Episode 174: From Cringe Posts to Killer Growth with Bruce Irving

About this episode

In this episode, Bruce Irving discusses effective marketing strategies for restaurant owners, highlighting common mistakes and offering practical advice for growth.

Most restaurant owners think they’re doing “marketing.” But what they’re actually doing is noise. In this raw and real conversation with Bruce Irving—founder of Smart Pizza Marketing and one of the most respected voices in restaurant marketing—we pull back the curtain on what’s really holding restaurant owners back. We talk about the outdated tactics that make you look desperate, the cringe-worthy content that’s pushing guests away, and the simple moves that actually create momentum and drive growth. This isn’t another fluffy conversation about social media trends or the next shiny tool. This is a masterclass in clarity. You’ll learn: What Bruce would do if dropped into a failing pizzeria with only $1,000 and one week to save it The most common marketing mistakes that make restaurants look like amateurs How to create a brand story people actually care about—and want to follow The difference between visibility and relevance (and why most restaurant owners get this wrong) The mindset shifts required to play the long game in an industry addicted to shortcuts And just to keep it interesting—we also dive into some fun curveballs: What’s Bruce’s spirit animal? What’s the weirdest DM…

People in this episode

Host: Donald Burns

Guest: Bruce Irving

Topics covered

• restaurant marketing
• business growth
• branding
• social media
• marketing mistakes

Keywords

• restaurant owners
• marketing tactics
• brand story
• visibility
• relevance
• mindset shifts
• social media trends

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Smart Pizza Marketing

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