By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief
A recent Nation’s Restaurant News article recognizes restaurants across the country are ramping up their social media strategies. This, of course, is nothing new to the National Restaurant Association or industry.
As people increasingly use online communities to stay connected with friends, family and their favorite businesses (including restaurants!), savvy restaurant operators will take their promotions to where their customers already spend their time. Using word of mouth marketing and social media strategies can be a highly effective and the cost-saving icing on the cake.
The impressive lineup of word of mouth marketing- and social media-focused education sessions at NRA Show 2010 will help restaurateurs take their social media game to the next level (or learn how to play the game, for newbies):
Yelp and Your Restaurant: Harnessing Online Word of Mouth to Drive Customers Through Your Door: Sunday, May 23, 12:00 p.m.: Drive customers through your door by harnessing the power of online word of mouth. Luther Lowe of Yelp will serve up real world examples and explore the benefits, potential pitfalls, and overall best practices for restaurateurs hoping to utilize user-generated content sites such as Yelp.
Special Dealer & Distributor Session: Managing Social Media to Meet Your Business Needs: Sunday, May 23, 2:00 p.m.: Explore the ways foodservice professionals use this emerging tool from marketing to recruitment and much more to meet business needs. Learn about the significant upside for foodservice equipment dealers and consultants. Presented by Joseph Carbonara, editor in chief, Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Magazine and Restaurant Equipment World president and Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association board member Brad Pierce.
10 Lessons Learned from Igniting Word of Mouth Movements: Monday, May 24, 10 a.m.: Learn how word of mouth marketing works and get tips to identify movement-building opportunities for your brand, with authenticity and clear ROI. Word of mouth expert Geno Church of Brains on Fire and Fiskars'“Fiskateer” ambassador and movement builder Angela Daniels will highlight successful word of mouth marketing case studies and arm you with strategies you need to begin a movement within your own organization.
Making a Big Production: Monday, May 24, 12:00 p.m.: Learn how to leverage your product or brand through personal relationships, traditional media, social networking and celebrity with moderator Billy Dec, founder/CEO Rockit Ranch Productions(Rockit Bar & Grill, Rockit Wrigley, The Underground, Sunda) with panelists Steve Dolinsky, ABC's WLS-TV food reporter, Alpana Singh, Master Sommelier and Host of PBS's Check, Please! and Richard Roeper.
Driving Foot Traffic with the Latest Social Media Tools: Monday, May 24, 2:00 p.m.: Heard the buzz around Groupon? Interested in taking advantage of the latest promotional social media tools to help drive business? Join moderator Rob Birgfeld of SmartBrief on Social Media and panelist Andrew Mason, CEO and founder of Groupon to learn what restaurants are doing (and should be doing) to take advantage of the fastest growing 2.0 tools.
NRA Show 2010’s more than 70 free education sessions are organized in tracks by the National Restaurant Association’s industry imperatives: Jobs and Careers; Food and Healthy Living; Sustainability and Social Responsibility, and Profitability and Entrepreneurship. In addition, the technology-related sessions will focus on the latest tech information. Visit the NRA Show 2010 Web site for a full schedule of sessions.
If you haven't already registered for NRA Show 2010 or International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (an IWSB badge gets you access into both shows), floor it! Early-bird registration savings up to 50% ends April 16.
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