Show the faces behind your business
As humans we tend to work on emotive responses. We’re all facing this pandemic, seeing a face behind your business shows your customers (and potential customers) that you’re facing this with them. Building up this relatability also builds trust and ultimately loyal and supportive customers.
Use social media to help build this relationship:
- Take your audience behind the scenes, meet the chefs, your front of house turned delivery drivers or show them how your business is operating right now – it will help your customers to understand how some things may have changed when they connect with you again.
- Share photos of your new creations now available and where the ideas have come from.
- Live stream during opening hours, include your audience like they’re invited to a virtual hang out.
Get Creative
This is an environment we’ve never seen before; this could be your chance to get ahead of the curve (no pun intended) and be an early adopter to new trends or a leader of a new era of customer service.
- Use social media in new ways. Exploring new takeaways menu ideas? Create a Facebook Poll and get your followers to vote for what should be on the menu.
- Host live cooking or cocktail classes (could be a paid event or free).
- Create a community and host a Netflix watch party – slip an invitation in the packaging of those who’ve ordered from you inviting them to the party (a chance for all your customers and you to gather and chat alongside your favourite foodie movie!).
We had an awesome webinar with legendary restaurateurs, Will Guidara and Kevin Boehm last month, where so many inspiring and unique ideas were thrown around! Check it out here, it’s free for members ????
Encourage your customers to engage
With your increased relatationship building with your customers (thanks to your personalised approach to communications), encourage them to help spread the word about your business. If you are able, offer an incentive (e.g. 15% off their next purchase when they tag you in their post). Or, encourage them to participate in the Restaurant Association’s Dinefind #TakeOutNZ campaign, where we’ll take care of incentive, with $200 of Restaurant Association Gift Vouchers being given away every week (check it out at www.dineouttakeout.co.nz and download campaign imagery here)
Make sure customers know you’re open!
If you are open, make sure people know. Make sure all your directory listings, websites and social platforms are up to date, and list your current opening hours and services during the different COVID-19 Alert Levels. There will be many people checking Google in search of their nearest caffeine fix so make sure you keep all bases covered.