Shopographic

25/08/2025

DHL just dropped it off. I am keen to learn from the 🐐

07/05/2025

Hospitality marketing isn’t rocket science 🔬
1. Attract people.
2. Turn them into customers.
3. Give them a great experience.

Most businesses skip the basics chasing shiny new solutions/trends.

But the stuff that works? It’s been working for decades.
Website. Google Profile. Emails. Great photos. Simple, clear messages.

In my latest blog article, I break it all down in plain English — why hospitality businesses should focus on the basics with their marketing efforts.

Running a hospitality business boils down to three things. Some professionals call these first principles or foundations—the core elements that determine whether a business thrives or fails. These are: 1. Attraction, 2. Conversion, 3. Delivery. Let me explain. 1. A hospo business needs traffic—i...

24/02/2025

I’ve always believed that when a hospitality business truly cares, guests can feel it. But that only happens (and only then!), when the owner or manager cares first. So here’s the real question: What does it mean to care?

It means "sweating the small stuff"—the little details that send a powerful (and often subconscious) message to our guests.

Here’s how I did it:
✅ Walk through your business as if you were a guest. Start outside.
✅ Notice the tiny details that could make a difference.
✅ Ask those who know your business—your partner, friends, colleagues, or even guests (anonymously).

Gather feedback, adjust, and refine to meet your ideal guest’s expectations.

Because in hospitality, the small things have the biggest effect.

In my article, I gave you hands-on ideas, about what to observe, and look out for.

Go and grab my ideas.

Guest experience is instinctive, not a conscious decision. When something’s off—like a bad smell, dirty washrooms, unsmiling staff, or uninviting interiors—these details don’t just influence conscious opinions; they tap into instincts. If something feels

23/02/2025

At home, I have a whiteboard in the living room. Today, I taught my son about marketing. We watched a short video that claimed: “Processed juices are poison.” My son asked, “So if I make orange juice at home, is that bad?” I got triggered. So I stepped up to the whiteboard...

Instead of a straight answer, I let him work that out with questions. Guiding him to see the difference between processed and real food.

Why.

I wanted to teach critical thinking:
Instead of just saying, “junk food is bad”, I helped him question why it exists at all.

I wanted to teach marketing awareness:
To make him aware of marketing tricks and corporate strategies.

I wanted to teach food awareness:
So he could make better choices based on knowledge, not just taste.

I used First Principles Thinking to help him deconstruct the processed food industry and understand why these products are designed the way they are.

Because at the core of it:

👉 The company’s main goal = money ($$$).

Processed food isn’t designed for health—it’s designed for profit.

How do they make more money?
✔ Cheaper ingredients
✔ More quantity
✔ Shelf stability

Why do people keep buying processed food?
✔ Taste engineering
✔ Addiction
✔ Marketing & packaging

At the end of the day, it’s not about poisoning people—it’s about money.

I know he’ll remember this lesson for life.

13/02/2025

Big Restaurant No No 🙅‍♂️

As I was looking for a place to grab lunch, I walked past a cafe. It looked good, so through the windows I looked inside. I saw a group of people sitting at a table, eating/drinking. What I saw, shocked me. While they were having lunch all the tables around them had the chairs upside down on them. Obvious signs of closing time.

I mean what the heck?!? What is this business thinking, seriously?

You either do one or the other:
1. shut the front door, you are closed, or
2. pretend you are still open.

Why?

Not only sure as hell those people will never return, but observers, like me, peaking through the window have my opinion about the place.

While the staff can go home on time, that "move" alone affected more people and gave negative experience.

I consider this a type of marketing communication that happens offline. And it is a bad one.

11/02/2025

Important questions for leaders in hospitality. 🤌
As a leader, I had one core principle: listen to everyone’s feedback. Why? Because I’m not the smartest person in the room—and, that’s the point. Some people might have better ideas than me. So I held regular meetings...

People working in hospitality hate stopping work for meetings. But! I always loved getting the team together for a quick meeting. IMO short, straight-to-the-point daily catch-ups can hugely benefit a hospo business.

Fact! 👇
Everyone prefers a humble leader over a manager with a big ego.

A manager with a big ego is usually the one acting from their high horse.

A leader, however, sees themselves as equal to their team members.

This was my philosophy.

When the business was gearing up for a busy day—or we’d just wrapped up a massive event—I’d call the team together for a quick 10-minute chat to discuss what was ahead or what we did wrong that we needed to improve upon.

I wanted to ensure everyone knew what was happening, what the expectations were, and who was doing what, I also wanted to get feedback from everyone.

The team sees things differently, and gathering that insight from them is gold. I always respected everyone's ideas.

During these quick meetings, if I felt stuck on an operational or marketing challenge, I’d bring it up with the team. You’d be surprised—any team member, even the dishwasher or maintenance guy could have game-changing ideas.

The real question is: as a leader, am I humble enough to listen, be open, and take those ideas on board?

And beyond that—am I a good enough leader to acknowledge that idea and the person right there in front of the team?

If the answer is yes, the magic that happens in a team because of this type of leadership is the next level.

So, if you’re a hospitality leader—are you humble enough to lead like this?

10/02/2025

Our biggest marketing mistake? Assuming our audience thinks like us.

Just because we don’t click on ads doesn’t mean they don’t work.

Just because we think our Google Business Profile doesn’t matter doesn’t mean our customers aren’t finding us there.

Just because we have a website doesn’t mean it will convert visitors—or that they won’t get lost in it.

Just because we feel alone with our marketing struggles doesn’t mean there’s no hospitality-specific help from a real person.

Marketing isn’t about what we would do.
It’s about understanding how they think, decide, and act—and what truly triggers them.

The world doesn’t work the way we do.
Recognising that distinction is the key to great marketing.

Do you agree? Tell me below. 👇

09/02/2025

Steps to do this 👇

- Get their email (e.g. via booking software)
- Automated email to appreciate their booking.
- In that email, tell them you want to post them a gift. In exchange for leaving their postal address.
- You have pre-made letters and vouchers ready to post.
- Sign with your handwritten signature.
- Also, mention their names in the letter with your handwriting.

This is it, in a nutshell.

But you could use this idea in many other ways e.g. for getting reviews.

Be creative with your marketing.

Stand out like a tall poppy!

06/02/2025

In hospitality, even the smallest detail that feels off to a guest can be enough to drive them away—often without them even realising why. They just won’t feel like coming back. Let's change that 👇

In hospitality, even the smallest detail that feels off to a guest can be enough to drive them away—often without them even realising why. They just won’t feel like coming back.

Every small touchpoints between guests and your business adds up, leaving a lasting impression—positive or negative.

Get it wrong, and you’ll lose money.

My job is to help you see what others might overlook.

I’ve written an article (in comments) that breaks down every touchpoint in a hospitality business where small details have the biggest impact on guest experience.

By sweating the small stuff, you’ll maximise your chances of turning visitors into loyal patrons.

19/12/2024

Stick to pen and paper guys! Your creative brain will keep serving you that way!

I have my theory and I raise my son accordingly. It goes: the future will be packed with a bunch of humans, hooked on tech unable to use creative thinking.

And there will be the 1% of people who remained off tech. And can solve problems in a creative manner. They will tell, guide, direct, manage the 99% on what to do, because they only will be able to follow orders. The lack of creative ideas will be off the chart.

17/12/2024

Which one comes first - employee experience or guest experience?
I know my answer...

The internet is flooded with gurus teaching us how to live, find a mate, or make "7 figures".

When I see these, I vomit in my mouth a little.

Are we so lost that we need answers from strangers?!
Really?

All we need is to slow the heck down.

And look within.

Everything starts from within (us).

Even a successful business.

Employee experience, in other words, employee satisfaction or happiness comes first.

Only then will we create memorable guest experiences.

What is your take?

09/12/2024

Stating the obvious here: When employees feel valued and appreciated, their motivation and effort naturally increase. So... how do we do that?

It is so simple.

1. Talk to them.
2. Every few month, 1-on-1 sit down with them, and ask how are they really?
3. Organise team-building activities.
4. Say "Thank you". Thank them for their hard work, inputs, ideas etc.
5. Shake their hands.
6. Look into their eyes, and mean it.
7. Just be a human to another human being.