Are you focused on forming the right community?

Starbucks has done one thing very well. Do you know what that is? Did they create a community of consumers interested in their coffee? Did they focus on selling lots of coffee to consumers? Well, no. Actually, Starbucks created a community for community sake. Sure, coffee shops have tried to build communities for years, but no single coffee chain has been more effective than Starbucks. Again, it wasn’t the product; it was the community that jump-started their success. Alright, they want to sell some coffee, too.

Why should a community matter at your restaurant? The answer to this question is simple: IT MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK!

When was the last time you gave a Nod to someone driving the same car as you? Maybe you gave The Nod (or wink) to someone wearing the same Dockers. Or, should we bet that you gave The Nod to a fan of your favorite sports team. The Nod is community. Those addicted Starbuck drinkers know exactly what I’m talking about here. The same goes for Macintosh users, myspace.com participants and people who wear a lot of BLING. The Nod isn’t really the thing we have in common, but what the thing says about us. The Nod says:

“We are in the same club.”

And

“We’re part of a trend.”

And

“We only give The Nod to members.”

And

“We’ll give you The Nod if you join our group – no posers.”

The Nod means we give value to the attribute we recognize. In other words, by sharing characteristics we spot members of our tribe. And, we reveal a little more about ourselves to the public.

As a restaurant owner you can “earn” The Nod by asking yourself, “What does using my product say about the consumer?” If you don’t have an immediate answer to this question, you’re not alone. However, you should spend some alone time to figure out the answer. In that locked room, where you are alone, you might want to consider these Nod earning concepts and conversational scenarios:

-Unknown Treasure

-"Hey, buddy, you’ve discovered the Hour of Free ribs at the Rib Shack. That’s so cool that they do that, huh?”

-Coolness Factor

-"Isn’t it cool that we know that we are here at the Hour of Free ribs and no one else is?”

-Risky Business

-"Wow, wouldn’t it be a shame if the Rib House across the street knew about the Hour of Free ribs?”

-Fun Factor

-"I’m so happy that you’re into having fun at the Hour of Free ribs. It is the best time.”

-Expert Time

-"I think the Rib Shack has the best ribs. I think the Rib Shack steps up their rib production during the Hour of Free ribs.”

-Finer Things in Life

-"I’m happy about the Hour of Free ribs, but I would honestly pay for any hour of ribs at the Rib Shack. They are just that good.”

Again, The Nod does more than reveal part of your marketing; it says that the community is involved, discriminatory and atypical. As a restaurant owner, try to encourage The Nod in everything that you do! When you know The Nod, more people will connect strongly to your offering.

Coastr.com brings beer lovers closer to each other

What could be more social than a social networking site that’s all about beer? I recently found Coastr.com, the social guide to beer. If what they say is true, then this site should make bubbles with consumers and aficionados alike. I decided to take a quick tour of the site to see what the buzz is all about.

To start the site has one goal: connecting passionate, like-minded people about new brews and beer drinking establishments. It was created by Brian Eng of Luckymonk. And, according to the “what’s Coastr” page of the site, none of the site was built while sober. The site also claims to be an experiment in social networking. In other words, Coastr.com hopes to connect fanatics to more beers and places to drink them. There is a search engine for both beers and places to drink beer. A “places to drink” search will lead you to an amazing map mashup of establishments of character and flavor. The actual social networking aspect of the site is obvious from the front page visit. Already, users have stated their opinions on many types of beer. From Belgian to American, the reviewed beer list is extensive. After reading the commentary on some of the other beers, I noticed that the comments varied from long to short. I actually posted my own comment on the Duvel commentary (I’m a lover of Belgian ales, what can I say).

If you are a brewery interested in expanding your product line or want to connect to some real beer enthusiasts, I would try posting some comments on Coastr.com. It wouldn’t hurt to gain some exposure. Furthermore, you’ll be a part of a wider experiment that’s all about growing your social connections to YOUR customers.

The internet is bigger than Al Gore...

How big is the internet? According to Nielsen/NetRatings, there is a worldwide Internet population of 580 million users, as of 2002. The International Telecommunications Union provides a 15 percent higher estimate of 665 million users. In other words, you, me, your family and red-headed step cousin are online.

Who is on the internet? Of these, roughly 30 percent are in North America, 31 percent are in Europe, and 38 percent are in other parts of the world.

How long are they online? The average global Internet user spends 11 hours and 24 minutes online per month, according to Nielsen/NetRatings. The average user in the United States spends more than twice that amount of time online: on average, 25 hours and 25 minutes at home and 74 hours and 26 minutes at work.

What are they doing online? According the Pew Internet and American Life project the top activity is sending emails: 52% of users. The second most used internet activity is getting news: 32%. The remaining user scenario goes like this:
- Searching to find information 29%
- Surf the web for fun 23%
- Looking for info on a hobby 21%
- Doing an internet search for answers 19%
- Doing work related research 19%
- Researching a product before buying 19%
- Checking the weather 17%
- Sending an instant message 14%

How many searches are done each day? SearchEngineWatch.com estimates that there are 319 million searches each day.

What is a blog and how many blogs are there? A blog is a frequently updated website consisting of dated entries arranged in reverse chronological order so that the reader sees the most recent post first. The style is typically personal and informal. Currently, Technorati is tracking 7.9 million blogs. In fact, the blogosphere is doubling in size about once every 5 months. It has already done so at this pace four times, which means that in the last 20 months, the blogosphere has increased in size by over 16 times.

What does this mean to you? OPTIMIZE YOUR ONLINE MARKETING!!!

What are locals saying about your restaurant?

Over the weekend, I was in Breckenridge, CO. If you haven't been to the exciting mountain town of Breckenridge, I'd suggest you stop what you are doing and head for the hills. The town is filled with outdoor fun, shopping like you've never experienced and tasty resturants. For me, one of the highlights came from visiting Fiesta Jalisco. This local Mexican food favorite came to my attention from a local on the street. I asked him if he knew of any good local spots to eat at. His answer was Fiesta Jalisco. Quite frankly, it wasn't his answer per say, it was the way he said it. He was emphatic that I visit this restaurant. I ate, enjoyed and would recommend Fiesta Jalisco to anyone with a craving for amazing Mexican food. Now, the real business of this post is much more than just tortillas and salsa. It has a lot more to do with my experience with the Breckenridge local I interacted with. It begs the question: what are locals saying about your establishment?

Marketing 101 - identifying your target market

Do you feel like you're balancing the impossible: trying to attract new customers while still keeping your core happy? Well, managing a business is just that. You juggle multiple balls with the only hands you have. But, on the other hand, if you did your homework and identified your target market, then your hands should be enough. Did you do your homework? Are you focused on the right customers?

In the next few posts YOU and I will spend some time reworking your current target market strategy. We'll start with measurable demographic data and finish with geographic positioning. If you find this information useful, be sure to post a comment. Remember, this is knowledge we gain together.

Now, let’s take a quick look. Think of this as a 101 on identifying a target market.

Your first step is identifying your demographic segment. These are measurable statistics. You could find this information by going to FreeDemographics.com. Similar sites or your local census official might be able to provide you with this data, as well. The information you'll want to gather is measurable. In other words, you shouldn't look for arbitrary figures. Below are some key categories to focus on first:

• Age
• If you're a family dining establishment then no other regional statistic is as important as the age of the local population. Your concern here is on the number of children and young parents in your area, right? Will your concept cater to a young audience with families, or not? Is your local area full of retirees? If so, then you might want to reconsider your concept.
• Income
• Can your target market support your restaurant prices? Let's face it, if your entrees are high priced and your target market is young families with moderate incomes, then you'll have to pinpoint another target market. On the other hand if you're trying to engage this type of market then income is a key consideration - moderately-priced entrees with a strong kid's meal selection is probably a good bet!
• Occupation
• Is your target market, or regional area full of office administrators or construction workers? Occupation is one of the key target market considerations for your restaurant. An office administrator might have to grab and go. A construction worker might enjoy a cold one at your bar before eating a hearty dinner on a Friday night. It all depends on your target market.

All in all, the demographic of your target market can't be overlooked. The look, taste and smell of the consumers you want to attract are critically important. It is paramount to retrieving new customers virally. Think of it this way: if your target market is young families then your restaurant will be full of children. This would drive a single person away in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. On a more positive note, the young family wouldn't be troubled recommending your concept to another young family if you a have kid-friendly environment. What is your target market? Interested in learning more? Keep tuned to our blog...

Can you summarize your online optimization in three words?

Inspire, interest and intrigue - these three words should be paramount to your online marketing.

If your online guests aren't inspired to become interested then the potential for actionable intrigue will be lost. In other words, you have to build your marketing effort from the ground floor with the idea that they want to learn about your food and drinks! They want to be captured with your ambiance. And, your patrons will want to take action from their computers.

But, I'm a busy restaurant owner. How can you expect me to spend all this time researching this information?

The answer to this question is simple - stay tuned to Restaurant Web Marketing for the preparations of our journey together to expand your online potential. Stay focused on this blog for information about the new internet. And, keep this blog part of your routine: wake up, check blog, eat breakfast, go to work. The tools will be at your disposale, it is all how much you choose to participate.

Who is doing your marketing?

"In football you always get judged on your last game. Whoever you are, or how amazing you are, it's the last game that everyone has seen."

Thierry Henry is at his best on the soccer field. He works with his team to win each and every game. And, with the world cup going on, you can bet he is putting in even more effort. So, if Thierry is only concerned about his last game, then shouldn't you also be concerned about the last time you interacted with one of your customers?

Who is on your marketing team? Is it just you? Or, do you have a team you recruited to deliver fancy brochures to 2000 people in your region? Realistically, I'd bet a Buffalo Nickel that it is you and your staff - your servers.

The front line of any marketing effort is the people who touch your customers. In other words, your team consists of you and your staff, but what about your current customers. Are they involved in your marketing program? According to an article on Hospitality.net, the restaurants that combine word of mouth marketing and mass promotions are destined to win. In other words, if you turn customers into little marketers, then you're going to gain a "vested" new customer. Their article goes on further to suggest that word of mouth is even more powerful than the hundreds of dollars spent on mass marketing. So what's the answer? How do you turn a customer into a billboard?

I'm all about ideas, so let's start compiling some:

1. If you have a new customer in your midst you might want to consider passing a free coupon to them for a free drink with their next meal. Tell them you have one more free drink card for them if they give you an email address. Remind them that you'll send it to the email address they provided. Do you think they'll come back? Do you think they'll check your email? You bet!
   
2. Ask one of your best patrons to contribute a few positive words about your restaurant to the local paper's food critic. Almost every paper in the United States posts the contact information of their editors, so be sure to have the email handy.
   
3. If you serve families then talk to the kids about their experience. If they enjoyed something on the kid's meal then ask the parents if you could send an email coupon on their child's birthday. Be sure automate the email for timing accuracy.
   

With all of these ideas, your goal is to *give* to your customers so they promote you! It is all about pulling customers into your marketing team. To do this, all you have to do is give...