What Secrets Restaurant can Learn from Top YouTube Food Vloggers

Marketing concisely leads to generating awareness and building an image of the brand in the market. It is a broad concept involving multiple strategies and processes of execution to attract bookings and optimize revenue. With the ever-flourishing trends, it becomes inevitable for brands to keep up with the latest ones and continue to engage and preserve the interests of the guests. Moreover, the advancement in terms of technology acts as a fuel to all the marketing practices.

The challenge of being in the hotel industry is the overwhelming amount of competition and corresponding to the swiftly changing demands of the present day visitors. Especially with the growth in popularity of a variety of accommodation choices like apartments and homestays, it becomes even more challenging to stand out against the competition to gather more bookings.

Here are a few hacks that would assist hotels to ace their marketing game:

Be Present Everywhere: In order to win any game it is vital for all to first participate in it. People are present at all places but in this blooming tech-savvy world, it becomes essential for the marketing leaders to understand the demographics of their target segment and study their active presence across platforms. These would be the ideal spaces to narrate the brand stories and offerings to the desired set of audiences only. This practice further enables the marketing leader to broaden their knowledge through the guest engagements witnessed around the brand while keeping a check on their changing behaviors and accordingly framing tailored marketing strategies.

Up your Social Media Game: Social media has now turned out to be more than just a mere tool. It is no secret that guests’ decisions are usually influenced by the easy access to the content of these channels. Moreover, these platforms not only provide the gateway to the brands to highlight itself to their potential set of viewers but also aids the viewer to get a chance to interact with the brand directly. The insights garnered through these mediums assist the brands to convey the appropriate information to related audiences. This protects both- the efforts taken by the brand to reach out to its desired viewers and the viewer’s time by catering to the relevant facts.

Seek Collaboration Opportunities: In the hospitality industry, guests are often referred to as ‘King’ and this is because hoteliers believe in curating memorable experiences for them by extending the best offerings based on their requirements. Collaborating with other businesses whose association accelerates the fundamental intent of enhancing the guests’ experiences, is the most sought after exercise for any hotel property. Such initiatives boost the brand to reach out to wider, specific and segmented audiences yielding appreciable results.

Personalize Experiences: Personalized hotel marketing is a vast topic in the hospitality industry and hence is essential to timely remember the fact that every guest is unique. Adding a personal touch to the marketing plan in every possible form right from extending specially portioned food & beverage selections, AI-focused concierge systems, quick and online check-in processes to data driven personalization of ads cast a strong impression in the minds of the brand viewers. The present day guests seek for more and the marketing framework that involves adapting products or services meets the purpose of improving guest experiences while responding effectively to their needs within a short span of time.

Gather User- Generated Content: There is no other practice, which is certain to champion than the guests sharing their stories about the brand themselves. User-Generating Content is similar to the word-of-mouth, a proven age-old practice assuring publicity of the brand at no cost. In other terms, existing guests validate the quality and value of the hotel based on their experiences, which is not possible in brand-generated advertising campaigns. Additionally, studies over the years have confirmed that guests trust content created by other guests more than content created by brands and are more likely to affect them while making a reservation decision. Both marketers and guests agree that peer-influencers are more effective than any other marketing method. To build a trusting relationship with the guests and their communities, incorporating the authenticity of these user-generated contents into the marketing strategy is the way forward.

In today's digital age, negative publicity or reviews can quickly spread and potentially harm a restaurant's reputation. In India, where food is an integral part of the culture, restaurants take negative publicity very seriously and have developed various strategies to address it.

One of the most common strategies employed by restaurants in India is to respond promptly to negative reviews. This involves acknowledging the issue, apologizing for the inconvenience caused, and offering a solution. Many restaurants have dedicated staff to monitor online reviews and social media comments and respond to them in a timely manner. By doing so, they demonstrate that they are listening to their customers' feedback and taking steps to address their concerns.

“Negative publicity can be a challenge for any restaurant owner, but it's important to remember that it's not the end of the world. What's crucial is how you respond to it. By taking a proactive approach, listening to your customers' concerns, and taking steps to address any issues, you can not only turn a negative situation around but also build a stronger relationship with your customers," owner of Barkas chain commented. 

Another approach taken by some restaurants is to offer free meals or discounts to customers who have had a negative experience. This is done as a gesture of goodwill and to show that the restaurant values its customers. It also helps to turn the negative experience into a positive one, as customers are likely to appreciate the restaurant's efforts to make things right.

Some restaurants have also taken a proactive approach to negative publicity by investing in customer service training for their staff. By providing their staff with the tools and knowledge to handle difficult situations, restaurants can prevent negative experiences from occurring in the first place. This not only helps to improve customer satisfaction but also reduces the likelihood of negative reviews being posted online.

Respond promptly and professionally

When you receive a negative review, it's important to respond as quickly as possible. This shows that you take customer feedback seriously and are willing to address any issues. Be sure to respond in a professional and respectful manner, even if the review is particularly harsh or unfair. Avoid getting defensive or confrontational, as this can escalate the situation and make things worse.

Take ownership of the issue

If a customer has had a negative experience, it's important to take ownership of the issue and acknowledge their concerns. Apologize for any mistakes or shortcomings, and offer a solution or compensation if appropriate. This can go a long way towards restoring the customer's faith in your restaurant and may even encourage them to come back for another visit.

Use negative feedback to improve

Negative feedback can be a valuable source of information that can help you improve your restaurant's operations. Take the time to carefully read and analyze negative reviews, and look for patterns or recurring issues. Use this information to make changes to your menu, service, or other aspects of your business. 

“We have a weekly drill in our restaurant when each staff sits down and discuss all the negative reviews that we received over a week on various platforms like google listing, social media and aggregators. Then the manager inspects and regulates what needs to be done. Through this exercise we have been able to pull down the negative reviews by 40 percent over the last six years,” Joseph Mathew, owner of Bob Bar in Goa shared. By addressing the root cause of negative reviews, you can improve the overall customer experience and prevent similar issues from happening in the future.

Encourage positive reviews

One of the best ways to counteract negative reviews is to encourage positive ones. Encourage satisfied customers to leave a review on sites like Yelp, Google, or Facebook. This can help balance out any negative reviews and show potential customers that your restaurant is well-regarded by others. Consider offering a small incentive, such as a discount or free dessert, to customers who leave a positive review.

The importance of addressing negative reviews

Finally, it's important not to ignore negative reviews. Even if you disagree with the review or feel that it's unfair, it's still important to respond and address the customer's concerns. Ignoring negative reviews can make it seem like you don't care about your customers or their feedback, which can be damaging to your reputation. “Best way is to reach out to each customer to is giving such reviews. To be honest most of the time situation is vague and out of our control. For example spillage issue from a delivery boy. By reaching out rather than ignoring, we have noticed that we have built a strong loyal set of customers who have really appreciated the fact that we addressed their concern,” Sural Bhatia, owner of Kavery Ranchi expressed. 

Don't Forget About Staff Training

Staff training is crucial in managing negative publicity. Your staff is the face of your restaurant, and how they handle customer complaints can impact your business's reputation. Ensure that they are equipped with the skills and resources to address concerns professionally and promptly. Provide training on customer service and conflict resolution, and give them access to feedback forms and a clear complaint process. By investing in staff training, you can protect your business's reputation and provide a positive experience for your customers.

Despite their best efforts, negative reviews or publicity can still occur. In such cases, restaurants in India often turn to online reputation management services to help manage their online presence. These services monitor online reviews and comments, identify potential issues, and take steps to mitigate any negative impact on the restaurant's reputation.

Negative reviews are an inevitable part of the restaurant business. However, with the right approach, they don't have to be a cause for concern. By responding promptly and professionally, taking ownership of any issues, using negative feedback to improve, encouraging positive reviews, and not ignoring negative reviews, you can navigate negative reviews in a way that benefits your business and keeps your customers happy.

Gone are the days when we used to know about a new restaurant opening through newspaper ads or a pamphlet. With changing times, and people getting more digital-friendly, restaurant marketing has taken many shapes. Restaurants are not just enhancing their existing branding strategy, but also layering it up by providing various experiences keeping their customer base intact in a highly competitive market. 

Globally, the failure rate of a restaurant is estimated at 90 percent within the first year and only 50 percent survive until the second year. While there are many factors to consider for survival, the right marketing may own a major chunk. 

Also Read: 8 Marketing Tips for Restaurants to overcome coronavirus loss

There is a strong high-end foodie culture growing online, fueled by social media. Individuals are now seeking new and innovative dining experiences. It thus becomes imperative for restaurants to establish a foundational digital marketing strategy as early as possible. 

Social media says it all

Phased soft launch events involving targeted groups of digital influencers are effective at building online reviews and awareness before opening day. Online channels become a primary source for potential customers to learn about and engage with restaurants.

“Now the market demands us to be more modern and experimental with our promotions, so that is what we’ve been aggressively promoting. We’ve had A-listed celebrities and influencers come over and promote our hospitality and services. The major shift that we’ve seen, especially in the food and beverage and hospitality industry is from print to social media,” Owner of Ardor 2.1, Suveett Kalra commented.  

Today, every piece of content can be digitised as it has a massy reach.  “These massive enterprises like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have completely changed the way people looked at marketing and advertising. The time people spend on social media platforms is so huge that it allows us to use them to push our products in the right way with the right content and emotions to hit the potential customers,” Kalra further added. 

Taking cost-effective approach

Apart from attracting a huge number of eyeballs, one of the biggest benefits of new-age marketing is the cost. While one may still have to pay, online ads can be ‘pay per click’ which is like handing out a flyer and only then paying for it once someone is actually interested.

Brilliant Instagram campaigns or effective SEO plans can be successfully deployed for little to no cost at all. Commenting on the same, Jaideep Singh Anand, Owner of Tamasha Restaurant Connaught Place said, “Features like Instagram stories and Facebook boosting have really helped us reach our target audience by promoting our products the right way. Good content has taken over traditional marketing and so our team works meticulously to make things happen for us.”

Similarly, video marketing has helped many outlets to promote their menu and services. According to a recent survey, 56 percent of millennials name video as the most engaging content type available on the web today while 50 percent of the adults surveyed find videos more engaging than other content forms.

Traditional routes not to be missed

Undoubtedly, digital marketing is the way forward for many considering that they provide vast reach, actionable data, are easy to measure, and simple to adapt, but that doesn't mean that traditional modes of marketing are outdated. 

The Co-Founder of Burger Singh, Rahul Seth feels that traditional marketing is a daily part of people's lives, whether it is radio ads while driving, flyers or billboards on the road, or TV ads; people have come to associate these ad spaces with brands.

“In my view, the best marketing strategy is the one that utilises both mediums in a targeted manner. For example, investing in traditional marketing mediums for brand reputation management is an excellent investment, and social media is the best tool at your disposal for roping in new customers and maintaining relationships with your existing ones,” Singh added. 

May Interest: Dealing with New Trends of Social Media Marketing

For Burger Singh, the direct TG is Millennials and Gen Z; hence, the brand follows a quirky approach to attract them on social mediums when it comes to branding and marketing. However, traditional marketing channels help the company to expand to new cities. 

Maximised ROI is always the goal for any campaign, after all. And selecting the right channel to find the right audience is most important. The need of the hour when it comes to marketing one’s product is to strike the right balance between conventional and unconventional ways.