Restaurant Email Marketing or Restaurant Social Media?

Last week I've posted a blog in FohBoh titled Restaurant Email Marketing and to be honest, I was surprised about how many heated comments it got.

You can read it here:

http://www.fohboh.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1411008:BlogPost:338824&page=1

Obviously restaurant Email marketing obviously strikes a chord equally with marketing experts and restaurateurs. One of the comments was very interesting. Brett mentioned that "True interaction and exchanges of information happen on social networks."

His point is that email is intrusive while in social network media people chose to follow other people (or a business) and therefore the information is shared voluntarily.

This is not totally right since people can also unsubscribe easily from email lists if the content is not to their liking.

The difference between email marketing and social media marketing is that email marketing is a push marketing (people receive your communication) while social media is a pull marketing (people need to connect and check what's going on).

So which one is best? The answer is both:

Email marketing is really appropriated to send a message to your customers that you want to make sure they receive (like an important event or announcement).

Social media marketing, on the other hand, is better for posting general news, photos of your restaurant, staff or dishes, etc. and in general for keeping your restaurant fresh in your customers' memory.

Use both with moderation and always post interesting information and you will accomplish to keep your customers happy and informed.

Happy meals,

Jose L Riesco

www.myrestaurantmarketing.com

PD: I've updated my website with a ton of free marketing information, resources and ideas. Check it out!