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For a restaurant, whether it is one with many Michelin stars or a small town restaurant, opinions are the engine of business.
In a previous article we saw the importance of knowing what people think of your restaurant or hospitality establishment.
If the reviews are bad, your restaurant can go under, if they are good, your income can even triple. The question is how to get those recommendations.
The most classic method, and increasingly in disuse, is to use a suggestion box where a card is inserted that is provided to the customer. Another option is to leave an email and wait for comments there.
These are some tips to get customer opinions, and of course, that they are good, and that people who do not know you yet, know that your restaurant is the best
1. Facilitates the action of leaving opinions
Many restaurant and other business owners fear customer feedback. They don’t want to face negative public comment, and other customers to see it.
They make the mistake of disabling comments on their website and social networks with the consequent impossibility of hearing what the users of their establishment really think.
Wrong! People should have an easy time commenting, on any channel: phone, web, social networks, email, also physical mail, even WhatsApp, Google Talk, Telegram or other messaging service.
2. Be present on all channels
You must have a presence on the main social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You must have a blog or at least one web page.
You must also register your restaurant in business directories, restaurants, etc., the main ones being:
- Google Places
- Foursquare o Swarm
- Yelp!
- Facebook Places
- TripAdvisor
There are so many more. They not only help you open channels to receive comments, but also visibility of your business, and as a consequence, more customers, thanks to the promotion, and the positive comments.
3. Mark your place
Customers must know what happens in your business. Place posters or badges in your restaurant of the directories or sites that you use the most or that generate the most customers.
Put posters, stickers on the door, for example: “Find us on Yelp!”, “The Red Refrigerator”, “Check in at Swarm”, etc.
You can also place a poster or cork and paste the best comments or opinions of relevant people, along with a photograph. Do it also on your channels.
4. Know the demographics of your clientele
It is key that you know what clientele you have, and their demographics. Not only will it help you to define a little better your menu, the decoration, and others … also to get opinions.
You have to know how old your regular client is, their socioeconomic level, where they live, the average age …
For example, if you are young, it is good to be on Instagram and Snapchat, if you are over 35, it may be more important to be on Facebook.
It is key to know where your regular customer is, do not confuse him with your ideal customer.
5. Ask for feedback
We are in the digital age, where brands must be like people, and people want to be brands: ask for it, on menus, social networks, and everywhere. Ask for comments and opinions.
Conclusion
From marketing experts, Michael Anderson y Jeremy Magdruger, calculate that improving half a star in the main directories, thanks to the opinions of the clients, implies an increase of up to 40% in the number of clients.
Promote the comments, don’t ignore the negatives, and use everything you can to get everyone to see the comments, go to your restaurant, and leave more.
The importance of comments is very high: they can catapult or destroy a business. It is up to you to be catapulted.