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Mobile has become an integral part of the food and beverage industry. For restaurant owners, this technology has introduced new levels of efficiency in front and backend operations. But according to a new survey by Oracle, only 48% of owners feel prepared to capitalize on future mobile innovations.

Another 62% also expressed doubt in their ability to keep up with the changes taking place in mobile technology. This is despite the fact they fully recognize the threat coming from competitors who have adopted mobile solutions. More than half (59%) said their company faces the threat of disruption from these competitors.

The data comes from two surveys carried by Oracle in the food and beverage and hospitality industries. The food and beverage survey is titled “Going Mobile: A Benchmark of Mobility Maturity in the Restaurant Industry.” And the hospitality survey is the “2019 Hospitality Benchmark Report Mobile Maturity Analysis.”

Both surveys looked into the challenges these industries face in adopting mobile technology and how they can benefit from them.

Simon de Montfort Walker, senior vice president and general manager for Oracle Food and Beverage, said mobile has completely changed the segment.

In the press release, he went on to say businesses who don’t adopt the technology will not be relevant. Adding, “In order to remain relevant to a rapidly evolving audience, restaurants must act quickly to modernize their mobile strategy and offerings. Today, the experience a customer has ordering online or from a kiosk can be just as essential as if they were ordering in the store.”

How Can Restaurants Benefit from Mobile Technology?

The study says there is a “clear and urgent need” for restaurants to adopt the right overall mobile technology. This includes front and back-end solutions with comprehensive systems.

Having these solutions is especially important for small businesses. Owners can drive higher ticket value, turn tables faster and generate more cross and upsell. The technology also improves the guest experience and help cut labor costs by introducing new levels of efficiency.

When it comes to cost, a good app can save a restaurant money on several different fronts. Owners said it saved time and money in hiring, monitoring stock to avoid waste, changing menu quickly, and more.

For 84% of the respondent, guest-facing apps have translated into lower labor costs. And 96% agreed a mobile inventory management app was responsible for saving them time and money.

The Guest Experience

With smartphones now in the hand of almost all adults, restaurant mobile apps are delivering a better dining experience. Customers are making reservations, ordering food, making payments, leaving reviews, and engaging with owners.

In the survey 86% of the owners said branded mobile apps increase the speed in which they deliver service. Faster service has translated into more customers being served, which in turn has increased revenue.

Ninety-three percent of owners also said the guest-facing apps promote loyalty, drive repeat business and improve the guest experience.

The Survey

Oracle carried out the survey with the participation of 279 leaders in the food and beverage industry during the summer of 2018. Seventy-one percent of the respondents are director level or higher and they use mobile technology in their organizations.

The restaurants were full-service, fast casual, and quick service establishments.

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “Only 48% of Restaurant Owners Feel Prepared to Capitalize on Future Mobile Innovations” was first published on Small Business Trends

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You may call me “Captain Obvious.” But I will point out one of the most important factors in growing a small business. Make sure you are saving as much as possible when purchasing goods and services for your company. Now you may think everyone should know this. But many entrepreneurs aren’t sure how to maximize their spend. And don’t know how to ensure they are buying the type of resources their companies require.

Creative Ways To Save Money

This article will give you some easy tips that will help you save money. When you follow these guidelines, you will have a better cash flow that you can use to invest in other areas of your business.

Use Comparison Sites

Choosing which products and services to purchase for your business can be tough. Depending on your industry, there are likely many different resources you might need to keep your business running efficiently, and each of these items come with different pricing, quality, and service levels. Determining which one is right for your business can be quite taxing at times.

One of the ways small business owners can streamline the process is to use comparison sites that do much of the work for you. They gather the data and the relevant facts of each product and packages them in a way that is easy to understand. In this way, entrepreneurs can take advantage of better pricing and quality without having to spend an inordinate amount of time to discover the right products.

Barter With Other Businesses

As a growing business, bartering is both a fantastic skill to utilize and a great way to save on cash. Other local small businesses are in the same position you are—trying to scrimp and save at every corner. Bartering services is a great way to assist both organizations.

For example, if you are a mechanic and you require plumbing repairs in your office, you could offer auto or appliance services in exchange for them. When you are in need of a service, always try to barter before offering to pay—you may not always succeed, but there’s no harm in trying!

Don’t Buy New Office Equipment

When you’re in need of office materials, there’s no shame in exploring your options. It makes sense to buy gently used equipment when you have the option and bandwidth to do so. New technology, printers, desks, and other daily-use supplies are perfect items to purchase used.

Look at your local newspaper or neighborhood Facebook pages for going out of business sales — these will often have all the furnishings you’ll need to stock your entire office on a budget. In many cases, the used equipment may be just as serviceable as if you had purchased it brand new.

Outsource As Much As Possible

Employees are essential to getting work done, but employee costs—from salaries to office space to insurance—can be the biggest chunk of a small business’s budget. Georgette Pascale, owner of PR Firm Pascale Communications, chooses to keep her full-time staff to a minimum and outsources work to independent contractors for the work that her staff cannot cover as needed.

Deborah Sweeney, CEO of My Corporation Business Services, Inc., uses the same method by hiring consultants as needed; Sweeney maintains that she can not only negotiate a lower rate with consultants, but that her business benefits from their more varied experience in their fields of expertise.

Money Saved Is Money Earned

Making sure that your business is being smart with the way it spends its money is essential to your success. The better you are at preventing unnecessary spend, the easier it will be to grow your business and earn more profit.

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “4 Creative Ways To Save Money for your Small Business” was first published on Small Business Trends

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The best employee perks are those that serve a strong purpose within the company, such as building camaraderie, providing better ways to take care of family or improving people’s lives. To find out some specifics, we asked entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following:

“Which employee perk has proved to be particularly effective at keeping morale high and improving retention?”

Employee Perk Ideas

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. Remote Work

“With the right parameters to avoid abuse, people are more refreshed and appreciate the trust given to be able to work effectively within the comforts of their choosing. Remember, this can be as simple as work time flexibility or limited to a few days a week that would benefit the employee most. Respect their personal time and they will respect company time more.” ~ Patrick Barnhill, Specialist ID

2. Health-Related Perks

“We offer a perk designed to offset the cost of any health or wellness-related expense. The flexibility here is purposeful. Some folks use their allocated budget to pay for a gym where they can get physical. Others use the perk for emotional wellness or expert nutritional services. Explicitly dedicating money to keeping your team happy and healthy goes a long way to prove you care.” ~ Ryan Wilson, FiveFifty

3. Flexible Hours

“Fixed work hours can feel like a corporate prison. When running an agency full of marketers, developers and creatives, you shouldn’t have a strict nine-to-five policy. If your team is responsible, meets deadlines and gets work done, there is no need to stress about what time they arrived, how long they eat lunch, or how early they may leave. Being present isn’t as important as being productive.” ~ Duran Inci, Optimum7

4. Ongoing Personal Development and Education

“As a learning management system company, we all value education and self-directed learning. So, when we rolled out an education budget for each employee along with the time to pursue learning during work hours, it really opened up the possibilities for everyone on the team. The biggest benefit is that it’s something people want anyway; now it’s not an additional cost or time drain for them to do.” ~ Nathalie Lussier, AccessAlly

5. Multiple Bonuses

“We have a lot of bonus policies in our company that reward good performance, good relationship with customers and permanence within the company. This is a win-win relationship both for the company as well as for the employees.” ~ Alfredo Atanacio, Uassist.ME

6. Help With Student Loans

“So many talented individuals are carrying huge student loans. If you can provide a way to contribute toward payments, it can be a real source of relief for the talent, plus they may be more likely to stay.” ~ John Hall, Calendar.com

7. Unlimited Time Off

“At our company, we give our employees unlimited time off. So, whenever an employee needs a day off to take care of something, or just needs a day to rest, they know they can take that day off work without a problem. This relieves a lot of stress that limited time off brings and really boosts morale.” ~ Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights

8. Yearly Retreats

“Having a company retreat is a huge thing. This is something that many of the senior employees really learn to appreciate and the junior employees get to aspire to. You’ll find that it’s a fun and good time for the entire office.” ~ Nicole Munoz, Nicole Munoz Consulting

9. Company Outings

“One of my favorite employee perks that work well for my company is hosting fun and creative company outings. In the past, we’ve done team-building activities like paintball and escape rooms. We also have company dinners and happy hours as a reward for good team performance. Letting the team bond outside of work where people can let loose often creates more camaraderie than when in the office.” ~ Jared Weitz, United Capital Source

10. Free Company Swag

“Free company swag is a great little perk that really boosts morale. Not only does it build morale, but it also helps all of the employees form a better connection with each other and the company; it makes it feel more like a team. Recently at our company, everyone was sent a branded T-shirt and sticker in the mail. Not matter who you are, everyone loves getting a free gift.” ~ Blair Williams, MemberPress

11. Pizza Wednesdays

“Having one day a week which is dedicated to a team lunch has proved to be effective at keeping morale high and improving retention. Even if it’s only 60 minutes, this creates a positive workplace environment, and feeling part of a team keeps retention high. This time also allows employees to create friendly relationships while enjoying their lunch.” ~ Michael Hsu, DeepSky

12. Holistic Wellness Programs

“Our team appreciates the perks of our holistic wellness program, which include a weekly yoga class, gym reimbursement and access to company bicycles, as well as our well-loved zen room and game room. Our wellness program also includes Days of Purpose, providing every team member the opportunity to volunteer for a charity of their choice, up to one day per month.” ~ Michael Kurland, Branded Group

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “These 12 Employee Perks Can Keep Morale High and Improve Retention” was first published on Small Business Trends

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SEO and content marketing are always changing. So you need to make constant adjustments in order to be successful long term. In SEO and in other areas of business, some of these small changes can help you make a big impact. Here’s more from members of the online small business community.

Bookmark These Free Stock Photography Sites

Visuals can help your business get people’s attention and make your content more effective. If you don’t have the time or ability to take quality photos on your own, you might consider stock photography. The sites in this Crowdspring post by Katie Lundin may be able to help.

Do Your Research Before Hiring an SEO Company

Hiring an SEO company can help your business gain visibility online. But many businesses have had negative SEO experiences because they didn’t take the necessary steps before making this move. Gary Shouldis explains in this blog post and video from 3Bug Media.

Appear in Local Search Listings on Google Assistant and Google Home

Tons of consumers are using Google Assistant and Google Home to find relevant service providers and other businesses. So if your company isn’t included, you could really be missing out. In this Search Engine Land post, Greg Sterling details how Google selects these businesses and how to get yours included.

Optimize Your Blog Content for Google Rankings

Your company’s blog can also be a major help when it comes to SEO. To really make the most of it, you need to optimize that content for Google Rankings. Jasmine Demeester shares tips for doing so in this Pixel Productions post. And BizSugar members shared thoughts on the post here.

Refresh Your Marketing Content

Constantly creating fresh content can benefit your business — but it can also be time consuming. Save time by refreshing old content in a new way for your audience. Anne Leuman examines how B2B brands can do this in this TopRank Marketing post.

Reengineer Your Company’s Processes

It’s important to create processes for your business and stick with them. But if you notice less-than-stellar results over a long period of time, you may need to reexamine those processes. Ben Mulholland offers some reengineering tips in this Process Street post.

Decide Whether to Have a Boss or Be the Boss

Business ownership isn’t right for everyone. Your success in business may depend on whether or not you’re actually well suited for the job. Learn more in this post by Joel Libava on The Franchise King blog.

Invest in Website Testing

Your website can make a major impact on the success of your business. So if it’s not functioning correctly or not giving customers a positive experience, you could really be missing out. Ivan Widjaya explains why user testing can help you solve these issues in this Noobpreneur post.

Win Your SEO Battles

Mastering SEO requires a constant battle. You need to regularly make changes and adjustments to improve your rankings and bring in new traffic, as Enstine Muki discusses in this Inspire to Thrive post. You can also see comments from the BizSugar community here.

Don’t Try to Rank #1 on Google

Improving your search rankings is a worthwhile goal for any business. But a lot of businesses seem to get sidetracked and focus on the wrong things. Neil Patel goes into detail and offers some helpful insights for businesses in this post.

If you’d like to suggest your favorite small business content to be considered for an upcoming community roundup, please send your news tips to: sbtips@gmail.com.

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “10 Adjustments You Can Make to Improve Your Chances of Business Success” was first published on Small Business Trends

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We’ve all seen those advertisements or images on Facebook that seem to reach thousands, if not millions, of people and result in hundreds of comments, likes, and shares. Your friend shares the post, then you do, and then your friends do. Those posts that spread like wildfire across social media networks are part of viral promotion, a form of content marketing that can be extremely successful for brands of all sizes. How did viral marketing come about? How exactly does it work? And what are some of its common aspects?

What Does It Mean to “Go Viral”?

Consider this: There are 2.5 billion people worldwide using social media opens in new window, according to Statista, and an article in Forbes by Robert Wynne reports about 5 billion pieces of content are posted to Facebook and more than 500,000 tweets are sent on a daily basis.

Even though the chances of a tweet going viral are about one in a million, another Forbes article by Jason DeMers says that sharable content is key to successful content marketing opens in new window. Of course, it depends on how and when the content is shared in order to increase its chances of becoming viral. Sometimes, a post can gain traction significantly, but only for a few days before losing momentum. The content needs to be something that the audience would want to share with their friends.

According to Entrepreneur opens in new window, you should “think of virality as an exponential curve. If two people directly related to the brand share a piece of content, and if that number doubles 30 times, it means that over a billion people will have shared the content.”

The more shares a promotion gets, the greater the opportunity that it “snowballs into something huge opens in new window.” A company needs to share its content in as many ways and in as many places as possible. If the company makes it easy for its audience to share content — through tagging, embedding, or downloading — then the chance of it going viral increases opens in new window, according to Hubspot

However, content that appears to have gone viral may not produce the brand’s desired results. Much of the time, consumers barely read the content after clicking on it. In fact, 55 percent of readers actively spend less than 15 seconds on a page, according to Forbes.

Where Did Viral Marketing Originate?

Viral marketing’s roots date back to 1996 opens in new window, when a small startup company called Hotline needed a budget-friendly way to promote its new email service, Hotmail. Hotline’s team decided to insert the line “Get your own free Hotmail at www.hotmail.com” in all emails. The result? The number of Hotmail users grew from 20,000 to 1 million within a year. By 2001, Hotmail had 30 percent of the email market with 86 million active users. This is an example of one of the most important aspects of viral marketing: every customer involuntarily promotes a service just by using it.

However, it’s unclear where the exact phrase originated. In 1996, Jeffrey Rayport, a Harvard Business School professor, authored an article for Fast Company titled “The Virus of Marketing,” in which the term “viral marketing” appeared. However, venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson claims that it coined the term in a 1997 Netscape newsletter, using inspiration from Hotmail’s marketing strategy. In 2000, Fast Company published “Unleash Your Ideavirus,” an article focusing on the idea economy and how the “ideas that spread the fastest win.”

Regardless of its exact origin, there is no doubt that viral marketing could not survive without social networking today. During the 2000s, the major social networks launched. Facebook came to existence in 2000, and YouTube and Twitter launched in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

What Makes Viral Promotion Ideal?

As viral promotion is one of the most effective marketing tactics today, it offers many benefits for both small businesses and large corporations. One of the major advantages is that viral marketing doesn’t require a large budget. In fact, Hubspot reported that some of the most successful viral content was created with a very low budget, especially given the ability to shoot high-quality photos and videos with a smartphone.

Another considerable benefit is that when a viral marketing campaign is successful, a brand’s product or service is put in front of a new, larger audience. As the content reaches thousands of people, not only does the brand have the potential to make more money, but it can also gain a large amount of new followers, referral traffic, and even permanent links to help with its website’s search engine rankings.

A genuine viral promotion can also create loyal customer relationships. Through all the shares, likes, and tags on various social media networks, viral marketing campaigns are not considered as invasive. It’s the consumers and fans who decide to share the content, and the perception of the brand ends up being better than it would via other marketing tactics opens in new window.

On the other hand, sometimes content going viral doesn’t lead to more loyal followers. The most important thing for a business’ success is loyalty, not how viral content becomes. A brand must work to build authentic connections with its audience, as loyal customers are the ones who want to stay updated on the brand’s latest news.

Successful Viral Marketing Examples

In November 2017, filmmaker Max Lanman created a commercial to advertise his girlfriend’s 1996 Honda Accord. The ad, which showed Lanman’s girlfriend drinking coffee and holding her cat in the car while driving, included some witty fine print such as “Cat and coffee pot not included” and “0% APR for qualified buyers with eBay accounts in good standing.” The video promptly went viral and has since achieved more than 6.8 million views on YouTube. While the video advertised the car for a sale price of $499 opens in new window, the car’s eBay auction quickly went up to $150,000 before being pulled off the site. Later, CarMax created a response video, offering the couple $20,000 for the Honda, which the couple accepted. CarMax’s own video topped 400,000 views, performing better than any of its other videos.

Another example of viral marketing is BlendTec’s “Will It Blend” campaign. In 2006, the blender company had very low brand awareness, and it created a series of videos showing the company’s CEO placing random objects into one if its blenders opens in new window. Items such as an iPhone, a rake handle, a video game, and credit cards were destroyed in the blender. Within five days of being posted on YouTube, the videos had more than 6 million views, and BlendTec went from being an unknown brand to world renowned. Additionally, their sales increased by eight times after the campaign launched.

What Many Viral Marketing Campaigns Have in Common

While there’s no guaranteed formula to make a marketing campaign go viral, there are some traits that the most successful campaigns have in common. They’re relatable to their target audience, making them feel strongly enough about the content to share it. The content may evoke emotion, be entertaining or inspirational, provide an element of surprise, or contain information that is deemed helpful. Hubspot also suggests viral marketing campaigns also have good visual strategies that tell a story and are innovative.

Content that is easy for the audience to digest also increases the chances of it becoming viral. Even though they tend to earn fewer links, the article in Forbes by Jayson DeMers opens in new windowmentioned earlier states, “Videos, quizzes, and list-based articles tend to get more shares than other types of content, possibly because they’re relatively quick and easy to digest.” Meanwhile, as 85 percent of content has 1,000 words or less, the remaining 15 percent, which contains more than 1,000 words, seems to earn more shares and links.

Interested in Digital Marketing Trends?

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Rivier University’s online MBA with a concentration in marketing will give you the marketing skills required to help brands flourish. The affordable two-year program focuses on digital marketing and analytics, sales management, strategic brand management, and other cutting-edge marketing techniques. As you specialize your education in this dynamic field, you will have the flexibility to study at your own pace at a place of your choosing.

Republished by permission. Original here.

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This article, “History of Viral Marketing” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Marie Kondo’s name is on everyone’s lips these days. Thanks to her book The Lifechanging Art of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing and popular show on Netflix, Goodwill centers all over the country are overflowing with donations as housecleaning becomes a national phenomenon. But although my pantry now looks spectacular, Kondo’s wisdom isn’t just for spring cleaning the home; there’s much we can take from her Konmari method of tidying up to help us run businesses of all sizes better.

Start with gratitude

Before she starts tidying, Kondo begins by thanking every new house for providing a home and shelter to its inhabitants. This is a moment of silence in which she “communes” with a house. This action sets a tone that establishes the value of even the messiest house and resets the relationship its inhabitants have with it. For small businesses, it’s also important to take time to reset. Frustration with coworkers? Take time to think of some reasons you’re thankful they’re on your team. Gratitude is an easy way to bring things back into perspective. While some work relationships require a full-scale reboot, others are fixable if you look deep enough for new ideas and inspiration.

Focus on what’s “important”

The premise of the Konmari method is that we should keep only that possessions that “spark joy.” For your business, it’s important to have the same level of focus; but instead of keeping the things that spark joy, you keep the things (or activities) that drive business results. At small businesses, where every minute counts and every project can be a make-or-break deal, focus is especially important. Kondo followers understand that it’s important to not allow yourself to be pulled in a million directions or to fill your calendar with clutter. Retain focus on what’s important — what sparks “business joy” — and you will be primed to reach your goals.

Simplify and streamline

Kondo believes the best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t. This advice works great in your closet, but its metaphorical lesson is a great one to apply at work too. Are there items in your office you’re holding onto for no reason? Employees who aren’t bought into the vision? Systems that overlap? Streamline your business to help it run more efficiently, identify areas that need improvement, and set up your business for growth.

Thoughtfully organize

One of the things Marie Kondo is best known for is the way she folds and organizes t-shirts. This level of organizational rigor works well for businesses too. It’s easy for a company — especially a small one where everyone wears lots of hats — to get overwhelmed by “stuff,” whether it’s physical files, sales leads, or customer data. Simple things like file structures and common naming conventions make a huge difference. You’ll also want to use a  CRM like Salesforce Essentials to manage your customer information and connect all your systems on one platform.

Do what’s right for you

One piece of advice for which Kondo has received negative feedback was her suggestion that you should get rid of books that you aren’t going to read or reread. For most book lovers that’s blasphemy! Many of us love a cozy room full of books, and the feeling of being transported back in time when we can pull our copy of The Great Gatsby off of the shelf and see notes from high school in the margins. However, when Kondo was pushed by journalists for a comment, she suggested that everyone should just “do what’s right for you.” And that’s always great advice. While leaders are right to examine their business from all angles, there’s no need to fix something that’s not broken. Do what’s right for the business.

Marie Kondo has inspired me in so many ways. Not only is my pantry neat and organized, but her wisdom sparks joy for me at the office too. I hope these Konmari lessons will also inspire businesses of all sizes to find ways to learn from her.

Republished by permission. Original here.

Photo via Salesforce

This article, “5 Things Businesses of All Sizes Can Learn from Marie Kondo” was first published on Small Business Trends

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More businesses are adopting customer loyalty programs because it is much easier to deploy. But a new report has revealed Americans are more cautious when it comes to joining a loyalty program.

A survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Wilbur says 76% of Americans are more likely to join a program which collects only their name and phone number. An almost equal number (71%) said they would be less likely to join a rewards program which collects personal information. This includes address, account information, and other sensitive data.

These two data points highlight the growing concern Americans have about their personal information. As increasing number of organizations report data security breaches, consumers are leerier about who they hand out their information to.

In the press release for the report, President and CEO of Wilbur and Smart Transaction Systems, Ray Clopton, addressed the issue of privacy.

Clopton said, “These survey results prove that U.S. consumers are becoming much more selective about the loyalty programs they join and, I believe, are ultimately more loyal to brands that respect their personal privacy.

Adding, “It is really important for businesses to pay attention to what their customers want—especially when developing a loyalty program.”

For small business owners looking to develop a loyalty program, paying attention and knowing their customers is especially important. Clopton went on to say business should get to know their customers—but as people. And not as, “A slice of a database or a spreadsheet column.”

Loyalty Programs

The best example of loyalty programs comes from grocery stores. And in the past, they only required a name and phone number for customers to take advantage of promotional items. But with the evolution of digital technology, eCommerce, and social media, they now want more information. This goes for other industries who are using loyalty programs.

Everyone from gas stations to fast food restaurants, movie theaters, and others now have their own programs. And more of them are asking for an increased amount of personal information to deliver the personalized experiences consumers want.

The personalized experiences consumers want comes at the cost of providing the personal information the value so much. Delivering a personalized experience requires a considerable amount of personal data. Finding balance consumers and businesses can live with is the key.

Customer Loyalty Programs and Privacy

Collecting personal information is at the crux of the problem. In this survey, fewer personal data translates to more receptive consumers.

If a program only asks a name and phone number 76% are more likely to join a program. But there is still a group which doesn’t want to give even this information. Sixteen percent said they are somewhat less likely to join, while another 8% said they are much less likely.

When asked about providing address and account information, 71% said they are much/somewhat less likely to join a program. A larger number at 27% said they are much less likely to join, and 22% said they were somewhat more likely to join.

In addition to collecting data, the survey also asked about downloading an app to get the loyalty program benefits.

More than half or 58%  are less likely to join if they have to download an app. Considering how much data some apps require, it is the same problem as asking for more information. More than a quarter or 26% are much less likely to join.

The Harris Poll conducted the survey in the U.S. on behalf of Wilbur online from April 4-8, 2019. It was carried out with the participation of 2,003 adults ages 18 and older.

Wilbur is a loyalty program operator based in Boulder, Colorado.

Creating a Loyalty Program Today

The good news is there are many tools for creating a loyalty program in the marketplace.  This requires crafting a loyalty program with a clear strategy and understanding of data protection.

A program with best practices, strong governance, and transparency can go a long way into easing the anxiety consumers feel today.

If your customers are willing to share their information, you have to make them feel at ease by saying and doing everything you can to protect it.

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “76% of Customers Choose Loyalty Programs that Collect ONLY Name and Phone Number” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Have you heard of the Freakshake trend? Freakshakes refer to huge milkshakes loaded with ice-cream, cream and flavored sauces. But they also include unlikely ingredients. Think donuts, cake, biscuits, brownies and other sweet delights. Freakshakes have become huge in the food service industry.

Small restaurateurs should consider capitalizing on the freakshake trend. Put this deliciously popular type of milkshake or dessert on your menu?

What is a Freakshake?

Want to create a Freakshake for your small restaurant? Fill a large glass jug with a luxury milkshake. Make this with ice cream and chocolate, strawberry or another flavored sauce. Then pile up goodies that look as delicious, striking and ‘sinful’ as possible.

These goodies include cake, donuts, waffles, marshmallows, fruit, chocolate and more. Then throw a handful of sweets on top for good measure.

Want to know how far the freakshake phenomenon has gone. Well, some restaurants even offer savory freakshakes. And they include ingredients like cheese and pulled pork replacing donuts and waffles.

Where Did Freakshakes Originate?

This high calorific dessert supposedly originated in Australia in 2015. A café in Canberra seems the likely creator of the drink.

The savvy café owners in Canberra designed the freakshake for a very specific purpose. They were created to be “so ridiculous and over-the-top that people just had to take a photo of it before they ate it.”

Thanks to the sharing power of social media, these oversized, ultra-sweet milkshakes quickly became a global sensation, with cafes, restaurants and customers delighting in sharing their freakshakes to followers, and the more flamboyant, striking and gastronomically sinful, the better.

Freakshakes and Instagram

These brightly-colored edible creations are made to be photographed and shared around the world on social media, with the photo-sharing portal Instagram being a favorite channel for restaurants and freakshake-happy customers to share their freakshake images.

View this post on Instagram

Fridays are for #freakshakes Cheers to the weekend @ree7amsterdam ? #amsterdamfancyfood

A post shared by Amsterdam Fancy Food (@amsterdamfancyfood) on Apr 5, 2019 at 5:32am PDT

A mere search of #freakshake on Instagram brings up more than 50,000 posts, each trying to outdo each other on the flamboyant stakes.

View this post on Instagram

SMORELICIOUS vs COOKIE MONSTER ???? if you HAD to choose, which one would you go for?! ?

A post shared by Snowopolis (@snowopolisco) on Apr 16, 2019 at 10:30am PDT

Rather than being pictured toasting with a glass of bubbly or a pint of beer, social media users are posting pictures of themselves raising their freakshake glasses, accompanied with their location in the world and often the name of the establishment that has served them the delicious freakshake.

The Opportunities of Freakshake Marketing

It’s not uncommon for the biggest, boldest and most daring of freakshake posts to go viral. The trend to share images of outstanding freakshakes on social media presents a wealth of marketing opportunities for restauranteurs, cafes and ice-cream shops.

Serving over-the-top freakshakes to your customers will encourage them to share the mouth-watering milkshake/dessert that lies before them on social media, meaning your creation is shared around the world and could event go viral.

Boost Your Restaurant’s SEO

Research shows that around 126,000 Googles searches are made for ‘freakshake’, meaning if your website, online menu, social media profiles and other digital entities includes the word ‘freakshake’, your rankings on search engines like Google could significantly improve, helping you pull in more customers as a result of your freakshake marketing.

As well as being a powerful marketing force for ice-cream businesses, cafes, restaurants and bars around the world, the great thing about freakshakes is they’re not difficult, too timely or expensive to make.

All you need is plenty of ice-cream, cream, sweet sauce, sticky sweet treats, sugar, sweets and whatever other deliciously sinful treats tickle your fancy, thrown in with some creativity and daringness and you’ll have a masterful culinary creation your customers will love you for.

Given the popularity, trendiness and potent promotional potential of freakshakes, ask yourself – is a freakshake something your business can afford to ignore?

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “What is a Freakshake and How Can It Be Used to Market Your Small Restaurant?” was first published on Small Business Trends

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