Online Marketing for Restaurants

EDIT: We’ve given the business a name. We call it Foodrunner.

END EDIT

Most of you know my efforts in the world wide web have mostly been focusing on WordPress website development and Search Engine Optimization.

You might not have known that I’ve also spent years studying, learning, and growing my skill sets as a social media marketer for some of the businesses I work with.

As of Jan 1 2012, I’ve been doing online marketing for restaurants.

This is a new business venture I’ve decided to move towards that is more of a marketing effort than development.

Here’s the scoop (you like how I used a word from the food realm as a describer? That’s how serious this is).

Who:

Restaurants in Atlanta that have good product. Food is #1, if the food is foul, I can’t help. If the entire experience that the restaurant offers is excellent, yet their online presence is weak, that’s who we want to help.

Buzz worthy restaurants that do not have the time or knowledge to handle their online marketing efforts.

What:

Our main tasks for online marketing is in the form of social media management, engagement, and strategy.

To back up this process we have experience with email marketing, website development, blog posting, and advertising with custom neon signs.

Where:

Starting in Atlanta, we want to build our clientele where we can actual visit the restaurant and talk face to face. Being able to visit the restaurant and interact will allow us to learn more up front that we’ll be able to use later.

We want to build up our systems that WORK in order to scale outside of this area in the future. For now, we have to continue learning, refine our systems and processes, and help those directly around us.

When:

Last year I dabbled in social media management for several companies, but let that go to focus on WordPress development. At the turn of this year, 2012, I made a conscious decision to go down the path of this business idea.

In the first month, I was able to bring 3 restaurant clients on board, places you have probably heard of.

During the same time, I’ve found two potential partners who are already in this space and ready to go big with me.

3 smart, talented, creative people who LOVE FOOD, marketing, and possibly working on YOUR restaurant… you would want that right?

Why:

I LOVE FOOD, I need to continue paying my bills, and I have knowledge that can help restaurants get more people in the door.

Around December last year, most of my development business slowed WAY down. No one was spending money in December and waiting for new marketing budgets in January.

This gave me time to thing and review what worked and what did not from the last year of business. During my review, I saw that the place I was able to help the most, that also gave me a residual income stream, was social media management.

Just about any business can utilize social media and online marketing to increase their business, but I am not passionate about most businesses.

The things I AM passionate about are music, food, and community. Funny thing is they all revolve around each other and if I play my cards right, I’ll be focusing on those things and all the other fluff will be outside my peripheral view.

So What’s Next?

Over the next several months you’ll be learning more about the business we are building, the clients we are working, and the fun we are having doing it, so stay tuned.

While we gather clients and figure out how to make this work, we’ll be a bit underground as a scrappy start up. In the near future we’ll be launching a website with our portfolio, resources, and more information.

With the help of a talented 3D animation team, there are no limits to what you can produce in a 3D product animation. You can break down the products, showing each feature or function in detail, which is helpful, especially for those with inner workings that wouldn’t otherwise be seen even by displaying the physical product. It helps your brand stand out by highlighting your USPs and what makes you better than the competition. We also work with this fleet graphics company if you need mobile billboards for your business.

If you are or know a restaurant that serves up the BEST food and atmosphere, but could use some help with their online presence, contact me and shoot me some info, I’ll take care of them.