Restaurant Social Media Marketing Radio Show Review – Hospitality101radio.com

Posted on 12. Apr, 2010 by Guest Blogger in Inside Hospitality, Week In Review

by resident guest blogger Michael Hartzell

Restaurant owners and managers need a restaurant business warning buzzer.  (or would you prefer a bell?) There are warning systems, buzzers, and bells in all parts of life.  They serve as a reminder for something important and can save lives.  The seat buzzer, the open door notice and the low battery beep are all helpful tools.

www.Hospitality101Radio.com serves as a resource to both warn AND support for restaurant marketing and restaurant hospitality as “The Real Voice of the Restaurant Hospitality Industry”.  This resource offers challenging questions, helpful hints, serious thoughts and an occasional “funny” thrown in for bonus.

Here are but a few of the take-aways from the Hospitality101 blog talk radio show on March 30th, 2010. (Which covered many important topics.)

  1. Hospitality101radio.com and the Facebook Fanpage are now one in the same.  Connect and become a fan.
  2. Chat Roulette – A new social media tool with too much risk?  Or the next phase of connecting with the world?
  3. Restaurant & Hospitality Social Media Marketing Bootcamp in St. Louis on April 26th
  4. Restaurant News:

Brinker sells On the Border

Corner Bakery – Connect over coffee.  Two free coffees if you connect on their Facebook with others.

Yum Brands first Taco Bell location in India

Darden says NO to discounting.

Darden shows 25% jump in profit.

They use the principal of giving value vs. discounting.

Question:  Is it better to get a large bump in sales tomorrow by discounting but not improve profit?

Answer:  No.  Do as Darden has.  Grow profits by offering value and connecting with each guest.

How important is top of mind at a discount vs. reputation of excellence and long term growth based on value?

Answer:  Reputation based on excellence, profit, and long term relationships is the priority.

Foursquare.  What does the future hold?  Not enough people using it.  How is it used?  What good is it?  What are the benefits?  During an event, Foursquare is a great tool for connecting.  Connecting for the user shows some benefit but for business the jury is still out.  As it scales, time will tell.

Jeffrey Summers:

Ask this question for every piece of your restaurant marketing:  “What is the Context?”  The context of the relationship needs to be about the restaurant not about outside 3rd party tools/widgets, etc.  The marketing context has to be about the restaurant brand and experience.

Jeffrey Summers:

If restaurant marketing is more than two degrees of separation from a sale then there is no value.  There needs to be two degrees of separation.

10.  Questions for a restaurant owner or manager:

How do you incorporate technology into the brand experience?

With more discussion at blog talk radio recording.

What tools can be used to amplify the current message about the products, service and experience?

With more discussion at blog talk radio recording.

11.  Points to consider:

A restaurant can’t change the targeting of the marketing just because a new tool comes out.

If you can’t talk to the guests in the dining room, you certainly won’t be able to use Facebook, Twitter or other social media to connect with them.

If you don’t have a website then you are already so far behind.

Pay attention to what people are saying online and use a tool such as GuestPulse to do the work for you.

There is not enough time to track down every single mention, tweet, or message.  Use the tools to monitor the internet and connect with the paying guests in the dining area 100%.

12.  Question:  What is social media success?

Answer:  Listen to the discussion about this on the blog talk radio recording.

Social media success measured by cash to the bank NOT by being in every newspaper, blog, internet news story across the country?

Will the title “Social Media King” have value?  Only to an ego if there is no profit.

13.  What is social media?

Social media is just another tool for the marketing tool box.  It is not the save all and be all for restaurant marketing plan.

14.  Before you decide you want a case study?

For those asking for case studies:  Case studies are not helpful as you might think since there are so many variable for each business.

15.  Don’t just jump into social media or the new gadgets unless you:

Have a strategy.

Know the context of the marketing. (this is important!)

Learn how to use Social Media.

Have the tools to monitor online mentions.  (Try GuestPulse for free.)

Are where the hearts and minds of the guests are.

16.  What is the definition of “social media”?

This was discussed in depth and Kate offered realistic ideas.

There is a difference between “Audience” and “User”.

Do you know who is the User and who is the audience?

There is so much more on the blog talk radio recording.  Grab a pencil, keyboard or voice recorder.  Take a break, have lunch and click the play button.  There will be points you disagree with and you may at times feel uncomfortable as the topics hit close to home.  There might be a few funny moments (though not as funny as mine).  Should you decide to listen, you will find Jeffrey and Gary and Kate will challenge the thought process and be your own restaurant business buzzer (or bell?).

Even if you have only 30 minutes, www.Hospitality101Radio.com does not pull punches or hype products for the purpose of making a sale.  Jeffrey, Gary and Kate express thoughts of relevance to the issues in today’s marketplace with honesty and passion.

What is your favorite point of the radio show that week?  Did I miss the best thought?  What would you have included here?

About Michael

Michael Hartzell – Entrepreneur, writer, coach and Inbound Marketing Certified Professional.  As a self proclaimed Professor of Magic Marketing, author of “10 Magic Marketing Tips” and over 30 years experience as a restaurateur, Michael helps business owners “Boost Sales & Build Teams” on the foundation of Knowledge Empowers so Learn & Teach ™.  Read more from Michael at Restaurant Marketing Ideas Blog or contact him at ask@michaelhartzell.com.  Member of the American Marketing Association and Guerrilla Marketing Association.