mindset that affects too many operators and brands.

With the business of simply running a restaurant, one can’t fault operators for not having the time to work on local store marketing efforts such as getting out in the community and driving business. Sometimes, there really isn’t much time. And when there is, how do you actually grow your business when the marketing tools in your “local store manual” are the same programs that everyone has seen for 20 years? I mean, does a corporate “Kids Eat Free” promotion really work if your restaurant is located near offices and industrial spaces?

To keep things simple and hopefully start a stronger marketing mindset, I’m going to be sharing simple tools and tactics to get you started with a better understanding of what is possible when time and money are an issue. Yes, you might have heard a few of things before but hopefully you will learn something new or better yet, make you think of something you can build on that is specific to your brand and situation.

At Synergy, we believe in creating strategic and efficient solutions to your problems. Marketing your restaurant should be easily understood, support your brand and effective without being cumbersome for you, your staff or your guests.

My hope is to share tips and answer your questions about the world of restaurant marketing.

Send any marketing and brand questions to randysynergyconsultants.com or @randylopez On Twitter and I’m looking forward to getting started on this conversation with you.

 

-Randy Lopez

Marketing and Branding
Synergy Restaurant Consultants

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Is Your Restaurant Grandma’s House?

Oct 04, 2016

By Randy Lopez, Branding and Marketing Consultant

I remember going to my grandparents house when I was in high school. It’s one of my favorite memories. It was my second home: warm and comfortable. There was always something good on the stove and pictures of my aunts and uncles from their own younger days filled the walls. My grandfather’s collection of books included old Time-Life books that I spent hours going through and the old stereo was filled with albums left behind from their kids that grew up and moved out.

 

It was definitely not a hip place though it worked for me because this was my family and I understood the history and had a vested interest in learning about each piece of dated decor and memory.

 

I’m bringing this up because as a marketing and brand guy, I’m seeing so many once-powerful chains closing up or greatly reducing their units. And it’s not just the full service brands but fast-casual giants that have lost their market share and relevance. Like the home of my grandparents, they are comfortable and appeal to certain folks but can hardly be called exciting and innovate. Times have changed and they haven’t. True, they might have some new furniture or decor but it’s just a quick fix and the basic DNA of the concept is basically unchanged. Loaded potato skins, deep fried onions, vegetable mix side dishes, and spinach dips still make up a dated majority of the menu. And let’s face it, it’s not that they don’t want to update, but because of their size, it’s difficult and expensive to remodel a chain that needs not just decor updates but a completely updated vision.

 

Whether I am working with a large chain, small group of restaurants or creating a new brand, my concern is always to look at the current reality of the industry and discuss new trends and directions to keep “grandma’s house looking interesting for the next generation.” Unfortunately, too many consultants and internal teams look at simple programs and promotions to drive short term sales and discounts that create small spikes but don’t help build the brand and long-term guest frequency.

 

And if that isn’t enough, we might be going into another recession especially with the uncertainty surrounding our current presidential race. But that can be another blog in itself. Heck, that could be a novel…

Like Grandma’s house, a fresh coat of paint or some new furniture just makes make the house (or concept) look and feel just like an “old place with some new stuff.” And as a brand builder, a new logo or menu layout only goes so far unless you add new brand touch-points like updated menu items and messaging that speaks to your current targeted guests.

 

To help get you started, here a few tips to consider when keeping your brand alive, healthy and able to change and grow with the times. If you keep these in mind, your brand has a better chance of growing in small increments rather than waiting for a large change to survive.

Know your guests – Keep track of who is visiting your restaurant. Whether it’s through surveys, email questionnaires, formal research or even informal table visits; find out why your guests visit you and not the competition. Or why they visit you only once a month, twice a week or only every year.
Use this information to look at trends and drastic changes. Especially if you have a mature brand, look at the age group and see if you are capturing your core guests as well as seeing younger folks that can grow with you in the future.

Know your competition – Just because the restaurant down the street sells pizza and you are the leading Mexican Food restaurant, you might be one of the choices for an after-work happy hour or family dinner. Look at the other successful concepts and learn from the types of experiences that the locals are enjoying.

Look at the trends – Nope, this doesn’t mean you have to add kale or have your servers wear mustaches skinny jeans and plaid shirts (even the men). Trends can keep you relevant and aware of flavors and menu ideas that might be popular in the future or help you decide everything from design elements or branded collateral and offers. Today’s younger guests are raised on cooking shows and understand more about cooking and flavor profiles than older audiences. Sometimes it’s as simple as updating specific menu items and ingredients or even just communicating existing cooking styles and preparation.

Experience the world – Force yourself to look at new concepts, listen to new music, experience the arts. Insights and new ways of thinking should find their way into your brand. My grandparents started to get set in their ways like we all do and stopped updated their place. Does your concept look the same way?

 

Revisit your branding and messaging – Like buying new clothes from time to time, everyone needs to update. Does your logo look dated (and not in a cool, “ironic” way)? Notice your menus, and every piece of advertising you do. Ask yourself if they’re connected. Does the style and brand “feel” tie in with all of your messages? If not, it might be time to do a brand style update (more on that in a later blog).

 

It might too simplistic to say that many brands could have survived if they updated their look and feel. But I strongly believe that if they reflected current trends, tastes and focused on a strong vision they would have a better chance. Like my grandparents house, they might have reached more members than their immediate family.

 

At Synergy, we have a formal process to uncover strategies and tactics to refresh your brand and create excitement with new messaging, flavors and ways to enhance the guest experience, drive traffic and build sales. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to discuss how we can help your brand stay relevant and successful for today and the future.

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Using Social Media to Optimize Your Restaurant Profitability

Sep 07, 2016

Thanks to technology, we have a lot more avenues to pursue when it comes to marketing restaurants and connecting with the guests we serve. While conducting extensive research on your restaurant through traditional means, Synergy Restaurant Consultants also uses social media marketing and branding to help bring about a positive rating among consumers.

Name recognition and branding are all part of this though some other key things must take place first before you can tweet your way to success. Beyond Twitter, restaurants that utilize Facebook and Instagram are seeing incredible results by making a tangible connection with the very people they are trying to reach.

Exploring new territory in this regard is crucial to success. Millennials are driving the market when it comes to both flavors and marketing. For example, we’re seeing a surge in offerings that straddle the lines of cuisine. In our global world, tacos are just fine but Korean tacos are much more interesting to consumers. A burger is always welcome but with feisty toppings like wasabi flakes and salmon roe, it becomes something altogether new and divine.

restaurant social media marketing
How are you utilizing social media?

 

 

By perfecting your menu and making sure you’re not wasting money on items that don’t sell, you can reach that achievable market and stand out from the other restaurants in your area. By the same token, offering too many choices can make it too confusing for your clientele. Focus is the key here.

 

Once you’ve aligned your operating systems, menu, undergone simplified training and have systems for testing in place, you can start pushing out on social media to drive more consumer interest in your brand. Getting followers, likes and all that goes with social media gives you all the tools you need to make a connection. Existing customers are most reachable, and when you post on your restaurant’s social media page, you can entice them with incentives to make more frequent purchases as well as spend more with each purchase.

 

Email marketing is also bigger than ever now. Most consumers know they can sign up for coupons and exclusive deals by joining a free mailing list. These marketing tools have proven effective for bringing customers back again and again. It’s also a great way to introduce a new menu offering or a special seasonal item.

 

Providing content for your social media adds more perceived value to what you serve up to your customers so keep that in mind with every post you make. Get help with your social media campaigns and let Synergy Restaurant Consultants show you how to turn social media into your best tool.

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The Focus on Millennials

Jul 20, 2016

Millennials are independent. They are going to go the direction that they deem suited for them – NOT the direction of others. Trying to pin any one of them down to a specific focus is literally impossible (ask any Millennial).

For the restaurant industry, the focus has to be on the food, the service and the VALUE for the money as opposed to the generation, to win this group over. They are traditionally smart, savvy and not connected to any one Brand, company or ideology. They are connected, for the most part, to themselves. Not to be considered a negative – they will write their own story and find what works for them based on completely different measurement criteria than we all judged ourselves on.

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4 Ways to Jumpstart Your Snapchat Marketing Campaign

Dec 07, 2015

If there’s one buzzword in the marketing space, it’s “Millennials.’” They are now the largest generation in the U.S. workforce and recognized as the “most populous, educated and diverse generation in American history.” CMO Council states that 87% of millennials always have their smartphones by their side, so when you hear that part of your social media marketing strategy should include Snapchat, listen up! The wildly popular messaging app is becoming an integral part of a wide variety of major restaurant concepts‘ marketing plans.

 

1)   Sneak peaks: Have an LTO or new menu item? Tease your Snapchat followers with hints that will keep them engaged and guessing until you make the official announcement. Look at how Taco Bell used Snapchat to reintroduce their Beefy Crunch Burrito.

restaurant marketing consultant
How can you use Snapchat to market your restaurant?

2)   Endorsements: Do you have the budget to bring on a celebrity? Using them in your Snaps can give a great boost in spreading your message. Note McDonald’s featuring LeBron James on the Snapchat.

 

3)   Promotions, coupons and giveaways: There’s probably no better way to engage with your audience than with a giveaway—who doesn’t love free food? You can run a variety of contests on Snapchat: Try a scavenger hunt, a photo/doodle challenge of guests eating your food, or a trivia competition based on clues from your Snaps. Check out how McDondald’s used Snapchat for their promotion.

 

4)   Send special updates and reminders: Keep your Snapchat audience engaged by sending reminders of any existing promotions or specials you have for the day.

Need a primer on how to actually use Snapchat? Check out this handy YouTube video to learn the basics.

 

Snapchat photo credit: license CC by SA 2.0

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Loyalty in the Digital Age

Nov 24, 2015

It’s one thing to attract new customers, but smart operators know it’s even more important to keep them. In addition to providing the basics of food, service, and ambiance—and doing it again the next day, and the day after—building loyalty through formal and informal recognition programs is key.

 

According to the 2015 COLLOQUY Loyalty Census, U.S. consumers are more invested in loyalty programs than ever, holding a total of 3.3 billion memberships spread among the retail, financial services, travel and various other economic sectors, or about 29 per household. The real statistic of interest, however, is the fact that users are only active in a dozen of them.

 

Most restaurants have some form of a loyalty program, from punch cards or membership cards, to iPad scan systems to vouchers. Restaurant loyalty program memberships rose 107% to 55 million in 2015, although that’s down from 171% growth in 2013.

 

Digital makes the difference, especially the mobile kind. The technology has allowed restaurants to build loyalty programs through different tiers, from traditional loyalty cards, to mobile apps and location-based services. This omni-channel approach allows brands to increase the amount of information they can collect about their guests, which in turn allows them to provide repeat customers with a more personalized experience.

 

Even the availability of digital serves to build loyalty among fans, even if there isn’t a rewards component.

 

Always at the forefront of just about any trend you’d want to examine, from game-changing new menu items to marketing, Taco Bell has been extremely aggressive about mobile, all of it designed around the current-generation premise that “ease is the new loyalty.” Last year, the Live Mas app began allowing users to customize, order and pay from their phones—an industry first—and has reportedly been downloaded almost 4 million times. In the process, the chain discovered that customers who use it tend to order about 20% more than those who order in person.  A gamified loyalty component  is planned for later this year, via an app update. There’s even a Taco Bell emoji. Now a new website, ta.co (“ta-dot-co”), expands that capability to desktop computers and tables; a publishing channel called The Feed features curated content about the brand. It’s all Taco Bell, all the time for the chain’s many loyal followers.

 

Not surprisingly, many quick-service and fast-casual chains are using apps to build followings, usually through ordering and payment capabilities. The new wrinkle, however, is integrating rewards and other bonuses. Panera’s app taps into the success of its longstanding rewards program. The My Starbucks program, which has more than 10 million members, is now linked to a mobile application that allows the user to pay in stores with their smartphone or a pre-loaded card. LYFE Kitchen’s new app tracks purchases and confers rewards.

 

But while digital marketing may have forever changed the mechanics of tracking guest behavior and managing loyalty programs (especially in multi-unit operations that target younger, wired-in diners), it’s crucial to remember that nothing will ever replace the personal, human touch.

 

This is especially true for independent and upscale restaurants, and even more so for established places where the competition of newer openings represent a particular draw for customers.

 

Case in point: The Angus Barn, in Raleigh, NC, which has been a paragon of hospitality—not to mention top-quality steaks—since it was opened in 1960 by Thad Eure Jr. and Charles Winston. Now under the direction of Thad’s daughter Van, the restaurant has kept up with the times and added event space, music in the lounge, a Chef’s Table and more contemporary menu items, but the core appreciation of customers has never changed. Regulars in the Wild Turkey Lounge have their names engraved on plaques above the bar, kids can come into the kitchen to help build their own ice cream desserts, and servers have business cards so that guests can ask for them by name. As Van puts it, “We’re in the business of making memories.” No wonder so many guests are also second-generation.

 

 

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4 Ways to Promote Your Restaurant During Back-to-School Season

Sep 16, 2015

As temperatures begin to cool down and the leaves start to change colors, we say goodbye to summer and hello to a new school year!

As restaurant owners, this season presents a huge opportunity to deliver great promotions for both parents and students alike. Restaurants like Shoney’s and El Fenix offered deeply discounted or even free kid’s meals through the month of August, while more popular spots like Denny’s and IKEA offer year-round deals for children. Promotions like these can help restaurants introduce their brand to new customers, present more chances for up-selling and assist in spreading the word about your offer through word-of-mouth and social media, thereby attracting even more guests.

Here are 4 ways to promote your restaurant during the back-to-school season:

1)      Focus on the early evening dinner daypart, offering free or discounted kid’s meals until 7pm.

2)      Offer free weeknight delivery through to cater to students and busy families. This promotion can last through September or the fall, in turn creating regular users and keeping your brand top of mind after the season wraps.

3)      Add a check-in special on foursquare or Yelp focused on students to get your brand in front of a tech-savvy group of consumers.

4)      Offer visiting guests incentives to return, such as a redeemable code on the receipt or a take-out menu boasting a seasonal promotion valid for their subsequent visit.

 

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Catering to Millennials: What Your Restaurant Needs to Know

May 24, 2015

These days, all eyes are on Millennials. Why is this? For starters, the Millennial generation population is anticipated to surpass Baby Boomers in 2015 thus becoming the biggest group in the United States. In fact, they are now the largest generation in the U.S. workforce. As restaurant operators, why should we care? Their spending power is $200 billion.

Here are some important values of Millennials that encourage their dining habits:

–          They dine out more frequently at fast-casual restaurants.

–          They are adventurous and like trying new kinds of foods.

–          Quality of ingredients matters: They’re likely to support restaurants that seem more health-conscious.

–          They value customizing their foods.

–          They are concerned with social consciousness and how the food they eat was raised or processed.

 

It is of utmost importance that your foodservice operation understands the needs and wants of this significant generation. Explore our other blog posts to learn more about Millenials’ dining habits.

Chipotle Mexican Grill photo credit: inazakira CC by-SA 2.0

 

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Bringing in More Customers through Scent Marketing

Dec 11, 2014

You tend to hear a lot about how color is used in marketing in order to evoke certain emotions in the consumer. Greens are thought to represent health and freshness, while reds are commonly believed to conjure emotions of excitement and immediacy. However, in restaurant marketing strategy, using the sense of smell opens up huge opportunities.

 

You know that warm fuzzy feeling you feel when you smell freshly baked chocolate chips cookies? Does it remind you of home? Studies have shown that smells can induce mood changes and strong emotions and associations. Why not incorporate this into your restaurant and elevate the customer experience?

 

Actually, many restaurants already do this and recently Starbucks unveiled its mega roastery in Seattle. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room mega-store is a 15,000 square foot super store where patrons can take in the coffee culture via all their five senses, especially through smell where the aroma of the roasting coffee saturates the air. This Business Insider article notes how Panera Bread experimented with aroma by changing baking hours to take advantage of the scent of their baked goods.

 

The bottom line is that scent marketing can help you bring in foot traffic and enhance the guest experience, with the potential of boosting sales.

Coffee at Pronto photo credit: Ruth Hartnup License CC by 2.0

 

 

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Room Service Vs. Takeout: Who Wins?

Jul 27, 2014

Hotels accommodate their guests in almost every way, from laundry service to room service. But you may be surprised to learn that room service is actually waning in popularity, according to a recent study from Chicaco-based online food ordering service GrubHub. So if guests aren’t ordering as much room service, then what are they eating? GrubHub analyzed orders delivered to 8,000 hotels across the U.S. and found that takeout orders to hotels increased 125% in the last three years.

 

Other interesting findings:

– On average, hotel diners spend about 11% more per order than non-hotel diners.
– Men are about 54% more likely than women to order meals to hotels.
– Hotel takeout orders peak early in the work week, with fewer orders from Friday through Sunday.
– Dinner and late night are the most popular meal times for travelers. Nearly three-fourths (72%) of hotel orders are placed during dinner and late-night hours.

 

Read the entire press release here.

How does this news affect restaurants? It is clear how important it is to have a local component to your brand as guests continually choose local restaurants for their meals over room service. A couple of ways to do so include ensuring your restaurant is listed online, whether in a Yelp or Urbanspoon page, or a food ordering service site. Don’t forget to add your restaurant to major search engines’ local listing services such as Google My Business. And while this may be a no-brainer, it’s of utmost importance to offer a delivery option! For more help with increasing your restaurants’ local brand presence, please reach out to Synergy.