Kounta POS Making it Big in Hospitality: Strategies for Growi | Page 15

Since you already know what they like, give them something else they might want
to try. Tyson Cole, the self-described “white sushi chef” who owns two successful
restaurants in Austin, Texas, explains it this way:
“Guests love it when a dish comes out and the server says, ‘The chef wanted you
to try this,’ because that creates a real connection and makes the experience
personal.”
Give someone a great meal, and they’ll come back for another. Give them a great
experience, and they’ll tell their friends. Which brings us to the second marketing
strategy.
Strategy #2: Create a marketing campaign for the
Has-Never-Eaten-At-Your-Restaurant demographic.
There are any number of popular, time-tested ways of achieving this. Newspaper
ads, radio commercials, local TV (if you can swing the cost) are all fairly effective.
But the internet and social media can often accomplish similar—if not
better—results at a fraction of the cost. Geo-targeted tweets can reach thousands
of people within walking distance with little to no effort. Facebook ads directed at
friends of people who already “like” your page can also help convert folks to try
you out. Beyond these micro-bursts of proactive messaging, the social media
platforms you use should be engaging and fresh, and focused more around
fostering a community than plugging your eats. Not that you shouldn’t showcase
your food, but if that’s all you’re doing people will tune out quickly.