The most valuable form of marketing is when your customers market you. Whether it’s word of mouth, referrals, or just sharing online, nothing is more powerful than people telling the world about your business.
It’s no secret that social media is now a major factor in people’s choice of restaurant. bar, hotel, store or attraction. Studies show that 55% of Americans are motivated to go to a restaurant after seeing it on social media, while 30% of millennials will avoid a restaurant with a poor Instagram presence.
The result: A picture of your friend at a great-looking place is likely to drive you to go there too.
The conclusion: If you want to boost your business, make it Instagrammable.
Making your business Instagramable encourages people to take photos and tag the business. Your customers’ friends and families will see they visited your place, see that it looks interesting, and will automatically add it to their mental list of places to visit.
The people taking the photos don’t need to be massive influencers. Just 3-4 of their close friends seeing the photos or recommendation and taking action can create a huge surge of awareness.
How do you make a business Instagrammable?
- Have a strong theme/aesthetic: Create an experience with a clear aesthetic that immerses customers in your world.
- Present your brand personality/identity: Reflect your values and what you’re known for in your design. Show your “voice”...brash, bold, calming...whatever fits, but stay consistent.
- Make your product stand out: eye-catching packaging, a pretty dish that really pops, etc.
- Interesting interior design creating somewhere people want to be seen: big features, accent walls or floors, lounge areas, selfie walls
Doing it all in one: Neon signs
Adding a neon sign is an opportunity to bring everything together in one fell swoop: brand personality, aesthetics, good interior design/lighting, and a standout place to take a picture.
A simple but effective strategy is to use a neon sign to make your logo stand out so that people take pictures, tag your business and share with their friends.
As the last picture shows, the next level is to make a selfie wall so they simply can’t resist posing next to it. It doesn’t have to be your logo - it can be anything memorable:
You can also go big so they can’t miss you - these signs also light the area up at night:
Something funny, controversial or rude that shows your brand’s cheeky side can work really well:
Finally...unforgettable details can mean the world:
What next?
Once you’re done with making your place Instagrammable, don’t forget to give your customers extra incentives to post. Discounts, freebies and contests can all help to boost your sharing culture, resulting in a lot more exposure. Then, interacting with these posts will mean you’re much more engaged with your customers, which is a big plus and will help to create loyal customers.
Don’t write off reposting and reusing your customers’ content yourself. According to Forbes, user-generated content (UGC) has a huge impact, including higher rates of click-throughs (4-5x), higher conversions (10-29%), more engagement (28-50%), more repeat visits (20%) and more time spent on the website (90%).
Author bio
You might not know his name, but you've seen Andy's work. He has been building an international LED neon signage business since 2018 and his designs and signs have been see on TV, Film and at countless events worldwide. He has worked with countless brands, helping them create custom neon signs out of their logos and ideas.