RESTAURANT STRATEGY

#16: SEO Crash Course for Restaurants SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it's a crazy complicated topic that would take hours to effectively explain. But just because it's complex doesn't mean we should ignore it. In fact, I'm going to make the case that SEO is the single most important tool in the Digital Marketer's Toolkit. The ability to be FOUND in a world as vast as the internet is INVALUABLE. And so this week I'm giving a crash course in SEO for Restaurants. Give me the next 25 minutes and I'll show you 8 ways you can start improving your ranking on sites like Google and Bing! SEO TOOLS: SEM Rush Ahrefs Moz CONTINUING EDUCATION: SEO expert and all around smart guy Neil Patel was a guest on Amy Portfield’s Podcast and it was absolute gold. LISTEN HERE

#15: 10 Books Every Restaurant Owner Should Read ** Click on any of the titles to order your own copy at Amazon.com ** 1. Purple Cow by Seth Godin 2. All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin 3. Permission Marketing by Seth Godin 4. Setting the Table by Danny Meyer 5. Start with Why by Simon Sinek 6. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook 7. The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday 8. To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink 9. Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull 10. This is Water    

#14: Getting Started with Facebook Ads By far the biggest question I get from clients is this: "Should my restaurant be running Facebook Ads." In this week's episode we break it all down, and share some key reasons why paid advertising works on social media. I'll show you an easy way to get started, and walk you through the most efficient ways to spend those limited marketing dollars. FACEBOOK BUSINESS PORTAL: CLICK HERE CONTINUING EDUCATION:  20 minute video about how to set up your first FB Ad. Not me, but the guy is very easy to follow.  CLICK LINK

#13: Twenty Marketing Ideas to Boost Business We've spent the past few months talking big picture ideas, establishing a strong foundation for your business. But perhaps you're sitting there wondering, "Okay fine, but how can I apply these to my work?" Well, today we're going to start putting it all together. This week I challenged myself to come up with 20 different marketing ideas you can try right away. Note: I'm not saying to put them all into practice right away. To start, just pick 2 or 3 and see if you can find a way to implement them. Want a cheatsheet? We've got one for you! CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE CHEATSHEET ** ** CONTINUING EDUCATION: Adam Grant's TED Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/adam_grant_the_surprising_habits_of_original_thinkers?language=en Originals by Adam Grant - CLICK TO PURCHASE 

#12: Brand Marketing vs. Direct Marketing These are two totally different things that unfortunately get confused all the time. In today’s episode I walk you through both of them, show you the different ways they can be effective, and explain when to use each one. Yes, it is ultimately about driving sales, but before that we need to raise awareness, build trust, and communicate effectively to our audience that we know how to solve their problems. Direct Marketing is about inspiring action (Call this number, click here, buy now), while Brand Marketing is more nuanced... it's about communicating the brand's aesthetic, about reaching a specific audience. When I talk about the differences in these two kinds of marketing I'll often use 80's TV Commercials as examples. They're easy because technology was starting to appear, but we weren't nearly as connected as we are now. Meaning: it wasn't always about moving a viewer to action. People don't watch car commercials and suddenly jump up and say, "I need to buy that car." It's about building trust, cultivating a relationship with a prospective customer. So in the 80's we had Infomercials (Direct) and regular commercials (Brand)... take a walk down memory lane and see the differences for yourself: DIRECT These are about driving sales... an extended spot meant to seal the deal by the end. They identify the pain point, present a solution (the product), and then sweeten the deal until you call the number.  Original ShamWOW - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3lrhPeK6gU Bacon Bowl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG2krftM2eQ&list=PLxxZ3u734ghpIteJ4_ed7_SmYeHccsptX&index=8 BRAND These are much more nuanced... notice that in all 3 the product itself kind of takes a backseat. It's about evoking a feeling, communicating an energy, an aesthetic. If you like this sort of thing, then this is your kind of product. McDonald's - the original "I'm Lovin' It" commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI-xHMM8wXE Kit Kat - 1988 "Give me a break" commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nkcVz1mad0 "Share a Coke" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-ahnFYzMp8 OTHER LINKS: "Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook" - GET THE BOOK CONTINUING EDUCATION: Seth Godin explains the pitfalls in misunderstand the differences between Brand and Direct Marketing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHht5-8jtgI  

#11: Starting With Why This episode was inspired by two things... Simon Sinek's book "Start With Why" and an episode of the Tim Ferriss Show where he interviewed restauranteur, Nick Kokonas. The question WHY is at the core of both of them, but used in very different ways. I've fused the two lessons together into this week's episode. This one is a bit of a departure... a series of stories and thought experiments to try to get you to think differently about your business. I want you to start questioning the status quo, and pulling at threads. Below are links to some of the things I talk about in the episode... I hope they inspire you in the same ways they continue to inspire me. Simon Sinek's TED Talk - "How great leaders inspire action" Simon Sinek's book, "Start With Why" - CLICK HERE TO BUY Simon Sinek on INSIDE QUEST - WATCH HERE CONTINUING EDUCATION: The Tim Ferriss Show Ep. #341 - Nick Kokonas - https://tim.blog/2018/10/18/nick-kokonas/ 

#10: The Digital Marketing Toolkit In this week's episode we're talking all about the Digital Marketing Toolkit, the variety of tools available to us as marketers to help us reach our target audience. For my money it all comes down to five different areas: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Permission Marketing Social Media Content Strategy Paid Advertising Everything we do online will fall into one of these five areas, and so it makes sense to try to understand what each one is all about, so we can figure out if it's worth our precious resources. CONTINUING EDUCATION: I'm sharing a link to a YouTube video I shared a few months back where I discussed the same topic. If you want to see my shining face, it may be worth watching... or if you're a visual learner, it may be helpful to see some of the examples I share. It's a bit shorter (just about 10 minutes), and pretty straightforward. You can also poke around and see some of my other videos as well. LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y89ppUdLxv0&t=297s Finally, I want to hear from you. Reach out to me - chip@chipklose.com - and tell me what you're struggling with. Got a question? Working on something in your restaurant? Ask away... I'll try to answer it in one of the upcoming episodes, and maybe even devote an entire episode to the topic if it warrants it.

#9. What is a Customer Journey Map? What exactly is a Customer Journey Map? It’s a visual representation of the process a customer or prospect goes through to achieve a specific goal with your company. Simply put, it’s a way of identifying all the steps it took to turn a regular person into a customer, and big companies are constantly trying to understand the path people take to get to them. Usually, you'll see the map broken into six different stages, but for restaurants I use seven: Stage 1 - Discovery Stage 2 - Research Stage 3 - Hovering Stage 4 - Commitment Stage 5 - Sale Stage 6 - Experience Stage 7 - Sharing In this episode I explain how to build a Customer Journey Map, and the best ways to analyze the results. CONTINUING EDUCATION: https://moz.com/blog/customer-journey-maps-whiteboard-friday 

#8: Why Do You Want to Open a Restaurant? To be totally transparent... I think a lot of people go into business for the wrong reasons. They open restaurants because they think it'll be fun (which it sometimes is), or because they think it'll be easy (which it rarely is). But I think it's just too hard these days unless you're ready for the challenge... too hard to succeed unless you really know what you're doing. I think people go into business for themselves for one of six reasons. In this episode I lay out those six reasons, and explain how to use them as a sort of barometer -- a tool to diagnose the situation. I hope you listen with an open mind and use the advice as a way for navigating through choppy waters. As always, it's a pleasure having you each week. Thanks for tuning in. CONTINUING EDUCATION: This week I wanted to recommend the documentary SPINNING PLATES. If you haven't seen it, it's well worth the 90 minutes it takes to watch. Grant Achatz (Chef/Owner of Alinea in Chicago) is the centerpiece to the film, but the filmmaker weaves Grant's story in with two other stories that are just as compelling. It is a beautiful film, one that deals with many of the themes we're discussing in this week's episode. Enjoy! LEARN MORE ABOUT SPINNING PLATES

#7: How to Build a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy What does your marketing strategy look like? Do you even have a marketing strategy? If you're like a lot of restaurant owners out there, it's non-existent. Often times it ends up being more of a seat-of-your-pants kind of thing. Mother's Day is coming up... well, we should do something for Mother's Day. Beverage sales are down... let's come up with a drink special this weekend. But that's not a strategy. Far from it, in fact. In this week's episode I show you an easy way to start building a comprehensive marketing strategy, and a way to start executing that plan. CONTINUING EDUCATION: I began the episode talking about productivity, and so I thought it might be useful to link to someone who has helped me stay organize and focused. Peter Voogd is an entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker. He's a productivity coach who's made a career helping people find their way. CHECK OUT THE VIDEO GET THE BOOK