The Local Marketing Lab

In this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, Andy Nguyen, the co-founder of Happy Hours Group and owner of over 25 restaurant concepts, shares his unconventional journey in the restaurant industry and his success in driving growth with unforgettable experiences. Through his partnerships with influential figures like rapper Bun B and his ability to tap into social media trends, Andy provides valuable insights into networking, staying ahead in the social media game, and driving traffic and awareness. His experience and creative approach to marketing, influenced by his background in art and fashion, make this episode a must-listen for entrepreneurs and business owners looking to harness the power of experiences and partnerships for brand growth.Here are some topics discussed in the episode around driving growth with unforgettable experiences:The power of creative partnershipsDesigning engaging brand experiencesFailing forward to accelerate growthThe importance of social mediaContinually evolving your marketingResourcesConnect with Andy Nguyen on LinkedIn.Learn more about the various restaurant concepts Andy co-founded:Bored and HungryTrill BurgersMatte Black CoffeeCheck out Andy’s marketing agency, Happy Hours Group.Other shout-outsJosh Vides for his amazing artistic style and designing Matte Black Coffee.Watch Paul Tran’s episode on the Local Marketing Lab.Bun B for his collaboration and relationships as Andy’s business partner.Viet Nguyen, owner of Key Concepts, for how he’s shifting the Vietnamese food community in Orange County.

Our guest on this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, is Adam Golomb, CEO of the restaurant chain Primanti Brothers. Adam shares tips for multiplying your marketing impact and emphasizes the significance of creating genuine connections with customers through local marketing. He shares insights about Primanti’s unique approach, including their humorous interactions with guests and their focus on empowering general managers to execute successful initiatives within their communities.Here are some topics discussed in the episode around multiplying your marketing impact:Maximize customer engagement through local marketing strategiesMake a difference in the community with dine-and-donate programsElevate your restaurant’s visibility through digital advertisingEquip GMs with the tools for impactful local marketingHarness the benefits of quick reactions for business successResourcesConnect with Adam Golomb on LinkedIn.Find a Primanti Brothers location near you.Learn more about Adam’s previous employers: Eat’n Park Hospitality Group and Giant Eagle.Other shout-outsTexas Roadhouse — They treat their general managers as a partner in the business, rather than just franchisees.Julie Wade from Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe — For connecting with Adam and sharing her advice. Listen to her episode of the Local Marketing Lab here.

In this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, Justin is joined by restaurant marketing expert Matt Plapp, CEO of America’s Best Restaurants. With over 20 years of experience working with local restaurants, Matt shares tips for meaningful customer engagement both online and in-store.Here are some topics discussed in the episode around tips for meaningful customer engagement:The power of community-focused social media contentTips for what to post on your business’s social media pagesAutomate messaging workflows to collect customer data and send offersMeaningful in-store customer engagementExamples of restaurants that do social media well and those that don’tResourcesConnect with Matt Plapp on LinkedIn or check out his website.Learn more about America’s Best Restaurants.Check out Matt’s podcasts:MPTVRestaurant Expert RoundupOwn Their PhonesRestaurant Marketing SecretsOther shout-outsHofbrauhaus Buffalo — Super fun brand + helping Matt replicate their success across other restaurantsGary Vee (Vaynerchuck) — Helping businesses keep it simple and do those things over and overRed Bull — Great example of a brand that does social media wellPrimanti Brothers — Fun brand with great social media and engaging contentLouie’s Waffle House — Restaurant near Chicago with good community involvementLittle Italy Ristorante — Amazing video content that involves the community

Joining us in this episode of The Local Marketing Lab is Tony Adams, an entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience across industries like restaurants, real estate, and more. He shares his insights on how to enhance the customer journey with digital marketing tools.Whether launching a new marketing strategy or looking to boost existing efforts, Tony offers tactical advice to help local businesses attract and retain more customers in the digital space. Tune in now to explore how leading with digital enhances that all-important customer journey.Here are some topics discussed in the episode around digital marketing tools to enhance the customer journey:Make your business easy to find onlineUse remarketing to re-engage past site visitorsUnderstand the full customer journey to their purchaseLeverage digital marketing tools to unify your online presenceStart small with quick website updatesResourcesConnect with Tony Adams on LinkedIn.Learn more about Area 15 Ventures.Find a Port of Subs or Daddy’s Chicken Shack location near you.Try out Google Search Console and Google Analytics.Other shout-outsCrumbl – Fantastic brand with a great website, app, and in-store experience.

In this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, Justin Ulrich sits down with Shashank Shekhar, an expert in financial services and mortgage industry marketing. With over 20 years of experience, Shashank provides invaluable insights on driving growth and revenue by constantly adapting and implementing innovative marketing into your strategy.Here are some topics discussed in the episode around innovative marketing:Understanding and anticipating changing consumer preferencesLooking outside your industry for new ideasOvercoming fear of failure to try new thingsThe impact of AI and digital transformation in the mortgage industry.ResourcesConnect with Shashank Shekhar on LinkedIn.Learn more about InstaMortgage.Listen to an episode of the Shashank Redemption podcast.Check out Shashank’s books on Amazon.

In this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, Justin Ulrich has an energetic discussion with Matthew Marx, CEO of Evocalize, about using automated marketing technology to drive local demand. With over 20 years of experience in tech and digital marketing, Matt provides valuable perspectives. He shares insights on the challenges faced by small business owners in navigating the complex digital marketing landscape and emphasizes the importance of generating demand at the right time and place. By providing real-life examples of successful implementations in the restaurant and real estate industries, Matt offers practical strategies for businesses to drive traffic and engage with their customers effectively.Here are some topics discussed in the episode about automated marketing:The importance of having a digital presence for location-based businessesLeveraging real-time sales and inventory data in marketingAutomating repetitive digital marketing tasks to allow local owners to focus on operationsStreamlining digital marketing for multi-location businessesEvocalize bridges the gap between franchisors and franchisees to market togetherResourcesConnect with Matthew Marx on LinkedIn.Learn more about Bazaarvoice, the user-generated content platform that Matt helped go public.Find out more about Madrona Ventures, one of the founding partners of Evocalize.Other shout-outsSmoothie King — using local TikTok ads to advertise effectivelyPrimanti Brothers — driving people to their restaurants with automated, real-time demand signalsKeller Williams — combining technologies to allow agents to segment their marketing

In this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, host Justin Ulrich speaks with Julie Wade, Senior Director of Marketing at Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, about a secret ingredient for local growth — digital marketing. With over 15 years in franchise and retail marketing, Julie provides valuable insights on leveraging digital to drive local impact.Here are some topics discussed in the episode around digital marketing, the secret ingredient for local growth:Leveraging Meta’s hyperlocal targeting capabilitiesThird-party delivery partnerships to access new audiencesClean customer data and segmentation for better insightsTracking marketing effectiveness with actionable metricsGrassroots local community marketing and local owner involvementResourcesConnect with Julie Wade on LinkedInVisit Taziki’s official website to explore their menu, locations, and franchise opportunitiesOther shout-outsWaldo’s Chicken — a great example of grassroots marketing and doing everything at the local level

In this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, Justin Ulrich chats with Paul Tran, the VP of Franchise Development at Roll-Em-Up Taquitos, who brings a wealth of experience and insights from the restaurant and franchise industry. Paul’s journey from running his own restaurant to owning multiple franchise locations and consulting for small businesses highlights his deep understanding of local marketing strategies. He emphasizes the importance of creating awareness and providing care to customers, sharing actionable tips to drive home the significance of consistency, authenticity, and trust in marketing efforts.Here are some topics discussed in the episode:Be authentic and consistent with your brand’s personality in local marketingEducating customers on offerings with “did you know” approachLong-term social media consistency builds trustEngage existing customers through email and collaborations to drive salesPut your product in front of potential customers by showing up at unconventional venuesResourcesConnect with Paul Tran on LinkedIn or his websiteCheck out The Halal Guys RestaurantLearn more about Roll-Em-Up TaquitosOther shout-outsLearn more about Fransmart: A franchise incubator located in Washington D.C. that helped grow Five Guys BurgersIn N Out’s secret menu: A great way to improve your connection with customersChick-Fil-A for representing hospitalityMatte Black Coffee for their stimulating partnerships and collaborationsChristal Miller, VP of Marketing at Roll-Em-Up Taquitos, for building local community engagement

In this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, Justin Ulrich is joined by Zack Oates, founder and CEO of customer experience platform Ovation, for an energetic discussion on leveraging online reviews and reputation to unlock revenue growth. Zach provides valuable insights into transforming online reviews to revenue and the strategies businesses can employ to improve their online reputation. You’ll learn about the importance of aiming for a high rating of 4.7 to 4.8 with numerous reviews along with the need for a convenient feedback process.Here are some topics discussed in the episode to transform reviews to revenue:The power of online reviews and why 4+ star ratings are critical for discoveryElevate your local marketing game by mastering online reputation managementTactics for soliciting authentic feedback and reviewsTry new marketing strategies to expand your business horizonsZack’s favorite pizzeriasResourcesFollow and connect with Zack Oates on LinkedInLearn more about Ovation and how they make online reviews easy for businessesCheck out Rev Ciancio’s episode on the Local Marketing Lab to learn more about driving ROI by focusing on the customer experienceOther shout-outsFollow Shawn Walchef and Rev Ciancio on LinkedIn for great social media content.Learn more about San Diablo ChurrosOrder a churro kit called Churro Fiesta in a boxGreat pizza, The Good Pie, Via 313, Andolini’s Pizzeria, Sophie’s Pizza, and Sauced

In this episode of The Local Marketing Lab, Justin Ulrich chats with Steve Lieber, the VP of Business Development at BurgerFi and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, renowned for his expertise in local marketing and the restaurant industry. The conversation delves into mastering the art of local engagement — the significance of embracing social media, technology, and community engagement for successful restaurant brands.Steve emphasizes the power of social media in reaching niche markets and building connections with customers, highlighting the success of Dave’s Hot Chicken and the impact of influencers like Logan Paul and Mr. Beast. The conversation also stresses the importance of experimenting with new platforms like TikTok and the value of authentic, engaging content coupled with affordable advertising.Here are some topics discussed in the episode around local engagement:Maximize local reach: Learn how to harness the power of social media for your restaurant’s marketing strategy.Drive brand growth: Discover the secrets to leveraging influencers for a boost in your restaurant’s success.Embrace innovation: Explore the benefits of adopting new platforms and experimenting with fresh marketing strategies.Create engaging content: Uncover the power of authenticity and humor in captivating your restaurant’s audience.Amplify engagement: Find out how to boost customer interaction through affordable advertising tactics.ResourcesConnect with Steve Lieber on LinkedIn.Check out BurgerFi and find a location near you.Order from Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.Follow Gary Vaynerchuk on LinkedIn for great social media tips.Learn more about the Navy Seals Annual Muster.Other shout-outsHot Ones Hot Sauces – great marketing with their hot sauce.Dave’s Hot Chicken – started out with only social media and they’ve grown to 250+ restaurants in five years with great local engagement.Raising Caines – amazing brand with incredible culture.