How local restaurants and bars can pivot during social distancing and self-isolation
As many of us in business have come to realise, time moves very quickly and difficult decisions have to be made to adapt during the Coronavirus outbreak. We discussed in a previous blog post about how restaurants have pivoted to offer takeout and delivery-only, however we have seen in recent weeks that it was very difficult for most restaurants to supply the demand due to logistical issues and therefore many establishments have completely shut their doors.
Is there anything that hospitality businesses can do serve their fan base?
As a marketing agency, our duty is to help our clients in whatever way we think is possible. We know that if businesses ‘go dark’ on social media this could have a detrimental effect on their brand in a time where online conversation is at it’s most important.
Luckily, most restaurant businesses and their kitchen staff will own a wealth of information and knowledge that can be shared online to good effect with their loyal customer base. Some of the ideas that we have passed on to our hospitality clients include:
- Create regular recipe cards that can be shared online and downloaded. Many households will be looking for inspiration for what to cook the family whilst in isolation. Although a quick Google search will provide a vast library of options, recipes of dishes from your restaurant that people have already tried and enjoyed will work well. Ask your social media audience to upload photos of their own creations and use it as a tool for engagement.
- Create video content for social media. Perhaps your restaurant or bar has a willing mixologist that would be happy to create short videos for making different types of drinks. This would be a great way of creating engaging content with your following.
- Create content that will satisfy your younger audience. It’s not all about keeping the adults happy whilst in lockdown! Although most children will have plenty of schoolwork and console gaming to keep them happy, you could also provide them with some alternative material to keep them entertained. If your restaurant gives away colouring-in sheets or activity packs in-store, why not put them on your website as downloadable pdf or share them on social media
- Promote the sale of gift vouchers. Most hospitality businesses sell printed gift vouchers at their establishment, but not many will facilitate the sale of electronic gift vouchers online. Websites such as www.buyavoucher.co.uk allow businesses to sell electronic gift vouchers that will be emailed to the recipient. Promote gift vouchers through social media as these will make great birthday or anniversary gifts that can be used once safe to do so.
If you run a business in hospitality and would like some help to develop new ideas to market your business or keep your audience engaged in times of closure, give us a call on 01633 449885 or email hello@allianceagency.co.uk and we’ll be happy to talk.
