Social Media Posts: How NOT to Do It

I miss it so much. Having a nice coffee on a terrace during the day or going out for a casual dinner in the evening. Sometimes having a snack while I’m working remotely somewhere, and of course, enjoying a delicious lunch that you’d never prepare at home.

It’s enough to make you grumpy. Especially the uncertainty: when will things get better? Of course, my suffering pales in comparison to the enormous amount of misery that you as a hospitality entrepreneur have to deal with, but well, we all have something to complain about, so let me have my moment.

Fortunately, you can still see some of what you used to encounter „before”😉 in „real life” online. Photos of take-away assortments and menus of products that you can pick up or have delivered. By phone or email. Sometimes with an online tool.

But as you know, I have something to say about that. Because I too often see things that really shouldn’t happen. Let’s present ourselves more professionally in the hospitality industry, so we don’t compare unfavorably to retail/webshops (you know, those sectors where your revenue has moved to…). Hence my cry for help. With 5 things you REALLY SHOULDN’T do. Here they are:

1. Spelling and style errors

Yeahhh, this one’s a bit obvious of course, but I’ll mention it anyway. A spelling mistake can happen, but pay more attention to it, so you at least filter out „the big ones”. Especially those people who are sensitive to it experience this as a small negative trigger in their head, and that’s a shame because it has nothing to do with the quality of what you have to offer.

2. Coming with a vague story

With some posts, I have to read three times before I understand what someone is actually trying to say. So keep your text short and powerful. No complicated sentences and lots of rambling, because then your (potential) customer drops out before you’re properly in view. You can mention steps or use bullet points if needed. Just be nice and clear.

3. Sharing information that’s too private.

What’s okay: a photo or video of you painting your establishment’s window frames or test cooking for the new menu. Please do! Because this ensures that people continue to feel connected to you.

What’s not okay? A photo or video of you enthusiastically dusting off your model train collection (finallyyy time for that forgotten hobby). You can go too far. Make sure everything you share is always connected to your business in some way.

4. Taking a (political) stance

This is really a no-go, but unfortunately I see it too often: hospitality entrepreneurs who are absolutely convinced that face masks are nonsense, that the curfew is a low blow for the hospitality industry, that the government is a bunch of incompetents, or that the vaccine is no good.

You can think all of that. But don’t share it on your business page. Don’t. Do. It. Because you’re guaranteed to drive away some of your (potential) customers with this. Now that everyone is being forced to be for or against something, there’s a big chance you’ll unknowingly turn many people against you. And no, they usually won’t even say that, they’ll just disappear quietly. What a waste.

Oh yes, and while I’m at it: loudly proclaiming from the rooftops that „you” are really for Standard Liège (or Club Brugge, or whatever football club)….don’t do it.. Your establishment isn’t a football supporter, you might be personally, and that’s okay of course, but don’t link this identity to your business, because in your establishment (soon) everyone is welcome, right?

5. Sharing photos that make you lose your appetite

Yes, I’ve mentioned this before, I even have a whole online course about it, but I’ll keep saying it: don’t take photos of dishes that look like you’ve run over them with your car, unless you have „roadkill sandwich” on the menu. In all other cases: be critical about your photos: do they really make you hungry? If not, then work on improving that (see HERE also tips I’ve shared before, about how you can do that), because that way you’ll make your posts much more attractive and ensure that your potential customers’ mouths water at your offerings.

Finally; sharing posts without an image: don’t do that either. Don’t deny yourself the chance to show exactly what you have to offer. People are always triggered by an image first, then by text. But I’ll tell more about that next time 😉

Invitation

Want to know more about how you can improve your results with the help of the right (online) marketing? I challenge you to participate in my free online training. In it, I’ll show you how you can move towards more control and focus on results in 5 steps, both now and when you’re open again. See you soon!

Groetjes Suus

„Hey! I’m Suus and I guide hospitality entrepreneurs – even now during the lockdown – to create more revenue by focusing on better (online) visibility and improving the order offerings.„

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