In this episode, we’ll be discussing marketing your restaurant or foodservice business during this time of lockdown. We’ll provide some practical, actionable tips on how your foodservice business or restaurant can maintain momentum with an audience despite being a little quieter than usual.
Whilst many businesses are suffering at the hands of the lockdown, there are also many who have platforms that they can utilize that allow them to continue engaging with their audiences.
The Healthy Menu Podcast – Episode 15 Bitesize: Marketing Your Foodservice Business and Restaurant
Light Transcript of the Podcast
When the lockdown first began everything felt uncertain; there was a level of uneasiness within the foodservice industry. Restaurants were responding to an invisible threat that they haven’t dealt with before. Now, over two months in, restaurants are beginning to adapt to the new norm. Establishments that had otherwise not offered takeout options have now been presented with a huge opportunity. Consumers who would have visited restaurants pre-lockdown have been left with a void, which has allowed many establishments to step up and increase their service offering.
However, it’s not all good news as many places have been forced to go into bankruptcy or temporary shutdown.
Whilst turning to takeout services is a great way to maintain some of your existing clientele, it isn’t a winning formula for many.
What I’d like to do in this Bitesize episode is to highlight some ways your business can leverage social media marketing during this time of lockdown. All you’ll need is an internet connection, a smartphone, and a bit of creativity.
The biggest and most important things when it comes to connecting to your audience is making sure they can relate to you. How is your business supporting your team at this time? What could you be doing to support your team? Talk about this process. Share your stories on social media and let your audience know you’re working harder to provide a service to them. Create a short video shot with your phone speaking with your team members. It doesn’t have to be an email – do you have an email newsletter? Consider including short written interviews as an alternative.
Consider getting your chefs to share cooking tips or recipes. This is a fantastic way of showcasing what your foodservice business is capable of. Not only would it allow you to illustrate your chef’s experience, but would also provide a high level of value to an audience. Share short clips on social media of simple cooking tips, such as how to correctly and safely chop food or how to make the best scrambled eggs, for example.
Show your audience another side of your establishment. If your foodservice business is still operating, show your audience another side – consider showing a ‘behind the scenes’ look of your business. Perhaps videos of a pre-opening ritual that you might have or how your staff prepares for a day of orders and the ways they approach these situations. As an owner or a manager, you might want to be the face of your business and create a series of videos that take customers behind the scenes of you running your business. Try shooting a ‘day in the life’ type of video.
Whilst these are some suggestions, it’s important to know that they may not work for everyone. Get to know your audience. Understand their needs and how they can help you and vice versa. Remember, always provide value to your audience. The question, “what can we do for you?” should be at the forefront of your mind when creating content.
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