Turn More First-Time Guests into "Regulars" with these 9 Ways to Build Virality into your Product

Turn More First-Time Guests into "Regulars" with these 9 Ways to Build Virality into your Product

In the competitive world of the restaurant industry, it's crucial to not only attract first-time guests but also turn them into regulars. Building a loyal customer base is essential for the long-term success of any restaurant. That's where Popmenu, a restaurant tool designed to turn more first-time guests into regulars, comes into play. By incorporating the principles of virality into their product, Popmenu has revolutionized the way restaurants can attract and retain customers.

1. Two-Sided Reward: One effective way to build virality into your product is by creating a two-sided reward system. This means giving users an incentive to invite their friends to join the platform, while also providing an incentive for their friends to accept the invitation. By utilizing the gifting effect, you can encourage users to spread the word about your product and attract new users.

2. Appeal to Vanity: Humans are naturally driven by their sense of vanity and competitiveness. Leveraging this aspect can be a powerful tool for building virality into your product. By exposing metrics that users can drive up, such as the number of connections on a social networking platform, you can incentivize them to spend more time using your product and inviting others to join. LinkedIn used this strategy effectively in its early days, making the number of connections front and center on user profiles.

3. Collaboration: Apps built for collaboration or communication between coworkers inherently have a viral element to them. When people find value in a product that facilitates teamwork and productivity, they are more likely to recommend it to their colleagues. By creating a seamless and enjoyable collaborative experience, you can tap into the viral potential of your product.

4. Embeds: Another way to build virality into your product is by allowing others to embed it into their websites. This can expand your reach and expose your product to a wider audience. By making it easy for users to share your product on their own platforms, you increase the chances of it being discovered by new users.

5. Artifacts Shared on Social: If your product generates uniquely interesting content, you can leverage social media platforms to encourage users to share it with their networks. Pinterest, for example, allowed users to pin items from the web and share them on Facebook. This created a snowball effect, as users would click into Pinterest and discover more interesting items, leading to increased engagement and user acquisition. Additionally, consider watermarking any images or videos generated by your product to draw attention and generate brand awareness.

6. Artifacts Shared via Messaging: In today's digital age, messaging has become a primary means of communication. If your product generates artifacts or URLs that are expected to be shared via messaging platforms, you can tap into the viral potential of this behavior. By making it easy for users to share your product with their friends and contacts through messaging apps, you can increase visibility and attract new users.

7. Signatures: Incorporating your product into the user's everyday communication can be an effective way to build virality. By allowing users to add a signature or mention your product in their emails, messages, or other forms of communication, you create organic exposure that can lead to new user acquisition.

8. First Message sent on Existing Messaging Platform: Leveraging existing messaging platforms can be a powerful way to build virality. By encouraging users to send their first message using your product on a widely used messaging platform, you tap into the existing user base and increase the chances of your product being discovered by new users.

9. Highly Visible Hardware: While the previous strategies focused on digital products, it's important to recognize that hardware products can also be viral. Take Square, for example, which revolutionized payment processing for small businesses. Their highly visible hardware, coupled with the convenience it offered, attracted attention and drove adoption. Another example is the outdoor Nest Cam, which gained popularity through its high visibility and ease of use.

In conclusion, turning first-time guests into regulars is a critical objective for any restaurant. By incorporating the principles of virality into your product, you can increase customer acquisition and retention. Whether it's through creating a two-sided reward system, appealing to users' vanity, facilitating collaboration, enabling embedding and sharing on social media, leveraging messaging platforms, incorporating signatures, or utilizing highly visible hardware, there are various strategies you can employ to make your product go viral. By implementing these actionable advice, you can elevate your restaurant's success and establish a loyal customer base.