INFOGRAPHIC: Restaurants Marketing to Millennials Will Require Change
The whole concept of marketing to Millennials seems to escape most companies. While consumers have changed, promotional efforts have not necessarily kept pace. The days of casting a wide net and scooping up every wallet in its wake are over. Today’s marketing requires more precise targeting, social responsibility, and above all, authenticity.
DID YOU KNOWS…
The ‘Grandma’ Shot
Ever have a Grandma shot? It’s actually a half-shot of Grand Marnier, an orange-flavored, Cognac-based liqueur and it’s become the official drink of Newport, RI. And while most of us probably wouldn’t think of Grand Marnier as a base spirit like rum, tequila or whiskey, the novelty of a shot of “Grandma” – plus the amusing name – maybe the key to its growing popularity.
Lobby Spending Grows Under Trump
Lobby organizations usually try to exert influence on the legislative process on behalf of companies or associations in order to shape the legislation in the interests of their respective clients. Lobbying takes place at all levels, from local government to presidential elections. The sectors in which lobbying is used as a means of exerting influence are diverse. These include pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, business associations and oil and gas companies. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a trade association, was by far the largest lobbying donor in the US in 2018. And according to this chart, lobby spending has risen from the Obama years and are more than double then the Clinton years.
What About Microplastics?
A survey for Statista by YouGov has revealed that only 52% of adults in the U.S. have heard of microplastics. The issue, which has been troubling environmentalists in recent years, has been garnering more attention in the media, with headlines such as “Microplastics are raining down from the sky”, or “There’s no getting away from microplastic contamination” raising awareness. So, what are the 52 percent doing to reduce the production of/contact with microplastics?
CARRYOUT DELIVERS
Why it matters to you: Don’t ignore carryout as an alternative to delivery to grow
Delivery, Delivery, Delivery…that’s all anyone ever talks about these days. It’s like the delivery conversation sucks all the air out of the room, every time it comes up.
But, did you know that digital carryout ordering is up 269% over the past five years? That’s not a typo, and carryout ordered online doesn’t cost you or the consumer anything. Sure, the guest has to come to you in order to access your food, but given that typical restaurant trade area is limited to about 10 minute drive from your restaurant, carryout is more convenient than operators might realize. The cost of delivery has been a contentious issue over the past few months, therefore any effort to mitigate this expense benefits both you and your loyal carryout ordering guests. Organizing to accommodate carryout requires many of the same operational choices that delivery presents, but without the incremental expenses of labor and other delivery infrastructure.
With so many people accessing delivery these days, why not offer a discount to carryout guests. Make the offer a clear challenge to the cost of delivery. For example, if your third-party delivery company charges the consumer $3 for their portion of the delivery fee, offer guests that same $3 as a discount to any order they place over a specific price threshold. Let’s say you choose $3 off any order more than $30, you are actually paying the guest the $3 they would have spent with delivery, but an additional $3 from you. And that doesn’t even account for savings on a delivery gratuity which means you could be saving the consumer as much as $10. I don’t know about you, but if I heard from my favorite restaurant I could save as much as $10 on my carryout order, I’d be there more often -- just sayin’.
[Source: Nation’s Restaurant News]
PLURALITY IS PROFITABLE
Why it matters to you: The more diverse your team, the more diverse your audience.
The demographics of the United States have been changing consistently since its founding in 1776. You can trace our country’s pluralism that far back. In some cases, the folks that were included into our society didn’t have a choice, in others they emigrated here to taste the opportunity for which America is known. But make no mistake, we are a far more diverse country now than we were even 50 years ago. Some decry this diversity, others embrace it. But what’s the right choice from a business perspective?
Well, if your goal is to grow your restaurant brand or independent operation, then diversity is a demonstrable method to getting there. Studies from organizations like McKinsey and Company have produced research indicating diverse and inclusive environments are more likely to achieve greater financial success than those that eschew it. It really is simple, you can’t ignore the fact that almost 40% of Americans identify as non-white (this includes Hispanics that identify as white). Maybe you can afford to ignore the spending potential of 40% of your community, but most operators cannot.
I assure you this is not preaching about the politics of race. As an operator I am far less motivated by that than I am the self-preservation of nurturing my business. Also, I’m not a good enough marketer to dismiss that percentage of the population. How you embrace diversity is entirely up to you, but the more diverse your staff, the more diverse your clients will be and that’s a great first step. Just by making the effort to attract a diverse staff, is great first step to lengthening your table and making anyone feel welcomed.
[Source: Fortune]
