Would you go to Facebook if you saw this on your table?
This card was on the table of quite a nice restaurant I ate at recently. It became a talking point and the crowd I was with decided it was quite invasive, out of place and more than a little tacky. From a marketing standpoint, it’s almost futile. You’re sitting at a table, having a great time with friends and what’s this, is it a cocktail menu…. no but check out our Facebook Page?
Another restaurant I went to on the same street gave out a simple business card with the bill. That’s classy. The card could have included a URL to their Facebook Page or Twitter handle (don’t overwhelm – choose one). That way I would have remembered it when I got home and their marketing efforts wouldn’t have intruded on our dining experience.
They would also reach their target clients, the person paying the bill who likely also chose the restaurant and invited everyone. I could offer them 10% off their next bill in return for becoming a fan. I could invite them to tell me how their dining experience was
If I ran a restaurant, I’d begin to Tweet what our specials were. I’d Tweet about happy hour on the day or afternoon that it happens. I’d post pictures of our restaurant and fine dishes on my Facebook page. I’d have my head chef blog about his dishes and style. I’d also empower my employees to take ownership over the business that they are part of. This works well when they’re working for tips.
One of my friends works in a pub. Here’s one of his recent Facebook posts:
If he can get some of his friend network to come to the bar, they’ll bring friends. His tips will go up. Smart business owners will leverage the personalities and networks that their staff have. Attract the right staff and empower them with guidelines. They’re on social media all the time anyway, have them use it to your advantage.