‘A Fork On Their Left, A Smartphone On Their Right”
Before the phenomenon of smart phones and tablets, diners would hold a fork on their left and a spoon on their right. Diners brought home with them the memories of good flavors, pleasant ambiance and impeccable service. Then those same diners would share their dining experience, through word of mouth. Nowadays, the latest technological advancements have made it possible to share their unforgettable experiences with just a click of a button. We are undeniably at the peak of a digital revolution. Conversations have been replaced with people intently focused on their gadgets, busy sharing food photos through the most happening social network app. However, it does not end at sharing photos of every single meal on Instagram or Facebook, diners also actively participate in providing reviews, tips, and race to become mayors at so and so restaurant. A quiet hole-in-the-wall, a newly put up cupcake stand or a fancy restaurant, could become the most sought after dining spot overnight. Social Media, may have replaced the traditional but it has allowed a different avenue to bring people together.
Today, the reality is people go online to decide where to dine next. Diners use different social media applications to search for a great place to eat when traveling in a new city or trying to get reviews before making reservations. They open their PCs, laptops and more frequently their smartphones or tablets to do a quick “Best Nearby” search and finally decide on where to have that memorable meal. Unfortunately, not most restaurants have hopped on to that bandwagon of leveraging on online tools that could help them and their old and new customers. At this day and age, not most restaurants have menus displayed on their website or even have a dot com address to begin with.
So what does this mean for your restaurant? Diners crave for information that they can get about you online. Information that will convince them to try you out, stay loyal to you, or even both. A website with your name on it will be your main online asset. Then the different digital marketing channels will soon have to follow, because there’s a strong need for businesses like you to take advantage of the plethora of social media apps and assets available for your perusal.
If you are saying yes to all of this, it obviously is time to up your game through Digital Marketing. For the first time in the Philippines, on the 23rd of October at Enderun Colleges, a whole conference bringing together first-rate Restaurateurs such as Ana de Ocampo (Co-Owner of Wildflour + Bakery), Pj Lanot (Co-Owner of Pino Restaurant) and Chef Laudico (Junior Master Chef Judge and owner of Bistro Filipino), Digital Strategists, Influencers/Bloggers, and Regional Experts such as Abe Olandres (Country Head of Nuffnang Philippines, Professional Blogger and author of Yugatech.com), Michael Rastas (Myfoodtrip.com Managing Director), Rosario Juan (Social Media and owner of Commune), Don Anderson (Senior Vice President and Director of Regional Strategic Digital Integration at APAC), Jennifer Marquet (eCRM Director of Cash Cash Pinoy), Arthur Policarpio (Asia-Pacific Head of Mobext), Jonathan Joson (from Havas Media Ortega), Carlo Ople (Managing Director at DM9-DI9IT), will be under one roof teaching you the more than 100 ways of leveraging on Digital Marketing to achieve success that you thought was never possible.
The time for you to join the Digital Marketing bandwagon was yesterday. Make yourself present at the Philippines’ first and only Restaurant Digital Marketing Conference on the 23rd of October at Enderun Colleges. So the next time you see your diners holding a tablet or a smartphone on their left or right hand, you will be on those glossy screens, taking pictures of your food on their main Social Media app and spreading the yummy word about their new favorite restaurant, yours.
A Fork On Their Left, A Smartphone On Their Right