3 Marketing Lessons from the Sioux Falls Burger Battle
Have you ever eaten two dozen burgers in one month? Because I have.
My city of Sioux Falls does this thing every January called the Burger Battle, where downtown restaurants compete for the best burger in town. It’s silly, but what else do South Dakotans have to do in negative-20-degree weather?
I’ve been eating (and Instagramming) my way through the Burger Battle since 2020. While I am woefully behind pace this year — thanks to work, travel, pregnancy, moving, and having a rambunctious toddler — I’m still keeping tabs on the competition.
Now, can I somehow tie burgers into copywriting? You bet I can.
Here are three marketing lessons I’ve learned from the Sioux Falls Burger Battle.
1. Do Something Different… But Not Too Different
Last year, a s’mores burger made waves. This year, it’s a root beer float burger. Both have had polarizing reviews, but at least they’ve gotten people talking.
There’s no such thing as bad publicity, right?
Well, when you’re selling a burger — or whatever it is you sell — that’s not entirely true. Your unique product might get people in the door, but you still need to deliver a quality experience, or they aren’t coming back (for that crazy burger or anything else).
Don’t risk a lifetime customer for five minutes of fame.
2. Make It Sound Mouth Watering
You guys. There are 37 burgers in the Sioux Falls Burger Battle this year.
THIRTY-SEVEN BURGERS.
The list is so long, it took me weeks to work up the energy to read through it. When I finally did, only a few stood out — thanks to, you guessed it, the copywriting.
Some descriptions were bland, just listing the ingredients. Others were exciting, using fun phrasing and relevant adjectives to make their burgers sound sumptuous.
Take a look at the following. Which would you choose?
- “All the Toppings: Mayo, Lettuce, Pickle, Tomato, Ketchup, Mustard, Grilled Onions, Grilled Mushrooms.” (Boo, Five Guys)
- “The Flying Santo is proud to present this mouth watering hand-ground steak burger that throws tacos out of the ring and takes the belt for the month of January. The soft, fresh jalapeño-infused bun by Breadsmith is lathered with chipotle mayo. The delectable patty is topped with 2 layers of pepperjack cheese, delicious pepper bacon, our hand-made guacamole and pickled pink onions. Rounding out the burger is a thick slice of tomato and for a knockout crunch, a layer of crisp cabbage. Its sidekick is a heaping handful of crispy Mexican cartwheels seasoned with Tajin, giving them just the right punch of festive flavor.” (Bravo, Flying Santo!)
3. Rally Your Troops
You won’t win a battle without a loyal band of soldiers. People want to find brands (and burgers) they can rally behind. So give them a reason to! If you’re going to put yourself out there by launching a new offer or participating in something like the Sioux Falls Burger Battle, don’t do it half assed.
One of the best ways to build brand loyalty is to post frequently on social media — your own content and your customers’. Personally, I always get a little rush when an account I’ve tagged shares my Instagram Story to their own. Your followers feel the same way.
When you engage with someone on a personal level, they become even more willing to go to war for you.
Bottom line: Want to win the Burger Battle votes sales of potential clients? Earn ’em.
