Current Issue - July 2010
From the Editor ....
Putting Your Best FaceBOOK Forward
The significance of this month’s Cover Story and the validity of the question ‘Can Facebook save the pub trade?’ must not be underestimated.
Time and time again we hear queries from members of the trade, asking what must be done to engage with modern consumers? - is it even possible? - what process must be followed in order to unlock the secret of consumer appeal?
The answer is this, as important as great service, quality furnishing, delicious food, quality drink, live acts and top sporting occasions are to attracting consumers in 2010, social networking is just as vital. In fact, I would put it this strongly, we have moved past the days when social media was a curiosity, it is no longer even an option - it is a necessity.
Modern consumers are plugged into social media 24/7. They use Facebook and Twitter not just to plan future nights out and talk of events past, they are using these sites to rate nights they are currently experiencing - consumers are actually Tweeting and sharing their experience of your bar live, as it is happening.
And not only that, more consumers are learning to use social media daily. It is a trend embraced by all age groups, from teens to young adults and even older generations. The reason, when we boil it down, is simplicity itself - human nature. People like to compare experiences; they enjoy the process of reviewing and gain euphoria from sharing their perceptions. The success of social media sites comes from their ability to inspire consumers and make them believe, right or wrongly, that they are required to share their insights. In turn users get to see those options spread virally in a way that was never previously possible - and this trend is not going away.
Furthermore, the tools of social networking have gone mobile, that customer sitting in your premises with a mobile phone is now just as likely to be sharing what your food tastes like, how it was presented, whether your toilets are clean and what sort of service they’ve just experienced in your bar - mere moments ago.
As a publican you need to be aware of this, and of the fact that it is better to embrace technology and attempt to turn it to your advantage than ignore or fear it. I am reminded of a hotelier recently who, while attending a trade conference on how to cope with the developing media landscape of the hospitality industry, asked how he could ‘turn off’ Tripadvisor’s page about his establishment. The answer, of course, is you cannot and, to be honest, if you are operating a good business and are focused on your customers and offer quality service in an appealing environment, you should not need to.
Of course mistakes will happen, but as every successful operator knows, once you learn from them and communicate that learning to your customers, with due respect, you will have more good days than bad and that person sitting at your bar with a mobile phone won’t seem such a forbidding proposition. In fact, they may even be spreading the word that your premises is a ‘must-visit’ destination and that in turn could lead to business improvement and, dare I say it, an increase in footfall.
Nigel Tynan
Editor
Email Nigel Tynan - Editor
From the Editor ....
Putting Your Best FaceBOOK Forward
The significance of this month’s Cover Story and the validity of the question ‘Can Facebook save the pub trade?’ must not be underestimated.
Time and time again we hear queries from members of the trade, asking what must be done to engage with modern consumers? - is it even possible? - what process must be followed in order to unlock the secret of consumer appeal?
The answer is this, as important as great service, quality furnishing, delicious food, quality drink, live acts and top sporting occasions are to attracting consumers in 2010, social networking is just as vital. In fact, I would put it this strongly, we have moved past the days when social media was a curiosity, it is no longer even an option - it is a necessity.
Modern consumers are plugged into social media 24/7. They use Facebook and Twitter not just to plan future nights out and talk of events past, they are using these sites to rate nights they are currently experiencing - consumers are actually Tweeting and sharing their experience of your bar live, as it is happening.
And not only that, more consumers are learning to use social media daily. It is a trend embraced by all age groups, from teens to young adults and even older generations. The reason, when we boil it down, is simplicity itself - human nature. People like to compare experiences; they enjoy the process of reviewing and gain euphoria from sharing their perceptions. The success of social media sites comes from their ability to inspire consumers and make them believe, right or wrongly, that they are required to share their insights. In turn users get to see those options spread virally in a way that was never previously possible - and this trend is not going away.
Furthermore, the tools of social networking have gone mobile, that customer sitting in your premises with a mobile phone is now just as likely to be sharing what your food tastes like, how it was presented, whether your toilets are clean and what sort of service they’ve just experienced in your bar - mere moments ago.
As a publican you need to be aware of this, and of the fact that it is better to embrace technology and attempt to turn it to your advantage than ignore or fear it. I am reminded of a hotelier recently who, while attending a trade conference on how to cope with the developing media landscape of the hospitality industry, asked how he could ‘turn off’ Tripadvisor’s page about his establishment. The answer, of course, is you cannot and, to be honest, if you are operating a good business and are focused on your customers and offer quality service in an appealing environment, you should not need to.
Of course mistakes will happen, but as every successful operator knows, once you learn from them and communicate that learning to your customers, with due respect, you will have more good days than bad and that person sitting at your bar with a mobile phone won’t seem such a forbidding proposition. In fact, they may even be spreading the word that your premises is a ‘must-visit’ destination and that in turn could lead to business improvement and, dare I say it, an increase in footfall.
Nigel Tynan
Editor
Email Nigel Tynan - Editor