The most effective strategy to create Brand Awareness for your restaurant is by using social media.
The good news is that most restaurants are already doing their own social media marketing.
The bad news is they need to do it better if they want to achieve real results for their business.
Social Media is not just about getting more “LIKES.” Afterall, you can’t pay your bills with Likes.
It’s about building your brand so that your potential customers “Know Like and Trust you” before they decide to try your restaurant.
Here are the strategies I recommend you use for your social media marketing.
1. Schedule Your Social Media Activities
• Use a monthly calendar to schedule your posts on Facebook and Instagram
• Be realistic of what you can actually do.
• Be consistent for the long term.
• Measure your results with Engagements (Likes, Shares, Reactions).
• Do more of what actually works.
• Leverage your Posts on other platforms such as, Twitter, Youtube, Linkedin, and your Website.
• Always Be Testing what works and what flops.
2. Post The Right Mix of Content
• Focus 60% of your posts about your customers.
• Focus 20% of your posts about your Brand.
• Focus 20% on your promotions.
3. Learn More About Your Customers
• Use Facebook Insights to learn about your fans.
• What is the ratio between Women and Men?
• What are your main age groups?
• Do your customers live locally?
4. Create Your Brand Video
• Share your story of why you started your restaurant.
• Describe your cuisine.
• Show video of your chef preparing your signature dish.
• Testimonials – end your video with your customers raving about you.
• Have a Call To Action, with a link to your website so that they can learn more about what you offer and encourage them to make a reservation.
The more your prospects know about your brand, the more decisive they will be. You will no longer be ‘vanilla’ – you will be a flavour, like caramel or rocky road.
Not everyone will love your flavour, but that’s ok. The one’s that do love your flavour, will be become your raving fans and your most profitable customers.
Remember: Brand Awareness Turns Strangers Into Customers