A short YouTube marketing talk by Donald Burns using an anecdote about a client (Tom) whose restaurant stayed empty despite good food. Burns argues that good food isn't enough and identifies three core marketing failures: ignoring social media, failing to build and use an email list, and not forming local partnerships. He emphasizes tactical fixes (be visible on social platforms, collect and email guests regularly, and collaborate with nearby businesses) and ends with a call-to-action to a free 90-minute TRC method masterclass.
Chapters
Here are the three stupidest marketing mistakes your restaurant is making and it's costing you big time. Say hello to my friend Tom. Tom is a client and Tom's restaurant had great food and a great location, but it was almost always empty. He couldn't figure out why people weren't flooding the doors. I mean, I take a look at his marketing strategy, or actually rather lack of one, and Tom was making every stupid marketing mistake in the book. It was kind of like watching someone try to start a fire with wet matches. You ever hosted a party and forgot to send out invitations? And then you're sitting there with all the food, the music, decorations, and wondering why no one showed the fuck up. Well, that was Tom's restaurant. No wonder it was a ghost town. If people don't know about you, they will not come to your restaurant. There's an idiotic belief that says if the food is good, people will find us. Wake up. Great food alone does not guarantee success. You have to shout your restaurant story from the rooftops or you're gonna be cooking for empty chairs. Here are the three stupidest marketing mistakes restaurants make and how you can fix them. Number one, ignoring social media. Thinking that you can ignore social media is so stupid. Your guests live online, get active on social media platforms, post daily, multiple times daily, and engage with your audience. If you're not visible, you're invisible. Number two, lack of email marketing. Not building up an email list. That is just stupid, stupid, stupid. Email marketing is one of the highest ROI strategies. Collect emails from your guest and send out regular updates, offers and promotions at least weekly, if not bi weekly. Out of sight, out of mind. Number three, no local partnerships. You're trying to do it all alone. Again, stupid move. Partner with local business for cross promotions and events. Leverage each other's guest space to drive traffic. Collaboration beats isolation every single time. If your restaurant is empty, it's not the food, it's your marketing. Get your head out of the sand and start shouting your story. Social media, email marketing and local partnerships are not optional. They are essential to today's restaurant tour. Ready to break free from your restaurant running? You just grab a seat at my free 90 minute TRC method masterclass where I'm going to show you a three step process.
