Weave your web
Facebook and Twitter can be an incredible tool for food businesses, allowing companies to share information to an audience of hundreds, in a cost-effective way. They can be used as “feedback machines” that support your company. It gives business owners the opportunity to grow their businesses, attract new customers and build long term relationships through interaction. Consumers hold the power as you cannot control how people communicate back and forth about your products, service or company, but you can influence it. The right messages will inspire customers to communicate about your brand in a positive way.
The Fear Factor
However, if a customer doesn’t enjoy their meal, it’s easy for them to share their bad experience. It is essential to deal with questions and complaints from customers and do it well. You can explain to each customer that any concerns will be passed on and addressed to the manager. This ensures that all complaints appear to be handled and generally people walk away feeling they were at the very least listened to. That makes not only one satisfied customer but it also demonstrates to others that this company is dedicated to listening to its customers.
Top tips on using social media
Don’t bombard your fans:
Project the best content and avoid overloading customers with too much information at once. Produce and share quality content that your customers might find relevant to increase the chances of being followed/liked and engaged with.
Keep things exciting:
Keep posts brief; make them exciting by including pictures, whether it’s a delicious item on the cover page, posting about a new menu item or sharing staff photos so the customers feel more connected.
Offer rewards:
These will add excitement and are great ways to increase customer participation. Offering a reward for joining your email list or running a draw for those who enter a competition can increase engagement and increase your followers.
Ask for feedback:
The best way to keep the updates going is to ask for customer feedback. The feedback could be on new menu items, service/delivery times, food quality or the overall experience.
Use social media to fix a problem:
If a customer has a bad experience at your restaurant and announces it online, social media allows you to address the customer immediately, without letting them sit and stew.
Don’t forget, for our Food Alliance members, if you’re already signed up for Online Ordering you can sign up for our Managed Marketing service within minutes. Get a professional team of expert marketers using your Food Alliance points.
