LinkedIn is a great, untapped resource for restaurants and cafes in an industry stuck on traditional marketing, Facebook and Instagram – most of your competitors are hardly using it. This platform is not just for professionals in suits but can be a goldmine for hospitality business owners keen on networking, attracting bookings, and building the brand of their business and themselves personally.
In the business world, this is usually the first place people look when they want to know more about you. So, making time to create a professional-looking profile is vital to building your personal brand and credibility as a successful restaurant or cafe owner. Plus, there are numerous marketing opportunities, which we outline below.
First, Build a Personal LinkedIn Profile
Use Good Photos: a simple headshot picture sets the right tone – maybe a professional photo, or use ‘Portrait’ mode on your phone and take one in soft light. Avoid holiday snaps or glamour shots that look too casual or try-hard. You also need a good banner image across the top of your profile – it could be of your business or nearby scenery. Images with sales messages look a bit too pushy in this situation.
Use ‘Keywords’ in your Headline. This is more than just your job title, which is listed separately as ‘Current Position’. Use words in the Headline that people search for (keywords), and make it descriptive, e.g., not just Cafe Owner, but Cafe Owner with 20 Years Experience, Keen Fisherman and Podcast Listener – you can use up to 120 characters, and it’s OK to add something personal… this is hospitality, after all!
Expand the Summary – this is the main ‘About’ section. Show your enthusiasm for hospitality, what you’ve done in the industry, and how you can help people. Have at least three paragraphs in this very important section. If you find it hard to write about yourself, put down some bullet points and ask a friend or ChatGPT to help. Write this in the first person eg ‘I started a new cafe’ not ‘She started a new cafe’ – this is more personal and real. Include some numbers to add credibility eg ‘ran a team of 12 chefs, serving more than 2000 customers each week’. Or ‘we took our annual sales from $1.5 million to $2.4 million in 18 months’.
Add a few personal details to round out your image eg ‘volunteer with trainee baristas at the local refugee centre’, ‘renovating an old timber house in my spare time’, or ‘training with my local team for the 2025 Hockey Veterans Cup’.
Make Yourself Easy to Contact – include your email and a relevant phone number, especially if you want to be reached for bookings! Do whatever you’re comfortable with – an email at minimum is important for credibility, plus your venue’s phone number.
Expand on Your Experience – add a couple of sentences about each of your previous jobs or businesses in the Experience section. As with the Summary, include some numbers to add credibility eg ‘ran a team of 12 people’ or ‘Ran 3 food trucks feeding 600 people every day’. If one position was a particular favourite or a huge learning opportunity, say so!
Add Your Education – include the location of where you trained, plus any short, relevant courses eg a Hospitality Certificate. If you speak other languages, include them – such a bonus.
Add Links to Relevant Websites or Social Media – the website of your workplace, or your business-related Instagram site.
Update Your Privacy & Security Settings – this is easy to do, and there are a lot of options. You’ll find them listed under your Profile picture on a PC/Mac browser, or under the little cog that’s top right on your phone or iPad app.
The Personal Profile on LinkedIn is your main channel for marketing – you can also set up a Company Profile, but the main action usually happens around your own Profile.
Next, Start to Network and Build Connections
LinkedIn thrives on connections – send connection request to local business owners, suppliers, and your customers, they don’t have to be in hospitality. It’s not just about adding connections but engaging with them. Reshare some of their content, and comment on their posts and updates. Engaging with local business groups can open doors to catering opportunities and corporate events. Growing your LinkedIn connections is crucial for amplifying your restaurant’s presence. Start by actively exploring LinkedIn’s ‘People You May Know’ section. This tool suggests relevant professionals in your industry, from fellow restaurateurs to food bloggers, chefs and suppliers. Start by sending 10-12 requests daily, and your connection numbers will start to build steadily.
Accept connection requests from people broadly relevant to your network, especially if they are in your city or area. Be open to connecting with a variety of professions; you never know who wants a new place to eat or hold a function.
When attending industry events, make a point to reach out to new contacts on LinkedIn. Personalise your connection requests with a brief message recalling your meeting or expressing interest in their work.
LinkedIn is an untapped resource with all your ideal corporate clients, but you must build your network and plant the seeds before you can harvest the crop.
Research local businesses and connect with decision-makers. Host your own events and invite connections.
Just because someone works in corporate doesn’t mean they don’t also have family who they want to treat on the weekend. Tell the story of your venue, and over time, you will be surprised… Simone Douglas, owner of Port Adelaide Hotel, Duke of Brunswick Hotel and DOB Cafe in Adelaide. Plus AOK Marketing, the marketing experts.
AddContent to Build Your Authority
Share stories and content – it can be surprising what people are interested in, and it helps to grow your network. Post about your restaurant’s latest offerings, share about food trends or new equipment you’ve installed – remember how fascinated most people are with the whole restaurant industry. This increases your visibility and positions you as a smart operator in the hospitality community – most of your competitors do none of this!
It can be as simple as sharing a couple of photos with a two-sentence description. Share images of your latest dishes, and tell the story behind them – did you source your ingredients locally? Show us the new dishwasher you’ve installed, with some unboxing photos. You might even write a longer Article, not just a Post – a chance to show your expertise. Some examples…
‘What We Learned from 12 Months of Using Plant-Based Cuisine’
‘How We’ve Cut Our Power Bill With a New Water-Heating System’
‘5 Things We’re Upgrading in the Kitchen in 2024’
‘Meet Harry and Ella, our new Kitchen Trainees’
Use LinkedIn for Promotions and Events
Planning a unique wine-tasting dinner? Create a LinkedIn Event and invite your connections.
Running an introductory session for potential baristas? You will also be promoting this on Instagram and Facebook, but chances are the parents of young coffee makers will see it, and who knows where that could lead.
Create a local networking event: most small business owners are fairly shy but could be interested in your After-5 Drinks once a month – a chance to make new friends and discover a place they may not have visited before. Running things like this is a no-brainer for hospitality people! Remember, it’s about creating an experience, not just a promotion.
Make LinkedIn a Regular Habit: yes, browsing through LinkedIn on your phone once a day is a good idea. As you scroll and hit the Like and Connect button, LinkedIn will decide to share your content more widely – it favours active people. Like Facebook, only some things you post will be seen by every one of your followers, but action leads to a bigger spread. How do you build your customer base? One at a time, but moving quickly.
LinkedIn is more than a business networking site; it’s a dynamic platform for restaurants and cafes to build their brand, connect with the community, and drive bookings. By adopting a steady and active approach to LinkedIn, you and your restaurant can engage with a wider audience, showcase its unique offerings, and stay ahead in a competitive market.
LinkedIn is a great, untapped resource for restaurants and cafes in an industry stuck on traditional marketing, Facebook and Instagram – most of your competitors are hardly using it. This platform is not just for professionals in suits but can be a goldmine for hospitality business owners keen on networking, attracting bookings, and building the brand of their business and themselves personally.
In the business world, this is usually the first place people look when they want to know more about you. So, making time to create a professional-looking profile is vital to building your personal brand and credibility as a successful restaurant or cafe owner. Plus, there are numerous marketing opportunities, which we outline below.
First, Build a Personal LinkedIn Profile
Use Good Photos: a simple headshot picture sets the right tone – maybe a professional photo, or use ‘Portrait’ mode on your phone and take one in soft light. Avoid holiday snaps or glamour shots that look too casual or try-hard. You also need a good banner image across the top of your profile – it could be of your business or nearby scenery. Images with sales messages look a bit too pushy in this situation.
Use ‘Keywords’ in your Headline. This is more than just your job title, which is listed separately as ‘Current Position’. Use words in the Headline that people search for (keywords), and make it descriptive, e.g., not just Cafe Owner, but Cafe Owner with 20 Years Experience, Keen Fisherman and Podcast Listener – you can use up to 120 characters, and it’s OK to add something personal… this is hospitality, after all!
Expand the Summary – this is the main ‘About’ section. Show your enthusiasm for hospitality, what you’ve done in the industry, and how you can help people. Have at least three paragraphs in this very important section. If you find it hard to write about yourself, put down some bullet points and ask a friend or ChatGPT to help. Write this in the first person eg ‘I started a new cafe’ not ‘She started a new cafe’ – this is more personal and real. Include some numbers to add credibility eg ‘ran a team of 12 chefs, serving more than 2000 customers each week’. Or ‘we took our annual sales from $1.5 million to $2.4 million in 18 months’.
Add a few personal details to round out your image eg ‘volunteer with trainee baristas at the local refugee centre’, ‘renovating an old timber house in my spare time’, or ‘training with my local team for the 2025 Hockey Veterans Cup’.
Make Yourself Easy to Contact – include your email and a relevant phone number, especially if you want to be reached for bookings! Do whatever you’re comfortable with – an email at minimum is important for credibility, plus your venue’s phone number.
Expand on Your Experience – add a couple of sentences about each of your previous jobs or businesses in the Experience section. As with the Summary, include some numbers to add credibility eg ‘ran a team of 12 people’ or ‘Ran 3 food trucks feeding 600 people every day’. If one position was a particular favourite or a huge learning opportunity, say so!
Add Your Education – include the location of where you trained, plus any short, relevant courses eg a Hospitality Certificate. If you speak other languages, include them – such a bonus.
Add Links to Relevant Websites or Social Media – the website of your workplace, or your business-related Instagram site.
Update Your Privacy & Security Settings – this is easy to do, and there are a lot of options. You’ll find them listed under your Profile picture on a PC/Mac browser, or under the little cog that’s top right on your phone or iPad app.
The Personal Profile on LinkedIn is your main channel for marketing – you can also set up a Company Profile, but the main action usually happens around your own Profile.
Next, Start to Network and Build Connections
LinkedIn thrives on connections – send connection request to local business owners, suppliers, and your customers, they don’t have to be in hospitality. It’s not just about adding connections but engaging with them. Reshare some of their content, and comment on their posts and updates. Engaging with local business groups can open doors to catering opportunities and corporate events. Growing your LinkedIn connections is crucial for amplifying your restaurant’s presence. Start by actively exploring LinkedIn’s ‘People You May Know’ section. This tool suggests relevant professionals in your industry, from fellow restaurateurs to food bloggers, chefs and suppliers. Start by sending 10-12 requests daily, and your connection numbers will start to build steadily.
Accept connection requests from people broadly relevant to your network, especially if they are in your city or area. Be open to connecting with a variety of professions; you never know who wants a new place to eat or hold a function.
When attending industry events, make a point to reach out to new contacts on LinkedIn. Personalise your connection requests with a brief message recalling your meeting or expressing interest in their work.
Add Content to Build Your Authority
Share stories and content – it can be surprising what people are interested in, and it helps to grow your network. Post about your restaurant’s latest offerings, share about food trends or new equipment you’ve installed – remember how fascinated most people are with the whole restaurant industry. This increases your visibility and positions you as a smart operator in the hospitality community – most of your competitors do none of this!
It can be as simple as sharing a couple of photos with a two-sentence description. Share images of your latest dishes, and tell the story behind them – did you source your ingredients locally? Show us the new dishwasher you’ve installed, with some unboxing photos. You might even write a longer Article, not just a Post – a chance to show your expertise. Some examples…
Use LinkedIn for Promotions and Events
Make LinkedIn a Regular Habit: yes, browsing through LinkedIn on your phone once a day is a good idea. As you scroll and hit the Like and Connect button, LinkedIn will decide to share your content more widely – it favours active people. Like Facebook, only some things you post will be seen by every one of your followers, but action leads to a bigger spread. How do you build your customer base? One at a time, but moving quickly.
LinkedIn is more than a business networking site; it’s a dynamic platform for restaurants and cafes to build their brand, connect with the community, and drive bookings. By adopting a steady and active approach to LinkedIn, you and your restaurant can engage with a wider audience, showcase its unique offerings, and stay ahead in a competitive market.
Check the other useful blog posts on the Foodie Coaches website…
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