A fractional or freelance CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) helps with a little bit of everything on the marketing side for small businesses. I analyze your current needs, craft an action plan, and work on the implementation. Hiring a full-time CMO can be cost-prohibitive, while a freelance CMO works on an as-needed and project basis, ensuring you get the most out of your investment.
I’ve been working with Max Dale’s Steak and Chop House for about a year, and we’ve done a TON of work on their marketing. We started with a marketing assessment, which identified areas for improvement and provided a road map for their marketing plan. They’ve seen amazing results, and I’m excited to share them with you in this restaurant marketing case study.
Max Dale’s Steak and Chop House Overview
Max Dale’s is a fine dining restaurant and Martini Lounge in Skagit Valley, Washington. It opened in 1951 and is a local go-to for great steaks and a cozy date-night. They also have a sister restaurant called the Stanwood Grill, also serving scratch-made cuisine with a casual, small-town vibe. Max Dale’s is a local favorite in the Skagit Valley, with a long history of community engagement. Danny and Paul, owners and second-generation restaurateurs, are well-known pillars in the community.
Business Challenges
Max Dale’s has been in business for decades and their menu has evolved significantly over time, now focused on scratch-made cuisine and featuring several bold, inspired plates. Danny and Paul came to me wanting to elevate their online presence, knowing that their digital front door needed alignment with their modern cuisine vibe.
Both restaurants’ websites had some functionality issues that are common for older sites. Their page load speeds were slow, and sometimes, elements on the page didn’t load at all. I also noticed that they weren’t mobile responsive, as that wasn’t a requirement when these websites were first created. Today, mobile-first is the standard! They also had a lot of old and outdated content on their websites that needed to be addressed.
As we discussed the marketing assessment, brand photography kept coming up in the conversation. Paul and Danny were acutely aware that stock photography on their website was not showcasing their restaurants in the best light, and the existing food photography was not doing the incredible menu justice! While it can be quicker (and, let’s face it, affordable) to use stock photography, they knew the investment in brand photography was worthwhile.
Strategy and Implementation
We first did a marketing assessment to see where they are now and identify areas for improvement. The assessment showed us the first priority was new websites for both restaurants. We decided to rebuild both websites cohesively so they were similar in layout and design. We wanted them to be distinct in their personalities while still showing the two restaurants are related. I did keyword research and SEO strategy to ensure they drove quality search engine traffic. We wanted to really focus on performance and functionality since their previous websites had issues with load times and images.
Knowing their menu was their crown jewel, the owners invested in professional brand photography for both restaurants. We didn’t want to use stock photography on the new sites to show off the cuisine and let the food tell the story. And the results were fantastic! Chef David prepared each dish to perfection and we captured several images of each one. Brand photography is an investment of time and budget, but it can also be what takes your website to the next level.
Once the website was complete, we started a Meta paid ads campaign for Max Dale’s. We let the menu tell the story, including images of their gourmet burgers and bar food that are arguably the best in town! Combined with their great reputation, this campaign reminded locals about Max Dale’s incredible menu options, and we immediately saw an uptick in reservations and patrons.
Another area of focus for Danny and Paul was Local SEO. One of their first investments was in my Business Listings service. Because they’ve been around for so long, a lot of the information online about their business was outdated. With my Business Listings service, I updated and streamlined their business information across nearly 100 listing platforms. This included adding and updating their new menu! It’s easy for menus to get outdated because restaurants change dishes and pricing over time. With managed business listings, Max Dale’s and Stanwood Grill manage their business and menu information all in one place, ensuring accuracy across the internet. Plus, their Google Business Profile helps with their SEO. I optimized their profile and menu with keywords, so the website and Google Business Profile will appear in search results related to their menu items.
Freelance CMO Results
Max Dale’s new website is beautiful (if I do say so myself!). The brand photography turned out amazingly and showcases the elevated dining experience. The mobile version of their website loads quickly and offers the same experience as the desktop version. The website is optimized for SEO, and all the page speed issues were fixed.
Paid Meta Campaign Results
Max Dale’s has seen incredible results from their Meta paid ads campaigns. The goal is to bring people into the restaurant and we’ve seen exceptional performance in this area. In the first three months, they saw an average 18% increase in customers over the same month last year, with more than a 10x ROI on their monthly investment each month. Our click through rate continues to grow as we optimize our ads, hitting 3.35% in our third month, staying consistently above the industry benchmark of 2.29% CTR. These are examples of some of the first quarter ads:
Why Freelance CMO Services with Woods MarCom?
Danny and Paul knew they were ready to grow their digital infrastructure, looking for a boost in customers and revenue. And, like most business owners, they weren’t completely sure where to start. I was thrilled to partner with them to build a holistic, data-driven marketing strategy that met their unique business needs so they could focus on what they do best – creating an incredible dining experience.
To me, this is the beauty of freelance CMO services. Most small businesses don’t need a full-time marketing person. They need a marketing expert who can meet them where they are and guide them toward their specific marketing goals. When you’re ready to elevate your brand and boost your revenue, reach out to me for a discovery call. We’ll likely start with a marketing assessment to see your areas of need and start with the implementation from there. I’d love to talk to you about your marketing needs.
