Week 8’s blog (no way! Already? wowsers!) & week 7 of isolation. What a roller coaster ride. Anybody else super on it one minute & a bit deflated the next?! Well luckily I’m super on it enough of the time to keep bringing you your weekly email!
For a limited time, I’m still offering my FREE ‘PBP Pow Wow’s where you get to pick my brains on content ideas for your social media. These are primarily aimed at those of you that have physical venues such as bars, restaurants, hotels, B&B’s, cafe’s etc. I offer these every Wednesday, so drop me a line or click HERE to book your slot.
So grab a cuppa or something stronger & ‘Happy Reading’!
‘USEFUL ARTICLES’
Here’s what I’ve come across from experts in our field on social, marketing & more this last week (quite a few this week!):
Firstly, Instagram have now made it possible for followers to order a food delivery via the app. Something that could really benefit those of you out there that are offering this service. You can add the action button to your profile or a sticker to your stories. FIND OUT MORE HERE
There are a few bits & pieces out there about all the positive things happening in the hospitality industry, which are so nice to read to keep our spirits up, & remind ourselves it’s not all doom & gloom out there. ‘Big Hospitality’ have a weekly round up of positive industry news which might also inspire you: Weekly roundup of Coronavirus: The positive industry news
CHS Group are also sending out a weekly round up of ‘Feel Good Vibes’ with stories. If you’re doing something really positive let them know & they might well include you. Check it out & sign up HERE
As well as his ‘Pub & Restaurant Re-Birth’ series on You Tube. Mark Mculloch also has a series of ‘Supersonic Food Marketing Podcasts’ out that are worth listening to, including a ‘check-in chat’ this week with Simon Potts the MD of ‘The Alchemist’
Another regular resource worth listening to are the ‘Hospitality Talks’ from KAM Media. Kate talks to different hospitality peeps each week: WATCH HERE
Great advice from E-Hotelier & something else to think about whilst you might have a little down time is your online reputation. Checkout this article for some of the things you can be doing now: ‘Why investing in your hotel’s online reputation matters now more than ever.’
A couple more pieces about what things might look like after lock-down to give you some food for thought:
From ‘The Morning Advertiser’ – ‘What could social distancing in a post-pandemic pubs look like?’ Some interesting ideas from across the world including table spacing, serving from pub windows, using public squares & plazas & hygienic storage.
‘The Caterer’ comes up trumps again with the opportunity to download a copy of their ‘The New Blueprint for operating: what operators expect after lock-down’
I wanted to, once again, include a couple more bits & pieces locally to me. Two articles from Yorkshire. One which is pushing for help for the industry from ‘The Yorkshire Post’ – ‘If we do not save our hospitality and tourism sectors a vital part of Yorkshire will be lost forever.’ This quote particularly resonated with me:
“London-based media continues to obsess over the likes of Richard Branson we are more concerned with the North Yorkshire B&B, the West Yorkshire local pub and the South Yorkshire-based family-run restaurant.”
Finally, a feel good story that I thought was lovely & a fab idea to get some PR! From ‘The Northern Echo’ – ‘Couple celebrate Yorkshire tourism award with black tie dinner at home’
Please let me know if you come across any articles, groups, emails etc around hospitality you think might benefit others, so I can include.
‘PBP POST PICKS’
Here are my favourite hospitality ‘PBP Post Picks’ I found this week to give you inspo! (CLICK THE IMAGES TO BE TAKEN TO THE POSTS THEMSELVES ONLINE):
New this week to my post picks are ‘Catgill Farm – Bolton Abbey’. I know the lady that does their social media & she does a fab job.
I particularly liked a couple of ideas they posted this week. Firstly great idea, the owners actually sampling one of their glamping pods. What better way to promote them than to show them being used & putting yourselves in your customers shoes? Makes for great promotion in a very none-promotional fashion.
I also loved the idea of showing you all the wonderful things you could do if you visited Catgill. This inspires people to want to book & do the same thing once they re-open. Followers can visualise themselves doing exactly this. They did a step by step chocolate fondue over the BBQ, Yum! CLICK THE IMAGE TO WATCH THE VIDEO:
Another newbie this week is ‘Bramhope Village Pizza’, a small village near Leeds, not far from me. This is a brilliant way to jump on something that is topical & turn it both to your advantage & also help a fantastic cause & an amazingly generous donation too! ‘The Captain Tom’ pizza with a 40% donation to NHS charity. You can see how well it was received:
The return of one of my ‘Social Media Crushes’ – ‘Grumpy’s in Farsley, Leeds. I still, just love what they do on their social media. They continue to show the real personality behind their venue which is one of the things that really makes them stand out & we can all relate to. This could have been a simple or boring post to say that they have decided to increase delivery & collection to 2 more days of the week, but they made it fun & packed full of their personality. It feels really real & honest:
They also continue to collaborate & keep it local with this post & joint venture with a local artist. Again, fab idea!:
Also previously featured, ‘Martinez Wine Bar’ in Ilkley continue to be as innovative as possible with their isolation wine videos & this week is no exception, with a full on family re-enactment of a Mad Hatters tea party!! CLICK THE IMAGE TO WATCH THE VIDEO:
Another newbie to the post picks this week & somewhere else’s social media I really like is ‘The Maven’ in Leeds. I’ve always admired their Instagram feed theme, look & design (check it out when you get a few mins). They’ve been doing some regular cocktail video’s to help you make them at home & also showcasing their menu & skills. CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO WATCH THE VIDEO:
They’ve also had a regular Facebook Live with their DJ that gives a small taste of a night out at the bar. CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO WATCH THE VIDEO:
I wanted to give a shout out to one of the venue’s owned by a fellow FHN member: ‘The Townhouse Bar & Brasserie’ in Oswestry. They have been using past images/content to create new posts & generate a sense of nostalgia, wish you were here, type emotions. Just goes to show if you have some good content already it can be re-purposed:
Following on from previous posts re vouchers. ‘Dakota Hotel’ in Leeds has a great idea around these, which not only encourages people to buy from them & guarantees future customers but also benefits the NHS:
This last post pick I thought was genius!! It’s actually a series from ‘The Coniston Hotel Country Estate & Spa’ near Skipton. They are hosting a virtual open week with videos showcasing the different areas of the hotel with the manager talking & taking you on a virtual show-round for each area of the hotel. In addition, they have recipes, housekeeping cleaning tips, spa tips & more as part of the open week. It is brilliant! This is both on Facebook & Instagram CLICK THE IMAGE TO WATCH THE VIDEOS:
Their page is well worth a CHECK OUT!!
Finally, they have the ultimate competition which has had no less than 5K reactions, 2K comments & 10K shares!!:
‘CONTENT IDEAS’
Here are some you could try based on the above & more:
- Make sure that your customers can buy your vouchers online. Why not offer extra? So, for example pay £20 & get £30 worth, or pay £20 & we’ll give a £10 voucher to a key worker.
- Be honest about any issues you might be having re deliveries & positive actions you have taken, communicate with your followers.
- Be creative can you sample your own food & drink at your own venue, or experience a spa treatment at home or night in your own accommodation? Put yourself in your customers shoes.
- Can you show followers activities that they can do whilst staying/visiting you?
- Can you collaborate with other local people such as artists, music, charities etc?
- If still trading. Can you give a % of your takings to a good cause in the local community or the NHS?
- The virtual open week is such a brilliant idea, could you do similar?
- National Days you can jump on this week include: 11th May – National Eat What you Want Day? – Ask your followers if they could only eat 3 foods during lock-down, what would they be? 11th May – Coeliac Awareness Week – Highlight the gluten free dishes on your menu, include recipes or cook-alongs that are gluten free. 11th May – National Vegetarian Week – Highlight vegetarian dishes on your menu, include recipes & cook-alongs that are vegetarian. 12th May – National Limerick Day – Ask your followers to have a bit of fun & make up a limerick about your venue.Remember above all else keep being heartfelt, honest, candid & yourselves. With lots of people pics & those that generate emotions.
We can do this peeps & come out fighting the other side!
Stay Safe. #keephospitalityalive and #keepsocialalive
