What A Restaurant Taught Me About Branding and Creativity

Cafe-like chairs and tables

I was walking around in a mall recently, looking for a place to eat. In the end, I got fed up looking for something special and settled for a elegant looking one. The place was neat and the design was casual, which I guess attracted me.

Beautiful counter

Casual sofas

To be fair, I was being picky and I wanted to explore my options in the mall. The restaurant was attractive enough and it would be an excellent choice for someone wanting a meal in elegance.

Description aside, the one thing that really stuck to my memory was a little box on every dining table.

What's this? A simple box of creativity?

I got curious when I saw the labels 'recipes' and 'table topic'. I took out one card from each section and this is what I found :

Table Topic Card

Recipe Card

I've never seen this idea in any other restaurant I've eaten in so far and I'm impressed. I don't think I would have thought of this if I ever open my own eatery. The cards are really informative and helpful. You don't even have to worry about running out of topics to talk about!

Being the internet-needy individual I am, I asked for the WiFi password from a waiter and it was 'Think Big', which inspired me to do this post. The owner really knew how to think when he started this shop.

Here's some tips on how you can squeeze out unique and outstanding ideas next time you need them :

 1. Being different isn't limited to the product or idea you sell

It isn't easy to come up with new ideas in this blooming age of information. People have tried to be different in the past but even those ideas get common when it is copied countless number of times. However, just because the food you're selling can't be modified too much without being labelled 'quirky' doesn't mean your dream of opening a restaurant is gone. Instead, think out of the box and incorporate other things you like or things you do best into what you want to do. That way, it's easier to come up with fresher and more diverse innovations as everyone's train of thought is different. Just like this restaurant owner, who perhaps liked conversations and tried to make that a culture in his restaurant.

2. Many people can do what you do

That's an important fact that you have to remember. No matter what profession you are in, or want to be in, chances are there are already people within that same profession. Even for new professions, there will always be new people who follow your route and sooner or later they'll start flooding the field. With that in mind, it's always important that you learn to sell yourself. Ask some questions : What can I give that hasn't been done in the industry yet? Will other people think of what I thought of? Is my idea already in the market? Learning to set yourself apart from the competition is a great way to establish a brand that will stick. At the restaurant mentioned before, the food was nice but not something to shout about. However, within restaurants of that price range and environment it definitely stands out more than the rest.

3. People are willing to pay for more than just your product

When it comes to paying, some people are willing to give a little extra in exchange for additional benefits such as after-sales service, warranty and things like that. In concept restaurants just like this one, what's also important other than food is environment, service, Internet (I plead guilty!) etc. That's why people still go to fancy restaurants although the food is way more expensive than other normal restaurants. Keeping that in mind, going the extra mile to upgrade your services to try and lure in different categories of people definitely helps boost the image of your company. Although cost is higher and you might be tempted to raise prices (try not to), it'll definitely do you good in the long run.

4. Your philosophy should show in your marketing or product

Just like I said earlier, people also tend to buy things when their ideals are the same as the company's. Similarly, in any good speech, it's okay to flaunt a bit of your personality because it helps engage with the audience. People don't just want to buy a product from you, they want to understand why you're the right person to buy from and whether they can trust you in the future. It's very narrow to have a business plan of just selling products to customers and giving service if the need arises. Instead, focus on building a following too by engaging with your target group and making your philosophy known. For example, the WiFi password of that restaurant was 'Think Big' remember? Coupled with the boxes with table topics and the design of the restaurant, I feel much more connected to the way the owner thinks and because I like that idea, I feel like coming back. Making buyers come back is much more valuable than bringing in new ones that will never come again.

5. Cater and relate to what people want.

Okay, so we've got our own ideas and beliefs, and we want to shout it out for the world to know, but we also have to step back and make a compromise. There's a thin line between creative ideas and rejected ones, and it's not very wise to narrow down the potential customers you have because of your extremely specific desires. That's why when making a product, diversifying the range of that product might be a good idea. Not everyone will agree with your tastes so it's important to cater to them too, and choices are a good way to do so! The restaurant I went had 2 sections - one indoor and one outdoor. The outdoor one was designed like a mini garden which might appeal to some. These are the examples of choices you want to give customers to make them as comfortable as possible when doing business with you. When we relate and cater to potential customers, it's very likely that they'll try you out once and that's when your sticky factors come in to make sure they become a loyal customer



Have you visited any restaurant with something note-worthy? Or maybe you have a story to share about selling yourself (not literally duh)? Share it with me in the comments below!