Week 19 - Thursday
Thursday was marginally better. Thirty sales, though the open sale had finished, so its reverted back to $16 for the chicken and chips. Crucially, Theo recognized at least four faces from Wednesday among the customers. Repeat business, already. A vital sign. He saw one of them talking animatedly to a friend as they left, pointing back towards the shop. Word-of-mouth was starting, slowly. But thirty sales still felt painfully slow. He needed to accelerate awareness, capitalize on the superior product before the opening special ended. He needed… marketing. Digital marketing. Algorithms. Social media buzz.
He thought immediately of Sarah. Her expertise was exactly what he needed. But could he ask her for professional help, even informal advice, without revealing too much or complicating their nascent, tentative connection? He debated internally. The risk felt manageable, especially now. He could frame it as helping out a new small business owner.
He pulled out his phone during a lull.
Theo: Hey Sarah. Quick question for the Meta marketing guru ;) Doing some consulting for a small local business that just reopened (takeaway joint). Food's great now but nobody knows they exist. Any quick tips for generating local buzz on social media without spending a fortune?
He waited, watching the screen. Her reply came a few minutes later.
Sarah: Hey! Ooh, consulting, nice! Local buzz... yeah, totally doable. Hyperlocal targeting on FB/Insta, engaging visuals (food pics!), maybe a small influencer outreach if they have budget? Depends on their demo. Happy to chat more if you want specifics! Lemme know :)
Theo smiled faintly. Predictably helpful. Time to reel her in, gently.
Theo: Actually, yeah, that would be great. Might be easier to show you. Any chance you could swing by the place itself tomorrow afternoon? Say, around 2? It's called Maria's Charcoal Chicken. I can grab you some food for your trouble. Need to pick your brain on the tech/marketing side.
Sarah: Maria's? That place near the old cinemas? Heard it went downhill HARD lol. But sure, I can take a late lunch break around 2 tomorrow. Free food + talking strategy sounds way better than my actual job! 😉 See ya then!
Perfect. She knew the place, knew its bad reputation. Which would make the contrast even more effective.
Week 19 - Friday
Friday brought another thirty sales, the slow but steady trickle continuing. Theo prepped, served, cleaned, the rhythm becoming slightly more familiar, less panic-inducing. He kept glancing at the clock, waiting for 2 PM.
Sarah walked in exactly on time, looking around the clean but basic shop with open curiosity. She spotted Theo behind the counter, wearing a plain black apron over his shirt. Her eyes widened in comical shock.
"Wait… Theo? You're working here?" Then, comprehension dawned. "Oh my god. You didn't just consult for this place… you bought it, didn't you?!"
Theo offered a small, wry smile. "Guilty as charged. Took ownership last week. Under new management, as the sign says."
Sarah stared at him, then around the shop again, a whirlwind of expressions crossing her face, surprise, amusement, confusion. "But… Maria's? Seriously? Theo, no offense, but this place has the worst reputation online lately! People actively warn friends away! Jono, the previous owner… total disaster zone from what I heard."
"Heard the same," Theo admitted calmly. "Which is why I got it cheap. And why I believe there's an opportunity. Here," he gestured towards the rotisserie, pulling out a perfectly cooked chicken quarter and quickly plating it with a fresh batch of golden, crispy chips. "On the house. Tell me if the rumours are still true."
Sarah hesitated for only a second before her curiosity won out. She took the offered fork, speared a piece of chicken, examined it, then took a bite. Her reaction mirrored the couple from Wednesday, initial caution, then widening eyes, then an audible sound of pure pleasure. "Okay… what?" She took another bite, faster this time. "This is… this is incredible! Juicy, perfectly seasoned… And these chips!" She popped one in her mouth. "Crispy, fluffy… Okay, how?! This is literally the opposite of every recent review!"
"New management," Theo repeated simply, letting the food speak for itself. "Using better ingredients," (a small lie, the ingredients were standard, the tools were enhanced), "paying attention to detail."
Sarah was already pulling out her phone, snapping pictures of the food. "Right, okay, new plan," she declared, slipping effortlessly into problem-solver mode. "Forget consulting fees, I'm doing this for the good of chicken lovers everywhere! This place needs emergency digital PR!"
For the next hour, Theo watched, fascinated, as Sarah worked her magic. She wasn't just posting pictures, she was crafting narratives. She targeted local foodie Facebook groups, using specific keywords and geotags. She created visually appealing Instagram stories, using filters that made the chicken look even more succulent, adding polls ("Best charcoal chicken comeback? 🔥"). She found the negative Instagram post Theo's disappointed customer had mentioned and added a targeted comment ("Under new management now & it's AMAZING! You HAVE to try it again!"). She explained to Theo how timing posts for peak engagement, using relevant local hashtags (#SuburbanEats, #BestChickenLocal), and encouraging user interaction could manipulate the platform algorithms to maximize visibility within their specific neighbourhood demographic. It was a masterclass in guerilla digital marketing, executed with blinding speed and intuitive skill.
"Okay," she finally said, putting her phone down. "That should start generating some buzz. Might take a day or two for the algorithms to pick it up properly, but it's a start. You need consistent posting, maybe a proper Instagram account for the shop…" She trailed off, looking at him expectantly.
"Sarah, that was… amazing," Theo said, genuinely impressed. "Thank you. Seriously. I owe you."
"Consider it a down payment on future amazing chicken," she grinned. "Just keep cooking like this, and people will come back." She gathered her things. "Gotta run back to the Meta salt mines. But hey, let me know how it goes! And seriously, Theo… buying a chicken shop? Unexpected!" She winked and walked out, leaving Theo feeling a strange mix of gratitude and calculation. Her skills were undeniable.