Marketing is often the last priority because it’s never urgent until it’s a crisis

In the restaurants industry, we’re all professional firemen. When the walk-in dies or a line cook no-shows, you’re on it in seconds. But while you’re busy playing hero in the kitchen, your brand is a slow-motion train wreck.

Marketing always falls to the bottom of the list because it doesn’t scream for attention—until the dining room is a ghost town on a Thursday and you’re wondering how you’re going to make payroll. By then, you’re not “marketing”; you’re panicking.

There’s an old joke: You can always tell a restaurant operator, but you can’t tell them much. Prove the joke wrong. Stop trying to save a nickel while losing a dollar. If you want results, stop the DIY amateur hour and start acting like a business owner.

1. Your Menu is a Liability

If you’re getting your menu “free” from a food distributor or you’re hacking it together on a cheap DIY site, it is failing you. Distributors design menus to move their inventory, not to maximize your profit.

A menu without professional engineering is just a list of food with prices. If your high-margin items aren’t strategically placed where the eye naturally lands, you are literally leaving money on the table every time a guest sits down. That “free” menu is the most expensive mistake you’re making.

2. Social Media: Consistency or Death

Posting “when you have a spare minute” is the same as not posting at all. If you aren’t visible, you don’t exist.

You need a hard-and-fast calendar. We’re talking at least 5 posts per week. No excuses. You need high-res photos, engaging video, and copy that actually sells the experience, backed by the right hashtags. If your feed looks like an afterthought, your customers will treat your restaurant like one.

3. Your Website is a Ghost Ship

Most restaurant websites are SEO nightmares. If a local customer searches for “best dinner near me” and you aren’t on the first page, you lost the sale before it even started.

If your site isn’t optimized, or if your menu is a clunky PDF that people have to pinch-and-zoom to read on a phone, they’re leaving. You need expert support to fix the backend so Google actually knows you exist and customers can actually find you.

Reach out for professional help (you owe it to yourself and your business).

The post Marketing is the last restaurant priority until it’s a crisis appeared first on HotOperator.

Selling Restaurant Food in a Down Economy

The economic backdrop for U.S. restaurants in 2025 is proving increasingly challenging. On one hand, total eating-and-drinking-place sales have edged up modestly — but the gains are being driven largely by menu-price inflation, not higher foot traffic. NRA+1 On the other hand, consumer behavior is shifting: higher prices, rising grocery costs and broader financial uncertainty mean many diners are cutting back. Nearly 40 % of consumers told a recent survey they’re spending less of their disposable income on restaurants. Restaurant Business Online+2Food Business News+2

This economic squeeze hits especially hard for family-run, sit-down, full-service restaurants — a segment for which casual dining and fine dining have both seen traffic declines. Black Box Intelligence+2SeafoodSource+2 Meanwhile, consumers still crave the experience of dining out — but now they demand more value, more meaning, and more “escape.”

That’s where creative restaurateurs and smart operators — i.e. you — have a massive opportunity. When people cut back on big expensive vacations, they’ll still spend on mini-escapes. So think beyond “just dinner.” Think “a night out that feels like a getaway.”

Why “mini-vacation” dining works now

• People want escape without spending a lot. Economic uncertainty means fewer expensive trips, but that doesn’t kill the desire for novelty, fun, or a break from routine.
• Value + experience = perceived worth. If guests feel they’re getting a lot (good food, ambiance, fun, generosity) for the price — especially compared to eating at home — they’re more likely to come out even when budgets are tight.
• Emotion trumps menu mechanics in tough times. Nostalgia, comfort, and the chance to feel pampered or travel (even imaginatively) can be far more motivating than “just a meal.”

How to turn your restaurant into a “home away from home” mini-vacation

Here are actionable ideas for owners/operators to reframe their offer — and tap into demand even when consumers are cost-conscious:

🎯 Themed Prix Fixe “Getaway” Menus

Instead of traditional à-la-carte dining, offer themed set meals — for example:

• “Bahamas Night” — shared tropical appetizer (think coconut shrimp or jerk-seasoned bites), two entrée selections (fish tacos, jerk chicken pasta, etc.), and a shared dessert (key lime pie or rum-glazed banana foster), all for $39.99 per couple. Serve with island-inspired mocktails or cocktails.
• “Roman Holiday” — antipasti starter, family-style pasta or chicken parm, shared tiramisu — evoking an Italian trattoria vibe, for $2-for-$45 couples prix fixe.
• These bundles promise escapism and ease: no budget shock (fixed price), no thinking about “which appetizer / entrée / dessert.” It’s a deal and a mini-holiday all in one.

💑 Date-Night Bundles & Value Lunch Program

• Date Night / Early Dinner Bundles: Shared appetizer + two entrées + shared dessert for a fixed price. Great for couples — maybe “two-for-39.99,” or slightly higher depending on region/food cost.
• Lunch-for-Two Deals: Sandwich, side dish (e.g., soup, salad, fries), and two drinks for $24.99 for two people — perfect for friends or coworkers seeking affordability and convenience mid-day.

These packaged deals give guests a sense of control and value when wallets are tight.

🎉 Add Entertainment / Atmosphere — Make It An Event

• Live music nights (acoustic, jazz, Latin, depending on your cuisine/theme) — make it feel like a night out, not just dinner.
• Theme nights: “Taco Tuesday Mexico Fiesta,” “Mediterranean Escape,” “Caribbean Friday,” etc — with décor, playlist, and even small details like themed napkins or menu descriptions.
• Occasional seasonal events: “Summer Luau,” “Winter Warm-Up” (comfort foods, warm drinks), “Holiday Escape” menus — giving regular customers a reason to stop by.

📲 Use Smart Digital Marketing & Loyalty Triggers

• Promote the bundles through social media and email as “mini-vacations without leaving town.”
• Loyalty perks: e.g., after 5 “getaway meals,” offer a free dessert or discounted next prix fixe night.
• Early-week or slow-night specials (Tuesdays, Wednesdays) — earlier seatings, discounted bundles — to drive traffic on slower nights.

The Benefits for Independent Restaurant Operators

• You capture guests who are willing to dine out but are more cost-conscious.
• You increase perceived value and emotional connection — it’s not just a meal, it’s an experience.
• You streamline ordering & food cost control: prix fixe menus simplify prep, reduce waste, and help manage margins.
• You build loyalty and recurring visits — when people know they can get a “vacation in town” for $40–$50, they may choose it over other discretionary spending.

Why This Matters Now

Given high food and labor costs — many operators report food costs up nearly 29% over last year, and rising pressure on profit margins. PR Newswire+1 And with consumers telling pollsters that dining out is one of the first places they cut back when money gets tight. Food Business News+2EMARKETER+2

In short: when the economy tightens, people don’t necessarily stop eating out — but they’re more selective. If you can offer value, comfort, and a little “escape,” independent and family-run restaurants have tremendous opportunity to win back those budget-conscious but experience-hungry diners.

The post Selling Restaurant Food in a Down Economy appeared first on HotOperator.

Every Restaurant Has a Story — But Not Every Diner Hears It

A couple sits in their car on a Friday night.
They’re hungry, undecided, and a little impatient.

She opens her phone and says, “Let’s see… best pizza near me.”
He adds, “Or maybe best burger near me — I’m starving.”
They scroll through photos, menus, and reviews — a world of restaurants competing for their attention, one thumbnail at a time.

Your restaurant has everything they’re looking for: the hand-stretched dough, the perfectly seared patty, the warmth of regulars who know your servers by name.

But you don’t show up.

Not because your food isn’t good enough — but because your story isn’t being told where it matters most: online, when people are searching for it.

That’s the heartbreak of being a hidden gem in a digital world. And it’s exactly why Local SEO matters.

Local SEO: The Digital Doorway to Your Restaurant

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your restaurant appear in online searches like “best tacos near me” or “seafood restaurant in Monterey.”

It’s how Google — and your future guests — discover who you are, where you are, and why your food is worth the drive.

At HotOperator, we’ve seen how powerful this can be. When done right, local SEO doesn’t just increase web traffic — it fills your dining room.

The HotOperator Way: Blending SEO with Storytelling

Most SEO advice talks about algorithms, keywords, and technical fixes.
We talk about people.

Because when a guest searches for a meal, they’re not just looking for food — they’re looking for a feeling.
They want comfort, curiosity, a spark of connection.

That’s why we weave storytelling into every part of your local SEO strategy — turning simple listings into emotional invitations.

Here’s how we make that happen:

1. Your Menu Is the Beginning of the Story

Your online menu isn’t just a list of dishes — it’s a conversation with potential guests.

When your menu descriptions are rich with sensory detail and local references, Google notices — and so do diners.

A menu item like “Grandma Sofia’s Lasagna — layered with béchamel and love, a family recipe since 1972” tells both a culinary and emotional story.

That’s not just good writing.
That’s SEO that tastes like something.

2. Your Guests Become Storytellers

Every review is a retelling of your brand story.
Encourage it, respond to it, and amplify it.

When someone writes, “Best burger near me — juicy, fresh, and worth every penny,” Google connects that review to future “best burger” searches.

Your guests become your marketers, one five-star story at a time.

3. Your Community Is the Setting

Local SEO loves context — and nothing creates connection faster than mentioning your roots.

Talk about the farmers who grow your produce.
Mention your neighborhood landmarks.
Show your Friday-night crowd laughing over wine.

Google’s algorithms read those details as relevance.
Humans read them as authenticity.

4. Consistency Is Character

From your Google Business Profile to Instagram, your name, hours, tone, and message must match.
Consistency builds trust — and trust builds traffic.

Your restaurant should sound and look like the same place everywhere people encounter it. That’s how a brand becomes memorable — and findable.

A True Story: From Hidden Gem to Local Legend

One of our clients — a small Italian restaurant in Oklahoma — had everything going for it except visibility.

Their regulars loved them, but tourists never found them.
When they reached out to HotOperator, we didn’t just “optimize” their Google page; we told their story online.

We added high-quality food photos, rewrote their menu descriptions with warmth and regional flavor, and helped them respond to every review.

Within two months:

• Google Maps views rose 132%
• Reservations climbed 22%
• Locals started saying, “We found you online — and the place feels exactly like we hoped it would.”

That’s what happens when storytelling meets strategy.

The Real Secret

Local SEO isn’t just about keywords.
It’s about helping people find you — your flavors, your heart, your history — in a world overflowing with options.

It’s about giving your restaurant’s story a stage where hungry diners are already looking.

And when that story is told with honesty, emotion, and craft, your restaurant becomes more than a location on a map — it becomes a destination.

At HotOperator, that’s our specialty.
We help independent restaurants turn data into design, menus into marketing, and local searches into loyal customers.

Ready to Be Found?

If your story isn’t showing up when people search for what you do best, we can help.
Let’s make your restaurant visible, memorable, and irresistible — online and off.

👉 Let’s tell your story together.

The post How Local SEO Turns Your Restaurant Story into a Magnet for Hungry Diners appeared first on HotOperator.

According to The National Restaurant Association, the foodservice industry is on target to reach $1 Trillion dollars in sales this year. And when asked what stands out in the industry, here’s what they had to say (and what HotOperator recommends for taking advantage of those trends).

But before we get to that. Keep in mind, a strong message became clear: People want human contact when dinning out. You know, people helping people. So, take note before you try to tighten staff with computers.

The Key findings:   

1. Sales are up: The foodservice industry is forecast to reach $1 trillion in sales in 2024.

Is this sales in more people going out to eat? Nope. It’s mostly higher prices. To offset this, make sure you are mental anchoring your restaurant menu. Have comparative prices that show the guest just how little they are spending.

2. Restaurants are hiring: The industry workforce is projected to grow by 200,000 jobs, for total industry employment of 15.7M by the end of 2024. 45% of operators need more employees to meet customer demand.

Which is great. But it also offers another problem. Many operators are struggling to find workers (and keep them). A strong brand marketing campaign will help your restaurant stay top-of-mind. And that makes your restaurant more attractive to employees along with consumers.

3. Competition is strong: In 2024, 45% of operators expect competition to be more intense than last year.

This is difficult for most independent operators. Chain restaurants are taking a larger and larger portion of the market. To combat this, independent operators will need to use guerrilla marketing programs to stay in front of chains moving into their market. Try things like local bonuses. Special menu items that only local guests know about. And treat guests like royalty. 

4. Costs are up: 98% of operators say higher labor costs are an issue for their restaurant. 97% cite higher food costs. 38% say their restaurants were not profitable last year.

This points to a lack of marketing which puts stress on any restaurant. Simply put, a weak brand will not push their value up in the eyes of local guests. Our recommendation? Do a brand analysis along with a menu matrix to find out what your guests really think of your business. Every day you have a focus group going on in your restaurant. People are voting for your business with their pocket books and their feet. They are telling you if they like your business, and they are telling you what they like most about dinning with you (and what they don’t like)

But don’t do this on your own. You need an objective view. You need an expert to look at your business and offer advice. It might be painful, but it is necessary.

5. Consumers are value conscious: Nearly half of consumers are taking a wait-and-see stance when it comes to spending. Operators who offer a solid value proposition for dining out can nudge customers out of their holding pattern.

This is not a deep thinking thing to say. That’s because consumers are always value conscious. Where most people make a mistake is thinking that value conscious is all about price. But it’s not just about price. It’s about price and function together. A product can have a higher price only if you offer reasons that will support that higher price. Most operators get this wrong in their business and never think to support each item with the proper description and highlight.

6. Consumers love restaurants: 9 in 10 adults say they enjoy going to restaurants. Restaurants allow them to enjoy a favorite meal that has flavor and taste sensations they can’t easily replicate at home.

So it’s not all bad news. Of course people want to eat out. It’s fun. In fact, it’s a mini vacation. So, you need to nurture those feelings with your guests. That means you have to train your staff on how to work with guests so they make better choices when they order from you. And how to get your servers to leave their own struggles at the door when they come to work.

If you’re looking for help to build a better brand in your restaurant, give Mark a call. He’s an expert in restaurant branding, menu development, social media and content development. He’s been doing this stuff for nearly 4 decades, and has worked with more than 200 restaurants across the country. This gives him a unique ability to learn from other independent operators what’s working and what isn’t.

Hey, the first 15 minutes are free. To take advantage, call 800-316-3198 and leave a message. Mark will get back to you.

The post 6 Restaurant Trends and What They Mean (number 4 is essential) appeared first on HotOperator.

Let’s face it, getting customers into your restaurant can be very difficult. Most operators are looking at declining sales, or customers who are simply dining with them less often. Prices are high and discretionary income is low. So even though gas prices are in line, there is a general sense of disparity, especially in an election year. So here are 7 promotions you can use today to get more consumers into your restaurant.

7 Restaurant Promotions You Can Use Today:

1. Referral Program: Your top customers know people and can influence their friends and family to dine with you. So, encourage your existing customers to refer new customers by offering discounts or rewards for every new referral they bring in.

2. Social Media Contests: If you’re working with HotOperator, you’re probably already doing this. Run contests on platforms like Instagram and Facebook where participants can win prizes by liking, sharing, or commenting on your posts. Better yet, get them to post images or comments on your pages and get the highest number of likes to win the gift card.

   And keep in mind, if you give away a $30 gift card, you’re actually only giving away about 30% of that cost, because it’s just the food you need to cover. The staff and operations are already there.

3. 
   Loyalty Program: Develop a program that rewards repeat customers with points that can be redeemed for discounts, free products, or other perks. If you don’t have one, HotOperator recommends getting one set up.
   
   
4. Email Marketing Campaigns: If you’re working with HotOperator, you’re already doing this. Use email newsletters to announce new products, promotions, or special events, and offer exclusive deals to your subscribers.

   Most consumers say they don’t get enough emails from their favorite restaurant operators. So, take advantage of that interest and start emailing.

5. Collaborations with Other Businesses and Community Organizations: Partner with complementary local businesses and local organizations to cross-promote each other’s products or services. This is a great way to get noticed in your community, and to get people to think highly of you.
   
   
6. Customer Appreciation Events: Host events to thank your customers for their support, offering exclusive deals, free refreshments, or other perks. This can be done with social media and through emails. But make it exclusive. These can be special nights (make them slower nights like a Monday or Tuesday), and make the event fit your style of restaurant.

7. Seasonal Promotions: Align your promotions with holidays or seasons, offering themed discounts or special bundles. Again, if you’re working with HotOperator, you’re already doing this style of marketing.

For professional help, reach out to Mark Laux! (920) 420-2076!

The post 7 Restaurant Promotions (number 4 is a total must) appeared first on HotOperator.

Social media for restaurants is much more valuable than most restaurant operators realize. Most operators struggle with keeping up with their social media marketing. They get busy with other things, and it can be difficult to know what to do and how to do it. Here are the HotOperator restaurant social media 7 keys to success.

Key #1: Connect Instagram and Facebook

There are a lot of social media platforms out there, and it can be difficult to know which to put your energy (and money) behind. The nice thing about Facebook is, it’s still very powerful, and it connects with Instagram, so it can be used as a single platform. Keep in mind that what posts on Facebook doesn’t always work that well on Instagram. So, you’ll need to alter the posts a little from one to the next. But what you post on Facebook will work on Instagram, and they can be posted together at one time.

Also, on Facebook and Instagram, with the reels, you can post your TikTok videos on Instagram and Facebook to get more eyes on your creations. Keep things photo driven, use videos to grab attention, and most importantly, get professional help with your design, photography and video production so your viewers think highly of you.

Key #2: Establishing A Clear Voice.

Every brand is made up of a  ‘personality’, and what we do at HotOperator is interview our clients about what their brand represents. It’s a fun process that includes establishing the personal character of the place or places your restaurant represents. Here is what we look for in our social media personality, and keep in mind, this reaches every platform we post on, and it also is the driver behind our reputation on review sites.

• If you had to pick a gender, which best fits your brand?
• How old is the person that best represents your brand?
• If your restaurant(s) came to life, what movie star would be picked for the lead role?

Once established, you should be able to picture that person talking in your social media posts and review responses. And anyone who is working on your social media marketing will need to do their best to speak that voice. 

Key #3: Define Your Social Media Look

Social media, all social media, is a visual place. It’s fashion trending and depends on photos and videos to make an impact. To that end, it is essential for your business to have a look that is an extension of your business.

This is much more difficult than it sounds. It’s not just about shooting a photo of some food and putting a logo in the corner. It’s about  coming up with a branded look that is appealing and will carry your message to the largest number of potential customers.

Key #4: Interact With People

One of the most powerful keys to success for your social media program is to interact with people in your network. They need to feel like they belong, like you’re listening to them, and that you care about them. 

The key to a successful social media program is to have it be a conversation. It’s not just about posting a photo now and again. I guarantee you, your occasional posts are being ignored. Getting your social media program to go from good to great is about getting your guests and potential guests to talk to you on your sites.

When your guests comment, when they post, and when they like and love what you post, your social media will really take off. Getting them to do that is tricky and takes time. People have to feel like they are being listened to before they will say anything to you or about you on social media.

Key #5: Post (a lot)

It may sound obvious, but it needs to be said: The best way to grow a social account is to post consistently and post often.

If you’re not posting every day, you’re not posting enough. Hell, you can even repeat yourself now and again. When you look at your social media network, keep in mind, you spend a lot more time on your pages than anybody else. So if you post something one week, it’s perfectly okay to post that same thing again the following week.

One thing we do is develop a special feature on any given Tuesday, and then run that each and every Tuesday for the month. Maybe it’s a special on wings, or a drink special, or a featured item. Once it’s established, keep running it so your guests come to expect it, and stop into your restaurant for it.

Key #6: Put Together A Budget

Here’s the deal, Mark Zuckerberg and people like him are smart. Probably smarter than any of us. And they know how to make money. They’ve got shit-tons of it. All social media platforms are advertising media sources. They all depend on people like you spending a couple of hundred dollars each month to reach ‘your’ guests. I put quotation marks on your guests because they are not your guests. They may follow your page, but you’re not going to reach them just because you posted a lovely photo of your food.

The only way to reach a large number of people on social media each month is to pay to reach them. It sucks, but it’s true. Paid posts, advertising, boosts, they work. And if you don’t pay to reach your potential guest you’re not going to be in front of many of them.

If you have a few thousand followers on any given social media site, when you post a photo, you’re likely to get in front of a few dozen people unless you’re giving something away for free. And even then, you’ll maybe get in front of a hundred or so people. But the moment you put $35.00 to $100.00 behind the post, you’re going to get in front of more than a thousand people.

Key #7: Make A Calendar

Social media is a complicated process that requires knowing in advance what you want to talk about. It is essential to have a calendar to work from at least a month in advance. In this way, you will be able to plan events, schedule posts and gather together information and photos as the month progresses.

Keep in mind, the calendar is a guide, and not carved in stone. It’s fine if it changes from time-to-time. But having a calendar at the ready will keep you on track, and help you post every day.

HotOperator can help you develop award winning creative and social media direction for your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok accounts. We work with you to come up with ideas for promotions, creative content, calendars and your social media presence. Want to learn more? Connect with our team!

The post Restaurant Social Media: 7 Keys to Success appeared first on HotOperator.

About Restaurant Social Media

Ironic that this next bit of writing was scrapped off the internet, and all I did was change out the reference to caregiver and put social media in its place. See if this still works as a document.

Challenges when becoming your Social Media Manager

When the time comes to take care of social media, there are a few challenges you’ll face along the way. While it may seem daunting, there are ways to mitigate the difficulties and make social media much easier. Here are seven of the most common challenges.

1. Balancing Work Responsibilities

It’s tough to get everything done without using up all your vacation time and sick days to care for your social media. The best thing you can do is ask for help. Talk to a professional and let them know what’s going on. Ask for help from a social media expert to see if they can step in and help when you’re not there.

2. Finding Time For Your Social Media

It may even seem like you don’t have time to catch up with your friends or go out to a concert with your family because you’re expected to do it all. You need to find time for your social life, not just social media. Interacting with friends gives you time to unwind and relax. An hour or two without worrying about the next social media post can make all the difference.

3. Managing Financial Responsibility

Managing the finances for your restaurant business is stressful; suddenly everyone is depending on you to make the right decisions, and they may not be able to provide you with any input. Work to establish a budget and factor in money for surprise expenses. Work with a group that understands the costs of running a restaurant and that there has to be a return on this investment. That way, you’ll have a guide to keep things in control.

4. Coping With The Emotional Burden

It’s common for restaurant owners to become stressed, depressed, and even angry. If you experience these feelings, know that you’re not alone. There are many ways you can cope with the emotional burden. Take a walk, get a cup of coffee with a friend, seek expert support, or even outsource your social media. Each one will give you a chance to take a deep breath and reset.

5. Stay Organized

Keeping track of your own schedule is tough, but managing your social media schedule as well can be a daunting task. Make use of a professional social media calendar to keep track of posts and social conversations.

6. Feeling The Need To Say Yes All The Time

When you’re managing social media, it can be difficult to say no. It’s important to remember that you have obligations outside of your social media duties, and those obligations may require you to say no to doing it yourself. That is perfectly okay, and no one should hold it against you. In fact, sometimes, it’s better to have social media management done for you.

7. Preparing For The Next Steps

No matter how well you look after your social media, there’s a real possibility that conditions will progress to the point that you won’t be able to manage it on your own. If you’re not already receiving expert social media support, this will be something you’ll need to look into to ensure that your social media is always working at its highest potential. In addition, it’s important to always be prepared for the eventuality of some guests needing social media attention.

It can be comforting to know that your social media is being taken care of by experts. That doesn’t mean you won’t still be involved, it is your business after all. But it does mean that you won’t have to worry about your social media every minute of every day.

The post Managing Restaurant Social Media Is Like Taking Care Of A Toddler appeared first on HotOperator.

Here’s my question: Are Facebook ads ineffective, or do you just suck at it?

*https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/62-of-small-business-owners-say-facebook-ads-dont-work-experts-disagree.html

A Couple Statistics Might Help Find An Answer

Facebook has 2.80 billion monthly active users (Facebook, 2021). If that number doesn’t wet your appetite, it also has 1.84 billion users that are visiting the social networking site on a daily basis. This means that actual human beings are visiting at least one of Facebook’s core products – which includes Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger, every, single, day.

Think about that. These are your current and potential customers. Every day, on their phone, scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, et al. This is a huge opportunity to get in front of your customers. Maybe there is another reason why 62% of Small Business Owners Say Facebook Ads Don’t Work.

I Hate Wasting Money, But Social Media Ain’t Free, My Friend

In the fourth quarter of 2020, Facebook (Meta?) brought in $27.2 billion in ad revenue (Facebook, 2021). That puts its average revenue per user at $10.14. Not only does its ad revenue make up nearly all (96.8 percent) of its $28.1 billion revenue for the entire quarter, it’s also a 31% year-over-year increase.

Here’s the thing, Mark Zuckerberg is no fool. He is in it to make money, but he realizes that he has to offer something of value to his customers in return. In other words, he’s not just asking you for cash without offering you something. But you do need to know what you’re doing to get the most for your money.

The reason 62% of Small Business Owners Say Facebook Ads Don’t Work might be because small business owners don’t know what they’re doing.

With Social Media Marketing, Admit it, You Need Help

Seriously, you need help with your social media program. I may not have looked at what you’re doing specifically, but I can already tell, more than half of you reading this are not getting the social media program you need. Your guests are seeing your social media posts once in a great while, and they are probably not seeing your social media advertising at all.

And when they do see your posts and advertising, are they seeing something worth looking at? Probably not. I haven’t even looked at your social media and I already know this.

Out of the U.S. population aged 12 and above, 63 percent claim they use Facebook (Edison Research and Triton Digital, 2020). That’s an estimated 178 million Americans.

These are the questions we can help you answer. Your social media marketing depends on the answers to these questions.

When you are thinking about running an ad for your social media, you need to ask some serious questions about your target audience. Here is a list of questions we ask and answer when we work on an ad for our clients:

1. What is the perfect demographic for our business? (Example: age, gender, location, income, marital status, education level.)
2. Find the most popular entertainment (authors, movies, events, etc.) that appeal to my style of customer?
3. Where do my best customers shop, what retailers or vendors do my potential customers buy from? Think of clothes, drinks, cars, sports teams, they might follow that would appeal to them.
4. Understand customers better, what hobbies do they have, do they have kids and do they spend time with those kids?
5. Learn what other Facebook pages are liked by my potential customers?
6. Discover Facebook groups your perfect customers belong to if any?
7. Who are my toughest competitors and what are they doing on social media?

It’s not just the cool kids. It’s everybody.

Facebook is also the most widely-known social media platform available. In fact, 95 percent of the U.S. population know what Facebook is, meaning that it’s more well-known than its closest competitors like Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest, some of which are owned by Facebook (Meta). 

Here’s something else you should know: 74% of Facebook users in the U.S. are between 35 and 54 years old. About 64% for those between the ages of 12 and 34 years old, and just over half of those 55 and older use Facebook on a regular basis. This should be important to you because those people between the ages of 34 and 55 are your potential customers. They have discretionary income, they love going out to eat, and they are on Facebook every day.

Let Mark Zuckerbeg Introduce You To Thousands Of People (every day)

Facebook is connecting people to businesses all the time. In fact, 78% of American consumers have discovered retail products to buy via Facebook (Kleiner Perkins, 2018). The survey suggests that more than half of the people have used Facebook to actively look for products, with the majority of them discovering new products on Facebook’s News Feed, Pages, and Groups. Further, nearly 3 in 4 customers (72%) have used Facebook to make restaurant or retail decisions, based on comments and images that have been shared by other users.

Again, Get Help

According to Statista, it was calculated that the total advertising expenditure in North America in 2020 amounted to 249.8 billion U.S. dollars. Due to the impact of the coronavirus on the industry, the spending decreased by 1.4% that year, however it is expected to rebound to 282.8 billion dollars by the end of 2021.

Advertising works. It will get conversations started, get people to think about you, and ultimately get people into your business. But it will only do this if you know what you’re doing. Advertising, even on social media, is a skill that takes knowledge, practice, creative technique and research. While you’re at work selling food, our team is developing posts, ads, and promotions for social media. What I’m saying is, we’re experts.

It’s An Investment, Not An Expense

Too many businesses look at social media as an expense rather than an investment. If you see your social media program as an expense, you will probably not invest much in making it successful.

On the other hand, if you see your marketing program as an investment in developing future business, then you will probably be much more successful with your marketing efforts. There is only one way to learn more about social media marketing. And that’s to have a conversation with HotOperator. The initial phone call costs you nothing, and at the very least you will know more about social media potential for your business.

Follow the link to set up an introductory call: Contact HotOperator®

The post 62% of Small Business Owners Say Facebook Ads Don’t Work.* appeared first on HotOperator.

Here’s how to get more than 5,000 people to engage on Facebook from one post organically (without boosting the post)

It’s difficult to get more than 5,000 people to engage on Facebook from a single post organically (without boosting the post). That goes for Instagram, or Twitter as well. The Land Run is a steakhouse in Enid Oklahoma, a community of less than 50,000 people. We helped launch the restaurant back in December, and have helped them with their social media program ever since. About a month ago the restaurant started opening at lunch. They came to us and asked how we might use restaurant social media to bring attention to their new lunch program.

Along with other posts about lunch, we decided to give away a free lunch. A random person who posted and tagged a friend on their Facebook page. And it worked. We got 5,152 people to see the original post, along with 887 post engagements, including 25 shares and 266 comments and post tags.

Social Media Posts That Actually Work Organically

The text said that one lucky person would get a free lunch with the person they tagged, just as long as the person they tagged liked the post. After a few days we chose the winner at random and posted that. Because of this post 5,152 people people saw that The Land Run is now open from lunch. 286 of them asked a friend to go to lunch with them. All in a community of less than 50,000 people.

On top of that, 2,573 people were reached with a photo of the winners, along with 400 post engagements.

To get started, click the link and spend a half an hour on the phone with HotOperator talking about Restaurant Social Media. We can help you grow your business by getting your social media working harder and getting in front of more people in your community.

Mark and Kelly are a design-engineer team and managing partners of HotOperator. They have been working in the restaurant business since 1989. Either can be contacted through the HotOperator website, or by calling 800-316-3198.

Menu Design & Engineering • Restaurant Marketing • Social Media • Websites

The post How To Get More Than 5,000 People To Engage On Facebook From One Post Organically appeared first on HotOperator.

Part 1 – Social Media & Social Networking

Social Networking and Social Media are often used interchangeably. For the purposes of this article, I’ll use these titles for different ideas.

Social Networking will be any platform that joins people with a common interest. So for a restaurant, it’s about reviews. And for your purposes, it’s about getting more of them, and getting your business into the ‘sweet spot’ of having a lot of reviews with an average of about 4.3 stars. Higher than that, and people won’t believe you. Lower than that and you risk having new customers being cautious about your business and going someplace else.

Examples: Yelp – Eat24 – OpenTable – Zagat – Gayot – Zomato – Google My Business – TripAdvisor – Yahoo Local et al.

Social Media is about connecting with people. It’s about building relationships, transmitting information and sharing content that other people can and want to share as well. And by the way, sharing and wanting to share your content is critical. The more people like, love, share and comment on your content the better. Social media is all about being top-of-mind, and when people are sharing and talking about you, you’re in peoples heads. And that can be very good for business.

Examples: Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIn – Instagram – YouTube – SnapChat – Pinterest et al.

Most of the work you need to be doing is on Facebook, Instagram, Yelp, Google Places and a few others. Twitter, if you can keep up, is good too, although it’s tough because people expect an immediate response and get frustrated when you take half a day to get back to them. And while most restaurant owners are pretty nocturnal, you have to sleep sometimes, and when you do, some sleep deprived customer will get fussy that you’re not up at all hours to answer their petty comment or question.

By the way, Google Places can cross between Networking and Media, because some people do use Google a little like Facebook and Instagram. But for the most part, the real media platforms to focus on are the ones I’ve listed above. And most of your efforts need to include Facebook. For all the talk about Facebook lately, it is still the biggest, baddest platform out there.

Part 2 – Why Use Social Media

The simple answer is, 80% or more of human beings in the United States use social media every day. That’s about 260 million people. My guess is, some of those people are your customers.

Here are some other stats that might help make the point for being engaged on social media and social networking platforms:

Follow review sites, consumer reviews are 12 times more trusted than product descriptions. Your reputation is at stake.

Empathica Research shows that nearly three out of four customers (72%) have used Facebook to make restaurant or retail decisions, based on comments and images that have been shared by other users.

What Social Media Experts Say

A recent study by two prominent Berkeley economists discovered that as little as a half-star difference in a restaurant’s Yelp score would swing business up by about 27%.

And if that’s not enough, here something to think about: Location. As in, you want your business to be where a lot of people hangout. And your people are hanging out with social media and networking.

Here’s a scary thought: 34% of small business owners do not have a social media presence at all, and another 64% of business owners completely suck at it. So that leaves about 2% that get it right.

How Do You Know?

If you’re doing it right, you should hear from people that they like your social media program. You know, customers who are in your area and visit your restaurant and come up to you and say things like: Wow, cool post on Facebook, or I saw your photo on Instagram and really liked it. And if that’s not happening, you may not be doing it right.

You can stick your head in the sand, but it won’t make social media go away. And just because you’re ignoring the conversation doesn’t mean nobody is talking about you. It just means the conversation is going on without you.

The first step to joining social media is deciding to become a part of the conversation.

Part 3 – Social Media Platforms for Successful Restaurants

There are a lot of social platforms out there, so unless you are pretty savvy, we recommend focusing your efforts on Facebook and Instagram, and forgo Twitter and the others for a while. This is because most of the people with discretionary income spend most of their time there, and the platforms are linked together, making it easy to post on both sites at the same time.

Becoming the ‘cool place’ on social media is not that difficult. Actually, it’s really difficult. It’s a little like running a late night talk show. Or a comedy sitcom for foodies. But there are things you can do to make your business look good on social media.

Photos are king!

So make sure every shot you take looks really, really good. If it doesn’t look great, don’t post it. And use indirect sunlight. It makes food look good. Just don’t shoot the photo with the light behind the food or all you’ll see is a big shadow.

Try to be consistent with your ‘voice’. People want to have a relationship with your business, and they can only do that if your comments and photos are consistent.

Share customer generated content. Which means, encourage your guests to post on your site. Have contests, take photos and offer incentives for people to take selfies in your restaurant. And make sure your staff members ‘check in’ on social media when they arrive at work. Even if you have to pay them a little something (they have friends, and those friends may stop in for a meal).

Social Media Tips

Ask your guests to become evangelist by asking them to post, offer positive reviews and engage with your posts. This is essential, because social media works on programs that expand your posts to new and more people when people are organically engaging with your posts.

Ask Questions. People love to talk about themselves, and they love to comment. So make sure you post a lot of questions on your Facebook and Instagram pages.

Answer reviews. Even the good ones. Do not argue with guests online, but always thank the person for commenting, even if it’s a bad review. Be nice!

Post about 5X per week. Social media has a very short attention span, so posting a lot will help keep you top-of-mind with your guests.

Part 4 – Get Creative Help

The key to being a successful restaurant operator is knowing what you’re good at. And this includes knowing what you’re not good at. If you’re naturally a good photographer, a good writer, and a part-time comedian, great! Post away. But if you’re not any of those things (actually all of those things), then get some help!

Subscribing to the HotOperator Social Media Program can help you develop a nice base to work from for your social media program. It’s cheap, easy, and includes tips on how to post, what to post and even includes photos and posts you can just add your logo to and post on your pages.

The best part, the creative is worked out by professional photographers, writers and social media experts. So when you use the HotOperator program, you will be getting a month’s worth of posts that will get the attention of your potential guests.

Sign up now, and try it for a month or two. If you’re not satisfied, you can cancel at any time!

HotOperator is a restaurant marketing company offering menu design and engineering, marketing consulting, social media, classic marketing and restaurant brand development. Reach out to HotOperator when you want to grow your restaurant!

Get on a call Now!

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