Food is Served!

Having handled a diverse range of F&B industry clients, and being well-initiated with the local culinary scene; our director, Craig J Selby (CJS) and senior executive, Christina How (CHYL) share with us their insights on marketing in the F&B industry. Enthusiastic foodies themselves, the duo are clear cut on the fact that what makes restaurants succeed is not solely the food, but the overall experience they can offer.

Food is now served! In the form of digestible nuggets of information that is.

1. When you talk about F&B marketing in general, what does it encompass?

CJS – All aspects of communicating to, and promoting your product / service / outlet to your customer. It may include Public Relations, social Media Management, tie-ups with preferred suppliers such as credit card brands. Events for other brands that utilise your outlet, coupons, special festive promotions or even happy hours. There’s a lot involved in F&B marketing, and a lot of opportunities out there for those businesses, big or small, in the F&B industry.

2. Considering Malaysia’s vast F&B landscape, what does it take for a new establishment to enter the market, and sustain itself? Do the same strategies apply to seasoned establishments wanting to beef up their marketing?

CHYL – As a new player in the market, you should have at least an excellent chef and a strong marketing strategy; if your marketing strategy propels your establishment but your chef is incapable of providing consistent delicious food to a full house, it doesn’t matter how strong your marketing plan is – the numbers will deteriorate. Vice versa, if you have a great chef but you don’t have a strategic marketing plan, your chef will have few to cook for. There is the possibility of word of mouth, but the next issue you will have to worry about is if you will have sufficient funds to last you until word gets out.

Seasoned establishments should maintain the aforementioned strategies, but they should also consider offering new menu items, or create the occasional buzz (activities and promotions) to continuously be at the top of their customers’ minds, and to attract new ones.

CJS – You also need tenacity and patience. It’s not an easy industry. There is a lot to contend with. Saboteurs are everywhere; be it your competitors, or just customers who didn’t like the experience at your outlet. There’s also immense competition. But, those who get it right survive well and survive long – so there is plenty of opportunity.

Christina is right, a great Chef helps. But, some F&B outlets don’t need Chefs per se, and some try to hire less-than-qualified individuals and pass off central kitchen items as prepared fresh in-house.

Personally, from my experience, what is needed first is a great concept. Back that up with great food, great service, and you have a potentially winning formula.

The same strategies apply to existing businesses. They must not become complacent. Just because today has been good, does not mean tomorrow will too. Standards can’t slip, and innovation must continue. Successful F&B outlets keep evolving with the times – they may stay true to their roots, but there is always a progressing, be it in menu items, décor and setting, or the customer service experience. Always stay on top of that.

3. In such a highly competitive industry, how do you make your client stand out from the others?

CHYL – It’s in the way you speak and write about them. The words that come out of your mouth shouldn’t just be an empty “oh, it’s nice”. Essentially, you should first be as interested in their establishments as they are, if not more. Then, support that interest, or as I prefer to call it – passion, with a better understanding of their culinary journey to what they offer on the menu and what goes into the food and / or beverages. I believe no two establishments are ever truly the same. They may offer similar items on their menu, but their stories are never identical. Combine your understanding with passion and it will translate into the way you communicate with the media about your client, and I believe that creates the difference.

CJS - Tell their authentic story, and let their offerings shine. Do your research – it’s hard to pitch stories / reviews when your immediate competitors have just received coverage. Engage with potential customers through story – it’s not just about the food; it’s the entire experience that they get when being at the outlet. This might be nostalgic for some, aspirational for others. Or it may hit home easiest with “value to the table”.

Each business is different, and it’s our job to look beyond simply facilitating reviews, to finding and promoting genuine stories that resonate brands with potential customers, and entice people to give it a go.

4. How relevant is the ‘Food Review’? What are some of the methods of hosting food reviews?

CHYL – I believe it is relevant to a certain degree because there are still audiences who rely on review pieces as part of their deciding factor on whether to visit a certain establishment or not. We’ve previously conducted group food interviews but we have found one on one food reviews to be more effective. It gives media a personalised experience, which also means they can comfortably direct any questions they may have.

CJS – In this age of digital everything, where a plate of rice ends up on instagram, we might be misled to think that the focus has moved from textual to visual. But, despite the plethora of self-appointed food critics out there uploading substandard photos of their dinner, the professionals still do it better; and the traditional food review still carries weight. In some countries, food reviewers are to be feared – for they can make or break your restaurant. But in Malaysia, it’s not that extreme. If they don’t like an outlet, the story stops there. No hard feelings!

As part of the overall public relations campaign, food reviews are still very valid. Many restaurants, in order to save money or time, will conduct group reviews. Ten or more journalists sitting at one table, sharing food. To me, this is a big no-no. I say this from both sides of the fence too. As a guardian of your brand, it’s important to create an individual experience for each media you engage with. There’s nothing special to them if you’re serving the same thing to their competitor, sitting right next to them. As a writer for both print and online food publications, there’s nothing more irritating than a group review, where you are lumbered with competing writers, struggling to get great quality photographs (as everyone else is snapping away too), and generally don’t get time to talk with the chef / proprietor in detail. To me, the personalised approach is more respectful, and ultimately, provides for a stronger opportunity.

Some publications will insist on blind reviews. That is, a reviewer will come for dinner, and upon being presented with the bill, pass the staff an authorised letter. This works well, but it too has its limitations. I always advise my clients that a review should be no different from the experience a regular client would get. Therefore, a blind review should result in the same culinary experience. It won’t however, result in an interview, or a deeper story. One has also got to be cautious as to which publications are doing the blind review, and to be certain that they are sending appropriately-trained staff. I’ve been burnt before by a well-known society publication that sent an inexperienced young writer to a fine dining establishment, only for them to order the lobster and some very expensive wine, and spend the night giggling with her boyfriend and taking selfies. Other customers complained. So too did I, once I found out. Controlling the situation is always important – it is controlling both the experience, but also controlling the information – making sure that the writer gets all the information about the dishes, their origins, ingredients, or any special association that is linked to them.

5. How do you get clients to break away from solely relying on food reviews as a tool?

CJS – Orchan has been doing F&B establishments from the outset, and our selection of case studies works to show clients the various opportunities. But just like a simple brand audit, we identify where the opportunities exist, where the stories are, and explain those in detail to our client. Our job is to maximise exposure, and by opening our clients eyes as to new ways to do this, buy-in is usually very positive.

Most newer F&B entrepreneurs are open to innovative approaches. They see the way F&B establishments get propelled and promoted, and as such, are smart enough to recognise that a strict food-review-only approach will limit their ultimate exposure success.

6. How effective are tie-up initiatives in this industry?

CJS – Tie ups has both positive and negative results. A tie-up with a credit card company for example may yield some increased sales, but it is not necessarily yielding loyal customers. Many shoppers, especially those with multiple credit cards, look towards the outlet to see where they can get maximum benefit. This is cost shopping, not long term customer building. As such, the outlet has just given a discount to a one-time only customer. Customer wins, credit card company wins; outlet does not. Yes, I’m cynical because I have seen how they don’t work. But I have also seen how they can work well, and for the benefit of the outlet. It’s all about strategically choosing your tie-up partner and then negotiating a great deal that works for the outlet.

Other tie-up opportunities exist – voucher booklets, online apps, booking systems, etc. Again, it may or may not benefit. One very well-known voucher booklet (and

subsequently app) engaged with a former client – in the space of one year there was only one redemption. Did the exposure result in new clients? We don’t really have a firm answer for that.

What I can say is it’s important to evaluate tie-up proposals carefully. If they seem to work, go for it. At the end of the day, you’re still probably getting enhanced exposure; it just is difficult to quantify success metrics from that exposure.

7. Social media plays a significant role in helping F&B brands to reach out to their customers, if executed properly. How should brands use social media in their F&B marketing mix?

CHYL – With most F&B establishments, there are bound to be new menu items or A&P initiatives as part of their marketing strategy. These are amongst the best content to feature on Social Media platforms, especially if you have attractive images or graphics to include, because it is going to quickly catch the attention of your existing and potential customers, on top of your day to day menu item feature. It also serves as a great direct communication tool on days when you have to close for an unforeseen reason.

CJS – We live in the instagram age. If it hasn’t been photographed, we shouldn’t eat it. Ten years ago, an empty restaurant would signal to a passer-by – “maybe not” and they would walk past – today this is digitally through social media – instagram photos, positive reviews on Facebook, Trip Advisor, and other channels.

Brands need to be proactive and frequent with their social media use. If there’s a negative review, contact the person, sort it out, invite them back, and get them to post an update. Engage with customers. Use social media for promotions. It all helps.

8. What power does social media have in giving brand saboteurs a stage to voice out their dissatisfaction to F&B outlets, and how can brands manage this effectively?

CJS – “Now everyone’s a food critic”; “powered by social media”. Sad, but true. Social media offers an excellent stage, and it can be difficult to manage. Many brands have a strategy for social media execution, but not for crisis. It’s important to develop a strategy for dealing with negative customers (if they are indeed customers in the first place). Always follow up with the customer. Always seek to redress. Always work to shift the conversation offline (i.e.; phone them to talk about it). There are many case studies in Malaysia where brand saboteurs hijacked the sensibilities of a brand, and caused a massive derailment. A bakery from a few years ago is still suffering today because of it.

Simply put, ensure you have a plan for when things go wrong – because there is always someone out there hoping to derail your brand.

9. What we’re seeing these days is a mushrooming of ‘hipster’ cafes and new concept restaurants in Malaysia. How has this changed the landscape of the industry, and how does it affect marketing?

CJS – We are moving away from larger “chain-controlled” concepts to smaller individually owned ones. On the positive side, this means greater variety of concept, more niche offerings, and more personal management of outlets (and less McDonaldisation of service delivery). But on the negative side, entrepreneurs who started their outlet as a hobby, or who have little or no experience, and who make too many mistakes. With social media, customers are unforgiving.

Malaysian consumers are getting increasingly sophisticated. The kopitiam approach of curt service and throwing dishes on the table is no longer acceptable, and consumers expect a lot more for the money they spend. They are more vocal about it too.

For marketing initiatives, it simply creates new opportunities to engage with existing and potential customers, and to tell new stories – to understand customers more, and to help them see what your brand contributes to their lifestyle.

10. Where do you see F&B marketing in the future?

CJS - There will always be a need for marketing. What will change is the platforms and channels through which we connect with customers, and the trends that customers / society as a whole seek. But at the end of the day, marketing is still a key component of any business and will have an important role to play.