Companies Try to Expand Facebook Fans

Many companies now know that Facebook can be a great marketing tool to attract people to order visit their store. The only obstacle is gaining a solid fan base on Facebook to advertise to. You can have the best marketing ideas for Facebook, but they will not work if you do not have a base to market towards. In order to expand their fan base on Facebook, many restaurants have decided to give away free food for people who like them on Facebook.

Just last week, Pizza Hut gave away a free P’Zone to anyone who “liked” them on Facebook. They advertised this on TV and also on in-store ads. The goal was to spend on advertising now to be able to advertise to lots of people for free later. The outcome of this new breed of advertising will remain unknown until more restaurants such as Pizza Hut test the waters. Despite the uncertainty, other restaurants are beginning to follow this trend as well.

The second early adopting restaurant giving out free food in exchange for Facebook “likes” is Margaritas Mexican Restaurant. This chain, based in New Hampshire, has a Facebook fanpage for each location. As each location achieves its goal of fans, all the fans receive a free gift. For the first goal, fans get a free appetizer. For the second goal, fans receive a free entree, and for reaching the final goal all the fans receive two free entrees. The promotion runs until the end for August. So far the chain has gained about 1,400 fans as a whole since the beginning of August.

I think promoting people to “like” you on Facebook is a great way to build up your fan base for future advertising. With just one click on Facebook you can advertise to thousands of people and the best part of it is that it is FREE! If companies must give away free items for people to “like” them on Facebook, it might benefit them in the long run to do that. Incurring the cost now may seem harsh, but if it leads to free advertising later, it just might be worth it.

Tim from MenuDrive

Wendy’s Gains Advantage in Hiring Workers

Businesses are now hiring again, which is great news to all those unemployed people out there. This may be great for the unemployed, but for hiring managers within companies, this means more competition for workers. Wendy’s has recently had trouble with finding workers to staff all of their stores across the country, until recently. Wendy’s decided to take their application process to the internet with a company called JobApp Network, Inc. This allows all of the applications to be streamed online and allows the managers of the stores to not have to worry about fumbling through paper applications anymore. On top of what the company previously had on their applications, JobApp Network also adds a psychometric analysis, background check, and provides government compliance management. This is great for the managers because they now know that the potential employees that they are looking at are already pre-screened and qualified.

Another great feature that JobApp Network adds is the ability for the head HR Director, Scott McGarvey, to be able to see how the managers of each store handle the application and interview process as well as check if they are up to par with the rest of the company. Before the managers would just have all the paperwork and there was no real way to see if it was the manager’s fault that the store could not stay fully staffed. McGarvey’s favorite feature is the all-in-one hiring marketing kit. This includes cards, signs, and window clings that are sent to the store to help show when they are hiring for people to see and apply. For people who do not have easy access to the internet, JobApp Network also has a portal that people can apply to which easily gives them the same chance of being hired as someone with access to the internet does.

JobApp Network, Inc is a great company that helps people find jobs in today’s struggling economy. I think that companies can really benefit from their services and keep an eye on what their managers are doing. For all of you that have little marketing knowledge, their all-in-one hiring kit is a great way for you to be able to easily access lots of people to inform them you are hiring. This is best for franchise type restaurants or people who own more than one location, but it could also help people who only own one store as well. This can give all restaurants a little advantage in trying to reach the best employees, and every little advantage can go a long way.

Domino’s Runs Social Media Experiment

In case you haven’t heard, Domino’s Pizza is running a social media experiment that would make most PR managers cringe. They have rented a 4,630 square-foot billboard in Time Square in New York City to post unedited comments about their pizza. The billboard is a live stream of comments from people as they post them on Domino’s website and can be either good or bad. Domino’s CEO Patrick Doyle states that, “Our customers deserve, and have come to expect, honesty from us. And when it comes to the idea of posting direct feedback in Time Square, it really doesn’t get more honest and open than this.” Doyle sure isn’t lying there. I have heard the saying that no publicity is bad publicity, but this takes that a little extreme. There will be a person monitoring the comments and removing ones that either contain offensive/obscene content, is irrelevant to Domino’s Pizza, or is viewed as self-promotional content. Because of this, whose to say that this same person won’t be removing poor comments in an attempt to make the franchise look better? We will never really know this, but it is as close to full disclosure as Domino’s can get. I think it will be interesting to see how long Domino’s leaves this billboard up and if they last until their goal date of August 23, 2011. As for me, I will sit back and watch as one of America’s leading companies in online sales and advertisements continues to change the industry of how we market to the public.
Do you think that this is a good idea? Why or why not?

Improving Table Turnover with Tabbedout

They say the one of the hardest things to improve on in the restaurant industry is being able to improve your table turnover. Now restaurants and bars have a simple solution that can make check-out a lot easier for themselves and the customers. Now there is a new app on the market called Tabbedout. This app gives customers a secure way to pay bar tabs and restaurant bills by using their cell phone. This is great for the restaurant industry, since waiters and waitresses do not have to watse time checking out customers and can focus on giving the best service possible. I feel like this app is great for restaurant goers as well. I know you have all been there, needing to leave or just wanting to get out of there and your server seems to be lost somewhere and is nowhere to be seen. By having this app, you no longer need to wait for the server and can just leave when it is convenient for you. The waits to get seated at a restaurant are also greatly decreased since people can leave when they like, which increases table turnover. I think this is just the start of numerous apps that can really revolutionize the restaurant industry. So whether you are an avid restaurant goer or an owner of a great restaurant chain, apps like this one can help the restaurant business and make your life easier.

Do you own a smartphone and use apps to help with simple tasks? What are some apps you use to help you in the restaurant industry, such as find a restaurant?

3 Reasons Why Your Business Should be on Facebook

Many of you already have a facebook page for your business, and even have a thriving number of fans and likes. Many of you, however, may not, and thus this week’s entry is for you.

Below are 3 main reasons why you should consider creating a facebook page for your business if you haven’t already:

1. It’s FREE and Easy

It doesn’t cost anything to create a facebook business page, and posting special offers on your wall is certainly easier, quicker, and cheaper than mailing specials out or printing coupons in the newspaper.

Creating a page is as simple as logging onto your facebook account, going to any page that you “like”, and on the bottom of the left-hand menu clicking on “create a page”.

2. It’s Where (A Lot of) Your Customers Are

The majority of the people are not only online, but also on facebook. The yellow pages are practically a historic artifact in today’s age. When people are looking for a local pizzeria in their town to go to on a Friday night, they’re first going to use a search engine or look at your website online before deciding where to go. “Liking” pages on facebook has become less of a statement on who you are and more of a way to follow businesses and companies you support and want to keep up with. If you aren’t on facebook then you basically don’t exist to current and potential customers who are on facebook.

3. It’s Personable

Websites are great, but not enough in today’s “advertising-skeptical” society.  Social media guru and personal friend of mine Ken Mueller has compared websites to being like static brochures. It’s great for general information, but it’s not personable or interactive at all. Facebook is a great way for you to put a human face to your business, and to make it more personable to customers. It’s a way for you to engage in two-way communication with your customers, and to hear their praises and their complaints (which you can then directly address) instead of just one-way selling where you aren’t getting any sort of interactive feedback from your customers. This will in the long run create a more loyal fan base.

Once you’ve created (if you already haven’t) a facebook page, look for next week’s entry about tips on how to actually begin using the facebook page you’ve built.

Getting your business on facebook isn't as difficult as you may think

Swipe ‘n Sip: Stabucks Debuts Mobile Payment App

Whether you are excited by or tired of Starbucks’ brand-building strategies (trenta size, anyone?), they certainly know how to tap into customers’ need for the “Starbucks experience”.  I recently read an article about how Starbucks has unveiled the nation-wide launch of a mobile payment app for smartphones. Their  test run in their NYC stores was apparently successful since Starbucks is now making a national debut of the app that allows Starbucks card holders to pay using their mobile phones.

Starbucks card holders use the app by holding their mobile phone with the on-screen barcode in front of a scanner. Not only can app users pay for their java with this app, but they can also check their balance, reload their card instantly via credit card, and locate the closest nearby Starbucks.

This new addition to the Starbucks bag-of-tricks is a very good example of building an emotional connection with your customers, tapping into your loyal customer base, and the importance of knowing your target audience.  According to the article, more than one-third of Starbucks customers use some sort of mobile phone or smart phone. By keeping up with the technology trends on the market and personalizing them to their particular business, Starbucks is staying relevant to their prime customer; engaging and rewarding their loyal base of cardholders and encouraging further loyalty; and meeting consumer demand for the entire Starbucks experience to be even faster and more convenient .

What are some ways that you build loyalty with your customers, or how do brands that you’re loyal to retain your commitment to the brand? In what other ways do you see businesses adapting widespread technology to their own specific business and customers?

A New Venue for the Menu

Since the release of the iPad, some forward-thinking restaurants have given a new dimension to the traditional menu by putting their wine list on the touch-screen tablet, which has produced numerous benefits for both the customer and the restaurant.

The customer can experience a more personalized, in-depth, and interactive ordering experience by selecting a wine extremely tailored to their preferences. They just touch the screen to search for wines based on criteria such as name, region, and even critics’ ratings. They can also find detailed tasting notes for each wine, and the compatible food pairings. This is easier, faster, and more convenient for customers, not to mention more fun!

All the fun is not just for the customers: these restaurants have seen double digit increases in wine sales, and have cut down on costs. The innovative implementation of these digital menus not only draw new customers and increase sales, but make it easier to instantly update out of stock inventory or new menu changes. By taking away the need to reprint and reorder menus any time the menu or inventory changes it is both fiscally and environmentally responsible.

When I read about these digital wine menus, I thought it was a great strategic move. My friends I love going to places like Sheetz to use their stationary touch screen to customize and place our orders, so I imagine people would love it if sit-down restaurants also offered the same kind of fun, interactive, and individualized ordering experience.

What do you think about this? Do you think this is a good idea for wine menus, or even for full-fare menus eventually?

Groupon Adds Options for Restaurants

Groupon, a deal of the day website that offers something fun to do, see, eat, and buy in cities around the world, has launched two new features: Groupon Stores and the Deal Feed. Groupon Stores lets restaurants and other businesses set up an online storefront where they can offer Groupon discounts whenever they would like. The Deal Feed is a feature for consumers in which they can “follow” their favorite restaurants and merchants to be notified of all deals offered from the Groupon Stores. These new features have launched in a few popular cities, with more cities to be added soon.

So you may be asking yourself, “Why should I join Groupon and use the new features?” The answer is simple: why not? The coupons that the site offers are perfect for a gift or to just use on your own, Groupon will help you save money so that you or your friends can have tons of fun near home without having to spend tons of cash. Groupon.com offers an easy way to get huge discounts while discovering cool activities near the city you choose. And on top of saving cash, it will also save you time by having the ability to receive all the great discounts by email.

Some disadvantages of Groupon are you have no idea whether the deals are going to be useful to you or not. Some deals also look good on the surface but then have restrictions, for example you may have to use a coupon by a certain date or on a certain amount. With this said, the only inconvenience of being a Groupon member is getting an email every day. There is no fee or anything involved. Just stay diligent and read the fine print and you are sure to find some great deals

Groupon is currently available in more than 85 cities in the US. With more than 8.2 million subscribers, it is certainly a service to consider.  For more information about listing coupons for your restaurants on Groupon, check out http://www.grouponworks.com

Restaurants Target Givers with Gift Card Extras

This holiday season, restaurant chains across the country are promoting their gift cards with added benefits. The trend of gift cards is particular increasing, especially with e-cards online. Restaurants are competing more aggressively for gift card buyers, and most are offering rewards to entice shoppers, with rewards ranging from cash toward a future visit to sweepstake prizes like a trip.

Recently, I purchased a $50 gift card at Applebee’s and received a $10 bonus gift card in return. By receiving this bonus gift card, it made me feel as if I was receiving something extra out of my dining experience with the restaurant. I think gift card extras are a great idea, because it gives the consumer an extra reason to buy from their favorite restaurant. While it may still be better to give than to receive, it’s even more fun to receive a gift card from a retailer for free, or at least a deep discount.

How do you feel about gift card extras? Do you know any restaurants that currently offer them?

 

Happy Thanksgiving from MenuDrive!

From family to friends, work to leisure, there are lots of things we have to be thankful for. I’m sure all of us have been planning what our Thanksgiving will be like. This is the day for all of us to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. I hope everybody will have the opportunity to spend time with friends and family to celebrate the true meaning of the holiday, I know I will. My very best wishes to all of you on this Thanksgiving Day.