By Gina Lee Fresh from CES, our minds are future-focused with dreams of driverless cars and robot house-helpers. While consumer goods are setting the new watermark for modernization, the restaurant industry is lagging behind. There isn't enough discussion around how the movement in artificial intelligence can impact the future of the dining industry. Restaurant marketing innovation has typically been focused on food and ingredient advances. That thinking is suddenly too narrow as consumer behaviors and expectations are shifting for everything, including dining experiences. It's time for restaurant marketers to make some bets on technology.
Here are some thought-starters on how restaurant marketers can get in on the technology revolution: Artificial intelligence Robots are here. They're smart, they are fast, and they are reliable. What about beta testing some robots for bussing tables Or how about lending an extra hand to the waiters with things like water refreshes or that extra ketchup request? The pure novelty of getting smart robots inside the restaurant is going to attract current and new diners alike. And, as is always the case with technology, the investment required for the robots is only going to get cheaper over time, ultimately leading to a competitive advantage. Virtual reality Until now, VR has been mostly reserved for the entertainment industry, but why should they get to have all the fun? Do you source your ingredients from Italy? What if you could allow your guests to experience what it's like to be in Italy and to get a small taste of how the country's culture inspires what they are going to eat. Or, how about giving your guests the ability to experience the kitchen and see the chefs hard at work? Augmented reality Close cousin to VR, and the backbone of the Pokémon Go phenomenon of 2016 and Snapchat filters, AR is here to stay and restaurant marketers should embrace this new technology. Are you a health-focused restaurant brand? What about an app that allows diners to view their food and see all of the ingredients with an AR overlay? How about the ability to play games while in the restaurant and earn points for playing, therefore increasing frequency of visits? Restaurant marketers must get in on the technology bandwagon to stay relevant in consumers' minds. The approach you take to integrating new innovations depends on your business strategy, but if you are not considering AI as a focus, may already be behind! Source:https://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/3-technologies-restaurant-should-be-running-toward-not-from/ By Chandni Mathur It is no surprise that our timeline on social media — Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram — is usually sprinkled with heavy doses of sponsored posts by numerous brands. Social media is no more limited to just promoting a product, as brands are seriously driving reach and engagement. Even several SMBs (small and medium businesses) are opting for these platforms, making it an integral part of any campaign. In fact, as per EY’s recent report, 50% of consumers state that regular updates on a brand’s social media channel help increase their loyalty and encourage them to make repeat purchases.
Take the case of Maggi, which leveraged social media to announce its re-launch through the #WeMissYouToo campaign, followed by #WelcomeBackMaggi and #NothingLikeMaggi. Maarten Geraets, GM, food, Nestlé India, says, “The campaign brought alive the diverse roles that Maggi plays in the consumer’s life, both emotional as well as functional.” How is social media moving the dial for businesses and influencing the marketing strategy of most brands? Changing the game It started with Google when it launched certification programs that allowed advertisers and agencies to use the platform. Facebook did this with Blueprint; Twitter with Twitter for Business (a micro-blogging platform). So whether it’s using Facebook’s Canvas or Instagram for Stories, LinkedIn’s InMails or Twitter’s FirstView tool, platforms are going beyond the regular hashtag to offer more to brands. Facebook India MD Umang Bedi explains, “We offer measurement and RoI solutions and the advertiser only pays Facebook for advertising. We constantly track how we can grow the partnership with brands.”
177 SHARESFacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedInEmail How is social media moving the dial for businesses and influencing the marketing strategy of most brands?It is no surprise that our timeline on social media — Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram — is usually sprinkled with heavy doses of sponsored posts by numerous brands. Social media is no more limited to just promoting a product, as brands are seriously driving reach and engagement. Even several SMBs (small and medium businesses) are opting for these platforms, making it an integral part of any campaign. In fact, as per EY’s recent report, 50% of consumers state that regular updates on a brand’s social media channel help increase their loyalty and encourage them to make repeat purchases. Take the case of Maggi, which leveraged social media to announce its re-launch through the #WeMissYouToo campaign, followed by #WelcomeBackMaggi and #NothingLikeMaggi. Maarten Geraets, GM, food, Nestlé India, says, “The campaign brought alive the diverse roles that Maggi plays in the consumer’s life, both emotional as well as functional.” How is social media moving the dial for businesses and influencing the marketing strategy of most brands? Changing the game It started with Google when it launched certification programs that allowed advertisers and agencies to use the platform. Facebook did this with Blueprint; Twitter with Twitter for Business (a micro-blogging platform). So whether it’s using Facebook’s Canvas or Instagram for Stories, LinkedIn’s InMails or Twitter’s FirstView tool, platforms are going beyond the regular hashtag to offer more to brands. Facebook India MD Umang Bedi explains, “We offer measurement and RoI solutions and the advertiser only pays Facebook for advertising. We constantly track how we can grow the partnership with brands.” You may also like to watch Find Out What Is Facebook India's Key Strategy Under Umang Bedi Budgets allocated to digital and social media marketing within the overall marketing budget seem to be increasing — 44% of brands spend more than 20% of their marketing budget on digital marketing while 24% of brands are spending 16% or more of their marketing budget on social media, the EY report mentions. Deepika Tewari, GM, marketing, Titan Jewellery Division, says, “Social media offers us a creative canvas to share stories with our customers.” For Tanishq’s sub-brand Mia, whose primary consumer base is working women, the brand uses LinkedIn. But it witnessed college going women also purchasing Mia. “So we found it wise to promote our campaigns on Facebook and Instagram too. We also leverage the audience base of YouTube for our thematic stories,” says Tewari. Taranjeet Singh, business head, Twitter India says, “The consumer is always on a platform in real time, giving brands an opportunity to interact with them on a daily basis and we help them to build plans, strategise and educate them on how to be ‘always on’.” Vodafone collaborated with Twitter to create a Super ZooZoo emoji linked to the hashtag #BeSuper. The campaign garnered 90 million+ impressions in four days with an increase in share of voice of 250%. “Our close association with social media pages allows us to use their platforms innovatively and introduce differentiated campaigns in a competitive environment,” highlights Siddharth Banerjee, national brand head, Vodafone India. SMBs like The Label Life and Magic Sewa have also used Twitter to raise brand awareness, push engagement and app downloads. This is primarily done through video, as platforms like Facebook and Twitter see more people engaging with video content when brands used different formats of video. But for a professional networking platform like LinkedIn, business works differently. Akshay Kothari, country manager and head of product, LinkedIn India says, “The biggest growing business is sponsored advertising. Marketing budgets are moving and our focus is to be able to grow content and traffic. We see a lot of B2B companies using our platform and have seen fair success with B2C clients as well.” While many brands are using platforms and tools, judging what amount of business these platforms help garner is still a question. For example, online brands like Foodpanda see online presence as core. Hence, experimentation is the key for them. Saurabh Kochchar, CEO and co-founder, Foodpanda, states, “You have to map your audience well and know what messages you give on each platform. The RoI for each is different and we do around 100-200 experiments to determine what push or campaign would work best.” Saurabh Mathur, planning director, VML India cautions that social media should not be eyed as a silo, as the real power of social is seen when it gets integrated with other channels and its impact is measured in the larger context of a campaign. But the fact remains that from the total advertising budget 12-13% is allocated to digital, out of which around 6-7% is spent on social media by brands, state experts. However, it could be a challenge to attribute offline store sales accurately to a promotion on, say, Instagram. Data metrics, therefore, is key in measuring effectiveness. Apart from traditional metrics including reach and frequency, the fourth metric that has emerged is engagement. However, content marketing in India is at a very nascent stage. “Most companies only look at CPR rather than seeing how the content is working and how users are converting,” Kothari points out. But the digital ecosystem is on the right track, believe experts. Rajiv Dingra, founder and CEO, WATConsult says agencies have started to create special wings or teams who focus on digital media. Bigger agencies have started to de-compartmentalise in an effort to be platform agnostic. Source:http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/social-media-for-business-facebook-twitter-to-snapchat-heres-how-companies-are-going-beyond-the-hashtag/494657/ By Annie Pilon The holiday season usually provides a big sales boost for a lot of small business. But after the presents have been exchanged and the parties have come to an end, those sales often slow down significantly as well.
Still small businesses don’t have to just accept that post-holiday slump. There are plenty of ways you can take advantage of that extra time after the holidays have wrapped up to boost your sales throughout the year. Here are 15 tips for boosting your sales after the holiday season. How to Boost Post Holiday SalesInclude Post-Holiday CouponsSince more customers make purchases during the holidays, that offers businesses a unique opportunity to get more sales after the holidays as well. To leverage those holiday shoppers, you can include coupons with holiday purchases that people can only use after Christmas or the New Year. And if you didn’t start that type of promotion during the holidays, you could potentially send out a coupon or discount code via email. Be Ready for ReturnsThe post-holiday season is also usually full of returns or exchanges. And you can potentially turn some of those returns into extra purchases if you handle them correctly. You can offer a discount for customers who make extra purchases when returning or exchanging items. You can arrange your store so that people are likely to come across some potential impulse purchases. And you can also just provide people with a good experience when making returns so that they’re more likely to come back throughout the year. Show Your AppreciationSince the holidays are so busy for many businesses, you might not have had a chance to properly thank your most loyal customers or clients. But when sales slow down, it can be a perfect time to host a thank you event for loyal customers, offer an exclusive deal via email or do something really special for those who helped your business a lot over the past year. Follow Up With Holiday ShoppersYou can also simply follow up with anyone who made purchases with you throughout the holidays. Send out an email asking about their experience and then include any new products or promotions as well. Improve Your Online ReviewsWhen following up with those holiday shoppers, you could also use it as an opportunity to improve your online reviews on sites like Yelp and Facebook. Simply remind those who shopped with you that they have the opportunity to share their experience, and then provide them with links. Then if you get more positive reviews from those holiday shoppers, you can potentially benefit from that throughout the rest of the year. Keep Holiday Campaigns GoingIn addition, your actual holiday campaigns don’t have to stop just because Christmas is over. There are plenty of people who might have some last-minute purchases to make or who want to spend some of those holiday gift cards. So keeping the holiday promotions going for an extra week or so can potentially help you squeeze even more sales out of the holiday season. Host a Fun ContestYour business isn’t the only one feeling the post-holiday blues. Consumers could also use a bit of fun after the season. So hosting a fun contest where you ask people to submit holiday photos or plans for the new year could be a great way to increase engagement or even sales. Put Extra Profits to Good UseYou could also use those extra dollars you made during the holidays to good use. If you have extra money, you could run some advertising campaigns or invest in other marketing activities to keep your sales up throughout the rest of the year. Start a Retargeting CampaignFor online businesses, one way you can really take advantage of the increased holiday traffic after the fact by launching a remarketing campaign. So you can target those who made purchases or visited your website at some point throughout the holidays. Stock Up on ContentYou can also take the opportunity to simply tackle some marketing activities that you might not have time for throughout the rest of the year. For example, you can spend time creating social media and blog posts that you can stockpile while business is slow so that you don’t have to rush to create that content when you’re busy later in the year. Create Unique VisualsOr you could focus on creating a series of unique visuals for your marketing campaigns throughout the new year. That way you can make sure they’re all cohesive and set toward your main business goals for the year. Start a New Social Media CampaignThe new year is also a perfect time for you to try something new. Since many people see it as a fresh start, it will seem natural for you to introduce new branding or a new style for your social media posts. You could even launch a new campaign aimed at increasing your engagement or followers so you can continually boost your sales throughout the year. Launch a New Product or ServiceIt’s also the perfect time to work on launching new products or services. Since you’re not likely to be as busy during this time, it can be easier to work on new product launches. And those new offerings can also lead to sales increases. Think About New Year’s ResolutionsDuring this time of year, many individuals also decide to try new things or set new goals. And for some businesses, there’s an opportunity to market products or services to those customers who are focused on specific new year’s resolutions. For example, if you sell an app or product that could be used for tracking fitness activities, the new year is a perfect time to market to goal setters to increase sales. Budget for the Year AheadYou can also use the end of the year as an opportunity to look back at your finances throughout the past year and then make plans for the year ahead. Creating a budget for the year might not increase your sales notably right away. But it’s an essential activity that can help you optimize your marketing efforts Source:https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/01/boost-post-holiday-sales.html By Abdullahi Muhammed Whether you’re promoting your freelance business or helping your clients promote theirs, certain marketing skills are a must. According to a report by Spera, 63% of freelancers say marketing is the most important expense to grow their business.
So what do you need to know to succeed? Here are 12 in-demand marketing skills that can help you. 1. Writing Even if you’re a designer or developer, you need writing skills to succeed as a freelancer. Eloquent writing can help you land a client with your application. And even if you’re a great coder, spelling errors might turn potential clients off. You will likely communicate with most of your clients by email. Clear, concise writing is an invaluable skill to communicate efficiently and be understood. 2. Conversion optimization If you want to get more freelance clients, you need to have a website designed to convert. Learn the essential elements of a high converting website and test different options to see what works best to convert clients. Recommended by Forbes How To Promote Your Freelance Business With A Blog 4 Strategies Clients Employ To Pay You Less Than You Deserve IBMVoice: How Cognitive Computing Could Help Companies Respond To Cyber Attacks How To Ask A Freelance Client For More Money Freelancers, Here Are 8 Ideas For Building Additional Income Streams MOST POPULARPhotos: The Richest Person In Every State ACTIVE CONVERSATIONThe Hidden Costs Of The Nintendo Switch Keep Adding Up MOST POPULARPhotos: The World's Highest-Paid Models 2016 MOST POPULARStan Lee Introduces Augmented Reality For His Kids Universe 3. Content marketing According to Venngage, content marketing was one of the “hot” marketing skills of 2014 and 2015. Businesses are looking to hire freelancers with content marketing experience to supplement their in-house teams. Take advantage of this growing market by adding “content marketing” to your list of skills. 4. Networking Attend events, workshops, and participate in digital networking to help find more clients. Participate in webinars, online discussions and create valuable connections long term. It’s an essential skill for business growth. 5. Social media Social media marketing is an important skill to help you find clients. At the same time, businesses are always looking to add new social networks to their marketing arsenal. If you’re already savvy with the newest platforms (think Snapchat), you can become a valuable asset for your clients. Source:http://www.forbes.com/sites/abdullahimuhammed/2016/12/30/12-marketing-skills-that-every-freelancer-needs/#1144c4b056f5 By Jim Blasingame Over the years, as I‘ve talked with many a budding entrepreneur about to start their business, it continues to amaze me how many haven’t conducted anywhere close to a prudent amount of research or due diligence on their baby. Indeed, they often act as if they must get their business going … right … now … or … they … will … just … POP!
This kind of impatience is dangerous. Doing my best to talk them down off the ledge, I walk the fine line of tough love, between slowing them down to the speed of reason and smacking their entrepreneurial passion into a wall. When would-be small business owners get that far away look in their eyes at this impetuous stage, they have plenty of passion for what the business does. They can’t wait to sell suits, manufacture plastic parts, bake bagels, or (your baby here). And passion for what they want to do is not only a good thing, it’s essential. But without a healthy interest in – if not an attraction for – business fundamentals, passion has only slightly more value than a dream. In truth, if the balance between your baby and operating fundamentals gets out of whack, that’s when your dream becomes your nightmare. Trust me. I’ve had to make payments on one or two of my nightmares, after the thrill was gone. This will be on the test: Success as a small business owner requires two kinds of passion:
It’s critical for a starry-eyed startup to distinguish between, and be dedicated to both passions, because passion for what you sell won’t be enough when:
Source:http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrismyers/2017/01/09/why-entrepreneurs-need-to-h-a-l-t-before-making-important-decisions/#4074657e3e45 By Jim Kendall
LinkedIn launched, officially, in May 2003. A month later, the network had 4,500 members. Third quarter last year (2016, if your calendar is slow), LI had 467 million members worldwide; in the United States, LinkedIn membership approximated 135 million. Overall, about 106 million members visit the site each month -- a great many potential contacts looking these days nearly as often for products and services as jobs. Microsoft spent $26.2 billion to purchase the company in June, apparently planning to profit from LinkedIn ties with Outlook and Office, Sales Navigator and Dynamics 365, and, according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, by allowing members to use Word to facilitate profile and resume updates, and connect with the Windows action center. For Michael Yublosky, however, a LinkedIn specialist in Buffalo Grove, the promise for many small businesses is in LinkedIn's marketing and sales potential. LI remains a key source of talent and jobs, Yublosky says, but although LI "is still a job search network, I am very optimistic that, for people who understand marketing and business, who understand the tools and how to leverage connections, LinkedIn's immense resources offer a great opportunity for small businesses. "Will LinkedIn work as a marketing tool? Absolutely, if you market on LinkedIn." We're going to talk marketing, because more small businesses typically need a marketing boost than they need new employees. Yublosky is one of those advisers who recognizes that marketing basics haven't changed much. "It's a step-by-step process," he says. "Who do you target market? What makes you (your product or service) unique?" And, perhaps most importantly, "How will prospects find you on LinkedIn?" The last point is the clincher, because LI has some unique marketing tools: • Your LinkedIn profile is key. Members search most often by individual names or by key words. Either way, they'll find your profile, the LinkedIn home page material that includes your summary of skills, pertinent experience and education. • "Figure out the key words people use in their search," Yublosky says, adding, for example, that people searching for the type of LI assistance he provides generally will type "LinkedIn tutor" into their search requests, although "website forensics" is a popular Yublosky-finding phrase, too. Logically, then, if blue widgets are what your business produces and sells, blue widgets should appear in your LI profile. • Write and post articles on LinkedIn. Depending a bit on what you're selling, your articles might be about your vision of the industry's future, industry service trends, or effective B2b or B2c activities. • Join LinkedIn groups. "The ones you run, not just the ones you belong to, are better options," Yublosky says. The value of group membership is access to people with like interests. • Filter your LinkedIn searches. Yublosky points out that filters allow you to narrow your search function by industry and location, much as they do, he says, in the Yelp process. • Follow Jim Kendall on LinkedIn and Twitter. Write him at Jim@kendallcom.com. Listen to Jim's Business Owners' Pod Talk at www.kendallcom.com/podcast. Microsoft spent $26.2 billion to purchase the company in June, apparently planning to profit from LinkedIn ties with Outlook and Office, Sales Navigator and Dynamics 365, and, according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, by allowing members to use Word to facilitate profile and resume updates, and connect with the Windows action center. For Michael Yublosky, however, a LinkedIn specialist in Buffalo Grove, the promise for many small businesses is in LinkedIn's marketing and sales potential. LI remains a key source of talent and jobs, Yublosky says, but although LI "is still a job search network, I am very optimistic that, for people who understand marketing and business, who understand the tools and how to leverage connections, LinkedIn's immense resources offer a great opportunity for small businesses. "Will LinkedIn work as a marketing tool? Absolutely, if you market on LinkedIn." We're going to talk marketing, because more small businesses typically need a marketing boost than they need new employees. Yublosky is one of those advisers who recognizes that marketing basics haven't changed much. "It's a step-by-step process," he says. "Who do you target market? What makes you (your product or service) unique?" And, perhaps most importantly, "How will prospects find you on LinkedIn?" The last point is the clincher, because LI has some unique marketing tools: • Your LinkedIn profile is key. Members search most often by individual names or by key words. Either way, they'll find your profile, the LinkedIn home page material that includes your summary of skills, pertinent experience and education. • "Figure out the key words people use in their search," Yublosky says, adding, for example, that people searching for the type of LI assistance he provides generally will type "LinkedIn tutor" into their search requests, although "website forensics" is a popular Yublosky-finding phrase, too. Logically, then, if blue widgets are what your business produces and sells, blue widgets should appear in your LI profile. • Write and post articles on LinkedIn. Depending a bit on what you're selling, your articles might be about your vision of the industry's future, industry service trends, or effective B2b or B2c activities. • Join LinkedIn groups. "The ones you run, not just the ones you belong to, are better options," Yublosky says. The value of group membership is access to people with like interests. • Filter your LinkedIn searches. Yublosky points out that filters allow you to narrow your search function by industry and location, much as they do, he says, in the Yelp process. • Follow Jim Kendall on LinkedIn and Twitter. Write him at Jim@kendallcom.com. Listen to Jim's Business Owners' Pod Talk at www.kendallcom.com/podcast. Source:http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170101/business/170109962/ By Annie Pilon If you plan to run a business in 2017, you need an online marketing strategy. And if you plan to up your online marketing game in the new year, you might be able to benefit from some advice from members of our small business community. Here are some of their top tips for upping your online marketing game in 2017.
Create Awesome Headlines That ConvertWhen creating content for the new year, you need to make sure you have strong headlines. Those headlines can draw people’s attention and help you ultimately gain more customers. Here, Hassan Ud-deen shares tips on creating headlines that convert on the Hardenbrook blog. Get Customers to Trust Your Ecommerce StoreIf you sell products online, then garnering trust between your business and potential customers is a must. If you’re looking for your store to gain some traction, take a look at this post on Getentrepreneurial.com by Megha Parikh. Promote Affiliate Offers on FacebookAffiliate offers can be a great way to increase the income for your business. And Facebook can be a great platform to promote those offers. In this post on the No Passive Income blog, Erik Emanuelli points out a few methods you can use to promote affiliate offers on Facebook. And BizSugar members comment on the post too. Use This B2B Marketing Strategy That WorksWhen marketing to business customers, your strategies might vary from businesses that market to consumers. But there’s one simple strategy that you can use to increase your sales, as outlined in this post by Stefan Schulz on the Orpical Group blog. Maximize Results for Your Products Using TechnologyTechnology can help you innovate and come up with new offerings. But it can also help you market and maximize results for those products. This Techlofy post by Nitesh Mishra includes some tips for using technology to make the most of your products. Stop Trying to Innovate With Your ContentWhile content marketing can be a great strategy for all different types of businesses, some go about it the wrong way. In this Content Marketing Institute post, Marcia Riefer Johnston explains why you should stop trying to innovate with your content. And the BizSugar community also shares thoughts on the post. Read More and Become an Expert Blogger in 30 DaysIf you want to use blogging to market your business in 2017, then you need to become an expert blogger. And one of the best ways to improve your writing is to read more. This Process Street post by Ben Mulholland explains how you can accomplish that in just 30 days. Generate More Comments to Your Blog PostsBlogging is a great way to increase engagement between your business and customers. But if you can’t start conversations, then it isn’t likely to do your business much good. In this post, Ann Smarty of MyBlogU shares some tips for generating more blog comments. Use These Resources to Up Your Webinar Marketing MojoWebinars can be another great resource for small businesses looking to gain traction online. And there are plenty of resources you can use to up your webinar game, like the ones listed in this Resonance Content Marketing post and podcast by Rachel Parker. You can also see commentary on the post over on BizSugar. Drive More Repeat Visitors Through SEORepeat visitors are necessary for any business hoping to be successful online. And you can ensure some of that repeat business through the tips in a post about SEO by Neil Patel. If you’d like to suggest your favorite small business content to be considered for an upcoming community roundup, please send your news tips to: sbtips@gmail.com. Source:https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/12/10-ways-improve-online-marketing-game-2017.html By Sromona Bhattacharyya In a day and age where phone numbers have been replaced by twitter handles and email or DMs have taken the place of letters, it is very easy for anyone to get carried away. There is no denying that digital marketing has largely dominated the advertising field over the past few years, mostly because of its cost effective nature and its easy availability. Although the digital age brings with itself more pros than cons, there is something that is intrinsically absent in it.
The power of an aesthetically pleasing flyer or the feel of a well-made and well-arranged business card can never be undermined. No matter how much technology advances, there is nothing that can take the place of traditional marketing. Here are the four most important benefits of offline marketing. Print advertisingThe death of print media is often over-exaggerated. Yes, with people becoming more environment conscious, the use of paper when it comes to advertising has reduced considerably, but it still remains a powerful medium. Through print advertising, targeting a specific category of people becomes very easy. More importantly, if the publication is well reputed, the chances of people responding and availing to the published ad increases. Direct mailsThere is kind of old school. For business trying to get attention in a specific zone or a targeted locality, direct mails can prove to be an effective method. Those boring emails, more often than not, end up becoming ‘junk’, so why not print actual flyers and brochures that people wouldn’t be able to ignore? As they say, hard work never goes unnoticed, and a beautifully crafted flyer can seal the deal. The biggest pro of direct mails is that there is no spam filtering system – the potential customer has to pick it up and read it, and even it is for one time. Business cardsBusiness cards can be a very cost-effective way of ensuring that an entrepreneur does not miss one single opportunity of business, wherever they go. The people who you give these out to can be anyone from a potential customer to a potential employee, investor or even a partner. A minimalistic design with great aesthetics can help you get what you want and also gives a very professional impression. ConferencesFree seminars or conferences can be a form of offline marketing that can increase your businesses’ revenue. As an exhibitor, one can show off their products and services to others who are looking to avail them, and as an attendee, one can engage in networking with others to gain more knowledge of the potential customer base. This is better than any online form of demo or presentation, in the sense that the potential customers can see, and maybe use, the product by themselves, something that is absent when it comes to digital marketing. Digital does not necessarily mean that one has to completely forget and ignore the traditional methods. In fact, it’s a good blend of the two that brings about perfect harmony. Source:https://yourstory.com/2017/01/offline-marketing-digital-age/ The year 2016 was full of disruption for the restaurant industry – from an augmented reality craze causing a marketing stir to breaches and the continuing quest for best security practices. Here we recap a few hot topics that grabbed headlines over the course of the previous year and how these may impact business as usual in 2017.
Labor Issues: The battle surrounding raising the minimum wage has resulted in restaurants utilizing technology to necessitate fewer staff – this has increased interest in the use of kiosks or other forms of automation. Revised overtime pay regulations, which are estimated to affect at least 4.2 million American workers, will increase the salary threshold for the overtime exemption from $455 a week ($23,600 annually) to $913 a week ($47,476 annually). New overtime rules went into effect in December of 2016, and restaurants continue to scramble to figure out how to adjust salaries and schedules. Having an accurate calculation of hours worked per week will be very important as restaurants seek to comply with new regulations. Many restaurants are turning to smart technologies to track labor or reduce staffing requirements. Which leads us to… Automation: In addition to rising wages, automation is on an upswing due to consumers’ preferences. With more diners being accustomed to living on-demand lives, they are comfortable using technology to get what they want or need and a lack of human contact is becoming less off-putting in certain cases. Whether it be robots or kiosks, restaurants are embracing ways to offer streamlined, frictionless service that guests want and if technology can deliver it – it will become more widespread. Delivery Disruptors: Amazon and UberEats entered the food delivery space. The rideshare behemoth and online retail giant joined the delivery fray along with the likes of Postmates, DoorDash, and Eat24. As restaurants look for ways to sustain and grow delivery services, these disruptors will continue to have impact. Restaurants should keep an eye on Amazon – with the launch of AmazonGo, an 1,800 square feet of retail space for grab-and-go shopping in Seattle. In addition to groceries, AmazonGo also offers ready-to-eat meal options made fresh every day by on-site chefs and favorite local kitchens and bakeries. Drones: While still a futuristic endeavor – and some will say marketing ploy, drones in foodservice grabbed some headlines in 2016. Dominos announced it was conducting pilots of drone delivery in New Zealand and Orange Leaf Yogurt, an Oklahoma-based frozen yogurt company delivered cups of frozen yogurt to college students. Mobile App Battles: Restaurants were all about the app in 2016. Lots of new launches and upgrades were happening in the quest to find the perfect blend of personalization and expansion on omni-channel strategies. Dunkin’ Donuts updated its app to include gifting and loyalty. Starbucksredesigned its mobile app to feature more interaction and personalization. Outback launched an app allowing guests to pay from their phones and Applebee’s updated its mobile app for online ordering and to-go orders. Augmented Reality meets Gamification: When PokemonGo in the summer of 2016 it had rabid fans searching for Pokestops everywhere – including restaurants. Savvy operators turned that into a marketing opportunity by playing along and creating lures to bring guests into their establishments. The augmented reality craze was a hit on social media as well, giving restaurateurs added leverage and another way to stay in front of potential diners. While the PokemonGo craze subsided, it has given restaurants inspiration as to how AR initiatives can have a place in operations. Beyond marketing tools for outside the restaurant, some restaurants are creating games for guests while they are eating or to engage them post-stay. In a slightly different vein, virtual reality is also finding application as restaurants have found VR to be an effective training tool. The lesson is that what could once be deemed a “flash-in-the-pan fad” can have practical longer-term applications for innovative and visionary operators. Security: Breaches are always top-of-mind and an operator’s worst nightmare and several restaurant breaches topped headlines in 2016 shining a spotlight on the issues that still plague POS security. Wendy’s, CiCi’s Pizza and Noodles & Co. were among restaurant chains that had breaches come to light in 2016. What the companies could have done differently – and what other restaurants can learn from them – is a matter of debate. EMV while not a security solution in and of itself, continues to be a hot topic as many operators still are sluggish to upgrade hardware to chip reader systems. Speed of service has improved slightly, but still continues to be a problem – especially at QSRs. Even for restaurants that have upgraded to EMV systems since the liability shift that took place in October of 2015, the key is a layered security approach that includes tokenization, EMV and point-to-point encryption. Source:http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/news/Top-Restaurant-Stories-in-2016108328 |
Marcus Guiliano
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