Would you like fries with that?

I love looking at case studies to see what marketers and the businesses they work with have been able to achieve. In fact, in our industry it’s imperative to keep on top of what is going on in the marketing world and how lessons from other marketers can help us.

One particular case study that has sparked my interest in recent times is the burger chain Grill’d. If you’ve never heard of it or have had the pleasure of eating one of their delicious creations, Grill’d are a healthy burger chain with a local focus, started by a man that didn’t even have restaurant experience, just a passion to deliver something great to the people.

What stands out is the ‘marketing’ aspect, and I’m not referring to advertising. Grill’d has an almost non-existent advertising spend. So how have they managed to become one of the most recognised and popular places to eat in the entire country?

PR plays an incredibly large part but good PR cannot be achieved without consistency, continuity and delivery. Restaurant location, interior design, the level of the music played and carefully chosen team members are instrumental in creating customer experience.

They are now offering products that meet all dietary requirements and you’ll find an array of local boutique beers instore, generally from the area the restaurant is located. Also, not just anyone can franchise.

The instore experience generates word of mouth and this is better than any media campaign, all with minimal advertising spend. It’s a ‘lifestyle brand’ as opposed to a food brand, and it’s this vision that has created something incredibly different and special.

While I”m not suggesting businesses don’t advertise, I think this is a lesson to us all that there must be a huge focus on customer experience, creating value for them and above all, maintaining consistency that builds trust over time.

And if you haven’t tried a Grill’d burger, the Moroccan Lamb with sweet potato fries is a great choice!!