The following is an excerpt from an article written by Laura Michaels, Managing Editor of Foodservice News. To read the article in it’s entirety, CLICK HERE.

Email blasts are another useful marketing tool, says Fuzzy Duck’s Eddie Ulrich, but guests do expect an incentive.

With any concept development or brand refresh, telling the story behind the restaurant is increasingly important as customers want to feel connected, like they’re part of the restaurant community. But perhaps more important is ensuring the experience backs up the brand.

“The signage, website, logo, all these have to be consistent with the experience and environment people actually get,” said Eddie Ulrich, founder and president of Wayzata-based agency Fuzzy Duck. Ulrich has been providing branding and marketing for area restaurants for 20-plus years and stressed if there’s a disconnect between expectation and experience, customers might not come back.

That essential consistency extends to the social media presence, which is why Ulrich said an internal voice is most effective for restaurants because, “you can tell whether that voice is coming from the inside versus marketing from the outside.” However, he cautioned, operators shouldn’t simply hand off social media management to just anyone; that person needs to understand they’re speaking for the business.

While online marketing can be efficient, the chasing of likes and follows can also be distracting. Don’t forget about the opportunities to talk to the guest while they’re in the restaurant, said Ulrich, using table tents, check presenters and posters to reinforce the brand. To break through the din, restaurants need to use every tool at their disposal.

Click here to view a collection of Fuzzy Duck’s restaurant projects.