More than the pitter patter of birdies’ beaks, Twitter functions as the primary source of real-time news updates for over 330 million people. The spreading of information through this platform allows for quick, real-time examination of an event and the ability to spread news of that event like wildfire.
Twitter allows you, as a business owner to have your ear to the ground, when it comes to what your current and potential customers needs are, as your brand’s updates have the potential to reach an entire network of people. If you’re not using this platform, you’re missing out on an entire cross-section of your public.
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re only just learning this. “Tweet” in the social media sense of the word, was added to the Oxford English dictionary in 2013, making it one of the fastest words to ever catch on to man’s vocabulary. When you really consider that, it captures how much influence this form of social media has on society today. Which makes how you’re using it to showcase your offerings all the more important.
Whether you’re beginning with a brand new account or have a somewhat established online following, I want you to take a good look at your profile and consider this: your Twitter is a reflection of your brand, your business, and your restaurant’s values. Are you effectively using these aspects to reach out to your audience?
There are a few simple actions you can take to begin using Twitter to your advantage– namely taking the time to listen to your customer’s online conversations while using content to showcase what makes your company unique. The relationships you’re building online translate to in-person visits and an online community that supports your business, meaning you’ll keep customers coming back while getting new ones in the process!
Twitter Bios are a great place to start in order to see the sum of a person and whether or not they would physically show up to purchase something from you. Taking a gander at a customer’s bio helps to create authentic interaction between you both. Building a sense of trust online is crucial and is an excellent way to establish relationships with new and returning customers.
These 160 characters of potent detail can be accessed by clicking a user’s profile. From their perspective, a new customer clicks on your profile and can decide in a moment whether your Twitter bio adds up to something they want to invest time and money in. Key pieces of information to help you cut to the chase include:
- Your business name and username
- Brief and intriguing wording that stays on task with your message. Don’t be afraid to be witty while explaining what it is that you provide!
- Your Location
- A link to your website, where your potential customers can access more information
Customers may not readily admit it, but they want to know you care about them! Taking the time to thank people for mentions, retweets and check-ins, while adding a personalized touch, can lead to an amazing word-of-mouth that traditional advertising doesn’t offer, because you’re no longer talking at someone, but with them. This is conversation that converts into business.
An example is in reaching out to this customer while using information gathered from their Twitter Bio, which noted they were a “connoisseur of funk.” It leads to a genuine interaction and their very own brand advocate, as seen below:
Responses have been “liked” and retweeted in the past, leading to an increase in mentions, likes, and follows to a page. When looking for new followers, scroll through the lists of potential guests at your restaurant and critically think about keywords which apply to your establishment. For example, say you own a small, nostalgic diner; bios including words like local, foodie, family, American, etc. apply to your business and your clientele and represent the people you want to include in your network.
Your following matters because they engage with or share your content. You want loyal listeners to your message who will share what you have to say, and more importantly, show up to dine with you!
The next action you can take to generate new customers is an often underused yet handy tool known as Twitter Search and Twitter Advanced Search.
You can use this to look up key phrases or terms that apply to your area of expertise and find local people who are tweeting about them. Twitter search enables you to politely reach out to potential customers who are tweeting about things you have to offer (remember to access that Twitter bio information and use it). You may even find people creating relevant tweets about you and your business without having mentioned you.
When using the search method, try to think about common issues, concerns or comments you often hear in-house and apply that knowledge to your search bar methods. Enter your key terms (for example coffee, cappuccino, restaurant, dinner) into the search bar then go through the results and see what people in your area are tweeting about. You can narrow down millions of tweets to people in your area who are looking for what you have to offer.
Last but not least is that ole staple in social media– CONTENT IS KING!
What are you offering anyway? I recently read the idea of content summed up beautifully as something which “centers around the customer, rather than itself.” Your content’s job is to speak for you. If it’s nothing but a bunch of pushy material, i.e. advertisements and flyers, then the “social” aspect of your company is being lost. Engage with your audience and feature your brand by creating relevant, fun, and informative tweets which send the message that they are more than a dollar sign to you.
There are ways to let the public know what you have, without having to flatly say it. Before you create a post for Twitter, ask yourself what it is that sets you apart from the competition? What do customers love about your restaurant? These unique gifts you’ve been offering people in the form of ambiance, plating, or great service, are selling points to an experience. So showcase them!
Your content will tell Twitter users whether you’re someone they want to see in their feed, daily, and more importantly in their life, when deciding where to dine.
So go forth and tweet away–your customers are waiting!
Did you know?
We've been managing social media accounts for restaurants since 2012. For almost a decade, we've partnered with restauranteurs who are serious about using social media to generate business. Whether you're a good fit for our service or not, let's schedule a call and we'll give you free personalized advice on how to improve your social media presence. Either way, you'll walk away from the call more confident about your ability to promote yourself online - completely for free.
