Pizza Today - February 2021 - 12

M I K E 'S M O N T H LY T I P

MIKE BAUSCH

mented about going to my restaurant.
The self-proclaimed influencer acts like a
QVC salesperson who wants to eat for free.
They want to be the star of the show, not
your restaurant, so the focus never leaves
them. A legit influencer is a personality in
your area that interacts with people who
comment. They post to have fun, not to build
a lifestyle brand off it like a wannabe Kardashian. The influencer model is viable when
you choose your influencer and not influencers hitting you up for a handout.
Influencer marketing can be significantly
cheaper than traditional marketing, pending
you do it right. Find people who don't bill
themselves as influencers but who are speaking to your audience. And just be cool to
them, offer a free meal, offer whatever. They'll
know what to do. You don't need to create a
nice party, took care of the bill, and noth- contract of what you will give for how many
ing happened as a result. I was out that
mentions; let them do their thing. Because if
food cost with a lesson learned - a few
they're excited about your restaurant, they'll
photos and videos on her feed with a few
be happy to do it. And they'll put more into
likes. The lesson I learned that day is a
their post, and more people will see it.
self-proclaimed influencer is less likely to
I started looking at social media feeds. I
be the influencer I want.
found that many local newscasters, weather
I'm not saying the influencer model
people, radio personalities have a massive folcan't work; it totally can. Here's how it can lowing. I found others who do great on social
work: I saw a 45-second clip online of a
media with no affiliation to anything in the
different girl. She had posted this video
public eye. These people dig talking about
titled " My favorite date night spots in
what they like in the food world, and have a
Tulsa. " She showed some great locations
lot of interaction with the community. When
and restaurants, which included my food
they post, it comes off as natural, and it
hall location.
resonates. ENGAGE THESE PEOPLE is
She had over a thousand comments
the lesson I learned. Engage them with open
from people agreeing with her or suggest- arms and a clear mind to let them do their
ing other locations that should be added.
thing. For $10 in food cost, you could be
I messaged her and offered her and her
reaching hundreds with what appears to be
husband dinner at my restaurant on me.
unsolicited advertising that shows interesting
No strings attached. I didn't have to ask
people checking your place out.
her to make a video, I just let her do her
Now when I get hit up for a " Collab, " I
thing. She made another video of her and typically pass. Their overt sales photos with
her husband at Andolini's. The video got
little to no comments don't move the needle.
over 600 comments. Her audience engaged It's not genuine and people can smell it as
in thoughtful, natural, unsolicited comfake. Instead, choose your influencers, let
ments. People were saying they need to try them have fun with your restaurant, and gain
Andolini's, and others said how much they low investment top of mind awareness with
love Andolini's. Out-of-state people com- new and repeat customers.

Don't Just Partner With Anyone

self-proclaimed social media influencer contacted my pizzeria via
direct message to " Collab " for her
baby shower. I said, " Sure. We can do the
appetizers for free. " I was quite surprised
when I received the curt response of, " I
was under the impression you wanted to
do a collab. "
Let me pause for a moment and say I
had no idea that the short-form version of
collaboration takes on a whole new meaning. A modern meaning where I, as the
restaurant owner, are to entirely give my
restaurant to the whims of the influencer,
with no proof of ROI. I had noooooo idea
a " Collab " is the type of thing that means a
20-person party eats at your restaurant for
free, with no room fee, free booze and all.
All this for a photo of themselves eating
for free at your establishment, but I digress.
The pretense of this " Collab " arrangement is pretentious and ostentatious, and
that's why it turns so many people off.
This " influencer " had about 3,500 followers. Her followers were mostly female
that lived locally. I thought, " let's see what
comes of it " ... purely out of curiosity to
see if my gut was wrong.
My gut wasn't wrong. I threw them a

MIKE BAUSCH is the owner of Andolini's Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @andopizza
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Pizza Today - February 2021

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