This is week 2 of the real Matt Plapp writing you directly. Each week, I’ll give you one simple action to improve yourself or your restaurant.
This week? We’re flipping on a tool that’s been sitting right in front of you: Facebook Live.
Let’s rewind to the summer of 2020, a time most of us would rather forget. After a few months of lockdowns, I noticed something weird…
Some restaurants were thriving. Same markets, same food, same service, but different results.
Why?
They had a face. A story. A heartbeat.
They went live on Facebook. Regularly.
Since 2015, Facebook’s had the GO LIVE button. And yet… most restaurants still ignore it. Including you.
Here’s the cold truth:
Your biggest advantage over chains like Chipotle and Starbucks is YOU.
But if your community doesn’t see you, you might as well be a robot behind the fryer.
Look up Little Italy Ristorante and Avery Ward. Three years ago he was invisible. Now he’s a community rock star—because he SHOWED UP on video.
Think of Facebook Live as a free daily commercial on ESPN and your local news.
And it costs you nothing.
Your 3-Part Weekly Assignment:
- Monday – Go live and walk through a menu item. Bring a teammate and eat it on camera.
- Wednesday – Tell a short story about your restaurant. Why it exists. How you got started.
- Friday – Highlight something in your community. Promote someone else. Be the local hero.
Will you suck at first? Probably. I did.
But do it every week, and by this time next year, you’ll have 150+ LIVE videos under your belt—and be one step closer to becoming your town’s favorite local celebrity.
This weeks song and book are Here We Go by Normal and Restaurant Prosperity Formula by David Scott Peters. Why this song…just listen and you’ll know. But why David Scott Peters book? Because I’ve seen so many owners read it, follow his advise and prosper.
Song = Here We Go by Norman
Book = Restaurant Prosperity Formula by David Scott Peters
