As a restaurant owner, you have many video marketing angles to explore for customer engagement – you can educate and entertain, promote and ad value to the constant inquisitive human taste buds.
The mistake many restaurant businesses make is to produce only one long video covering all possible angles of the business in one go. Such an overview video is a good start and will impress at the first encounter of your offering, but building loyal patrons will need a bigger strategy.
If you have never considered video as a marketing tool, an introduction overview video is only your point of departure.
The Buzz Of The Story
The buzz in the marketing fraternity over the past couple of years has been the story telling strategy – without it you are apparently dead in the water. Webinars, seminars, talks, lunches, workshops by marketing gurus, all tackle this phenomenon repeatedly.
The truth is that stories have existed long before marketing was invented, and we are wired to respond to them. So, there is no way around this – your marketing video should tell a story.
Now you may feel somewhat disheartened, because you don’t have a spectacular story…
The beauty of restaurant video marketing is that your “story” can be as simple as the flow of images and a song/tune you love your customers to listen to while enjoying your food.
Four Rules For Your Video Story
1. Be authentic
Tell your audience what drives you, how do you motivate your team, what got you to the point of opening this restaurant, what part do you play in the community?
If you are a restaurant owner or chef, you are also an entrepreneur and employer – so there are many ways personal stories can go beyond food to engage your audience.
2. Inspire and demonstrate
If you opt to demonstrate the chef’s iconic dish, no step-by-step needed – just good music as you go… building the story from the pot to the plate as you effectively educate, showcase the quality of ingredients and culinary skills, personality and experience. Reveal those “chef secrets” as the art of cooking.
3. Leave a lasting impression
The final dish is the hero of your video and should be shot with the aim of the “wow” factor. Don’t rush this frame – give your audience enough time to marvel at your creation with the full power of video at work.
4. Evoke Emotion
What emotional state will drive people into your restaurant? The secret of the ingredient, the explosion of the taste, the magic of the setting, the confidence of the staff and the promise of a “festive” experience for all senses.
Many marketers think that a restaurant is just about the food, but forget that it is also about the people, the neighbourhood and the community. Be aware of events and history in your community – if your story can connect in any way, your perceived value will increase automatically. A dish, a brand, a product with a history, can become a marketing treasure.
Cut Through The Noise
Your marketing videos are fighting for people’s most precious and finite resource: their time and their bandwidth. You need to cut through the noise to differentiate your brand, get people’s attention and earn their loyalty.
So, what does your diner do online before making that booking?
- Check your menu
- Check your visual representation – interior, exterior, food
- Consult reviews
The Menu Video
Engage people with your actual menu.
- Announce the restaurant. Start at the entrance, walk through the reception, zoom in on the best table in the room.
- Show your three best meal courses. If you have weekly or seasonal menu changes – the chef describing the new dishes and the inspiration behind them is powerful.
- Invite people to a cocktail hour, etc.
- Show a customer testimonial.
- Mention other services if applicable: Special events or weddings
- Bon Appetit! For reservations call/visit… Make it easy to book.
The Introduction Video
Showcase your location, staff, atmosphere, and most importantly, the chefs and their masterful creations, the drinks being poured and the customers being happy.
Customer Connection Video
Video is your marketing tool to promote a shared experience. It feels inclusive and holds your potential diner in the moment. Keep it social and authentic – ask your regular guests to feature in your video – say a few words about customer service, menu, staff and atmosphere or talk about their favourite dish. Client testimonials gain more credibility and builds trust.
On top of that, featuring real customers in your video adds the possibility of your viewers somehow relating to them.
“The mediocre video tells. The good video explains. The superior video demonstrates. The great video inspires.” The Orama Team
There is still time to get into the game and get your video ready for the South African Spring Restaurant Week coming up: 18 October – 4 November.
Restaurants offer reduced prices for a prix fixe menu, the idea being that what you lose in check averages you gain in sales volume. Some restaurants report increased volume as high as 40% during Restaurant Week.
Book your slot: 087 095 3357 or email us.