Candy handed out at last year's "Doppuri Showacho" event
The day of the "Immerse yourself in Showa-cho" event, which will be held around Showa-cho on Showa Day, is fast approaching.
Usagi and I are planning to take a break, just like last year.
I plan to wander around the area, say hello to shops I haven't been to in a while, chat with customers along the way, and have some food and drinks.
You'll be able to see the Usaboku couple in a slightly tipsy and happy mood, a different look than when the shop is open.
The design will be slightly different from last year, but we will be walking around handing out candy again this year, so please come and say hello on the day.
The products in the store also serve as promotional items...
This year's design will probably look something like this. I'll use recycled matches...
The candy in the photo is something we hand out to our regular customers as a way to start conversations and get them talking.
This is positioned purely as a promotional item, but I feel that the products and menus that we normally have in our stores are also becoming more of a promotional item.
Here's what I posted on Facebook the other day.
With the widespread use of smartphones and social media, it has become possible to quickly browse the internet or take and upload photos.
You can access the address on the package or upload the product packaging or menu to Instagram.
It seems like more people are behaving like this on a daily basis now than when we first opened our store.
When I saw such a situation,
I think that products and menus are becoming something that encourages customers who pick them up or see their posts to take the next step.
Planning products while imagining what the next step will be
There is a path that customers must take, such as finding out about the store, becoming interested, searching for it, visiting the store, taking photos and spreading the word, and I think it is best to plan products with that path in mind.
For example, in our store,
The menu items offered at restaurants are often positioned as "take photos, spread the word, and draw the interest of followers."
So, I think it's a good idea to think about things like how you can make people want to take photos, and how you can make it clear that it's your restaurant just from a photo, when deciding on the name, presentation, and tableware.
As for baked goods and other items on display in the store, they are positioned in the same category as the menu items, and many customers also buy them as souvenirs, so I think it's important to post information about them so that people who have never been to the store (people who don't know about the store) can easily find them on the store's social media.
First of all, nothing can be done if the product doesn't sell, so of course the content of the product itself and the design itself are important, but I think that "being conscious of the connection to the next step" is just as important, if not more so.
That's what I think.
It's quite difficult, but... well, I'm learning every day...
See you soon.
