Alex Quin and Michelle Chia break down a complete marketing strategy for taco restaurants—from naming and branding to launch tactics, special events, social media content, AI tools, influencer campaigns, and customer retention. Emphasizing the importance of storytelling, consistent brand voice, data-driven decisions, and team culture, they offer actionable advice for creating a successful restaurant brand. With tips for pre-launch hype, engaging content, SEO tactics, and local outreach, the episode is packed with practical insights for anyone in the hospitality space.

Episode Outline:

[00:00:00] Welcome + Overview: Restaurant Marketing Strategy

[00:03:30] Naming, Branding, and Domain Setup

[00:10:00] Identifying and Speaking to Your Core Audience

[00:15:00] Storytelling Through Decor, Food, and Staff

[00:22:00] Menu, Ambiance, and Event-Based Differentiation

[00:30:00] The Importance of Brand Voice and Hook Writing

[00:36:00] Leveraging AI and Custom GPTs for Content and Analysis

[00:44:00] Tech Stack Must-Haves Before Opening

[00:48:00] Pre-Launch Timeline and Content Plan

[00:55:00] Setting Up Systems for Email, SMS, Reservations

[01:01:00] Paid Ad Structure + Organic Content Planning

[01:07:00] Customer Retention and Avoiding Common Pitfalls

[01:12:00] Final Tips + How to Stand Out Long-Term

Wisdom Nuggets:

Know Your Audience: You can’t serve everyone. Define specific customer personas and tailor your menu, messaging, and ambiance to those profiles.

Brand Voice is Everything: Decide how your restaurant sounds—sarcastic, witty, warm, or blunt—and stay consistent across all platforms and content.

Use AI to Scale Smart: Leverage tools like ChatGPT to streamline your content, respond to reviews, and analyze OpenTable data for better marketing decisions.

Build Culture, Not Just Food: Great food won’t carry your brand if the team’s morale is low. Happy employees and genuine service are core to customer retention.

Create Experience, Not Just Meals: From events and unique cocktails to birthday specials and storytelling, experiences drive loyalty and word-of-mouth buzz.

Power Quotes

"People come back not just for food, but for how they felt." - Alex Quin

"Use your data. That’s where your real marketing edge is." - Alex Quin

"Make sure your branding is consistent across everything—domain, socials, emails. - Michelle Chia

"Behind-the-scenes content builds trust. Show the human side." - Michelle Chia

"If your team isn’t trained, you’re leaving thousands on the table every day." - Michelle Chia

Connect with Michelle:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/michellechia)

Twitter: (https://x.com/michellechiaaa)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-chia1/)

TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@michellechiaa)

Connect With the Podcast Host Alex Quin:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/alexquin)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/mralexquin)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralexquin)

Website: (https://alexquin.com)

TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@mralexquin)

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