12 Social Media Update Ideas To Improve Customer Traffic

In a recent email I received from one of our readers (and a fairly new food truck vendor in Orlando), I was asked what a mobile food vendor can do to engage customers and market their food truck business on social media outside of standard location update of Tweet. Now, we’ve covered this topic over the years but the tone of the message had an air of desperation, so I put together this quick list of social media update ideas for them.

Most food truck vendors I’ve worked with in the past have had a tough time finding their voice over social media, so I felt that the response to this question could be a help to other vendors as well. You don’t have enough time in your busy day to have to worry about what your next Facebook update or Tweet will consist of, so feel free to use these 12 suggestions, and edit them for your own mobile food business.

Social Media Update Ideas

Tell customers where you’ll be

City of (your city); tell us why you decided to live in (your city). The best answer gets a free entree from our truck – picked up at their convenience.
This weekend we are going to be (insert location) bring a friend, mention this message and you both get a free gift. There’s no telling what it might be. Here’s a pic from the last time we did this.
Monday nights we are not open – We know it’s sad, but we are around town the rest of the week and look forward to seeing you!
We’ll be at the humane society on Sunday to help promote the pets they have for adoption- come on down, they’d love to see you, even if you can’t adopt.
We are participating at the city farmer’s market – come on down to see what we have cooked up special with produce from the farmers.

Share your discounts/deals

Wednesday nights are the slowest time of the week for us, find us on Wednesday night, mention this post for a 10% discount off your order.
Love meeting local celebrities? Visit us Thursday to meet our own – (someone locally famous or popular) – They will be signing autographs for all of our truck customers and we will be providing a free sample of one of our upcoming menu items to each visitor.
Find us on Friday between 11 and 2 to get a free side salad with your lunch order.
Save 5% every time you bring a friend to truck with you. Friends get 5% off, too.
When you show up to check in to our loyalty program you’ll start receiving discounts right away; you have to visit to start though.

Explain menu changes

Our new marketing program is sending out an email tonight for next week’s summer menu – you have to sign up to get a discount.

Other Social Media Media Work For Your Food Truck:

Post updates often; multiple times a day.
Keep customers informed. They like to hear about interesting happenings in your business and all of the small nuances of running a food truck business. The more you connect with them, the more they will find your food truck.
Build relationships with everyone who comes to your service window, ask them questions, be social and have fun.
Stay active; be in their social streams everyday- until they take you out.
Be visual. Share pictures, people love Instagram right now, be there, and post pictures often!

The Bottom Line

The point of these updates is that you have are enticing customers to make a special stop at your truck. Do this to offer a special, a free gift, a discount or something else special. The more creative you are with your update, and specific you are, the more likely it is to work.

These are just a small list of social media update ideas we came up with. Try a few out and let us know how they work for you.

I hope these ideas help free up a little time in your day. Use this new found time to concentrate on other aspects of your food truck business. We’d love to hear any social media update ideas you’ve had success with. Feel free to share them in the comment section, our food truck forum or on social media. Facebook | Twitter