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In terms of promotion and advertising, there has never been a better time for local eateries. A little as 10 years ago, restaurant owners had few, and much costlier, choices for reaching their existing customers or attracting new ones. Regional and local print advertising, radio, or time consuming mailings were the leading options. Slim pickings for budget minded business owners!
Flash forward to today and restaurant owners hold much greater power and influence over how and where to promote their offerings. The surge in popularity of several social media platforms allows owners to engage more directly with their customers than ever before. They now have the ability to develop a relationship with their customers and create a unique voice in the marketplace – all through the wide breadth of social media. However, developing that relationship is time consuming, a prized commodity that most restaurateurs don’t have.
Digital Maids (DM) works with a family owned Italian café who came to DM with a clear and focused goal: to establish a more constant social media presence and foster a stronger relationship with their customers. Although they had already created a Facebook business page, Instagram and Twitter accounts, content postings were sporadic and old. The result was light traffic, and no new likes or followers after their initial debut. The owners recognized the importance of social media, but simply did not have the time, resources, or expertise needed for it to flourish.
Digital Maids immediately went to work, highlighting some of the café’s finest menu items, and creating online contests to boost user engagement. To reinforce the café’s long-standing ties to the community, their sponsoring of local events and charities are shared on a regular basis. In addition, we are soon unveiling a Pinterest board. Given the visual potency of Pinterest, it’s a natural communication tool for dining establishments to showcase their products.
It has been wonderful to see the steady increase in traffic and engagement across all of the café’s social media platforms, and the enormous reach their posts have gained. Their business is thriving along with their increased visibility.
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