Marketing your business using the internet

I read with great interest the article in todays Merc by Scott Pape, in the Business section. He speaks about being a panel member recently at a hoteliers conference discussing how to attract young people into pubs.

He says, "This wasn't exactly rocket science, I thought: Alcohol? Check. Doors open? Check. OK, looks like we're good to go.

Yet as the only person in the room wearing jeans (or hair product), I felt it only fair to share something other than the obvious.

I explained that there is really no need to go to a hotel. Beer is cheaper at the bottle shop, no one tells you off for for smoking inside and a punt on the dish-lickers is just a phone-tab all away.

The real reason anyone goes to a licensed venue is for the interaction and the sense of community. The punters are the publican's biggest asset - well, along with those flashing electronic boxes that rob people of their money.

The best way of communicating to this community, and keeping track of them between visits, is by creating a free account with social networking websites like Facebook and MySpace. These sites leverage the existing community of customers and create a cyber meeting place where they can interact, plan their next night out and find out about coming attractions.

For all these apparent advantages, it quickly became apparent that my message wasn't getting through to the largely older audience. It appeared that few understood the internet, and most were quite content to let the web, and the immense opportunity it offers, pass them by."

The older generation (who are generally the ones who own/control these pubs) are really going to have to get with the program if they want to have the turnover down the track.

I think Scott makes some hugely salient and relevant points which should be noted by all in hospitality.

Also of interest in todays Merc:

A General Liquor application by Chris Stathopoulos (ex-Sals) for a premises on the new Harvey Norman complex at Cambridge; and an Application for a Special Liquor license for Paesanos.