Jim ‘N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q – Influencer Relations
Since its founding in 1985, Jim ‘N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q (Jim ‘N Nick’s) has mastered the art of slow-cooked, hickory-smoked barbecue with scratch-made trimmings. Focused on its local communities, the brand believes guests deserve a place to unwind and reconnect with family and friends. Jim ‘N Nick’s has a solid fan base and social media following, but there is always room for growth. REED was engaged in continuing to increase traffic to the local favorite restaurant in the Atlanta, Birmingham, Chattanooga and Nashville markets. REED utilized local micro and macro-influencers to share first-hand experiences and educate locals on Jim ‘N Nick’s new quick-casual dining style.
Insight
Strategic influencer partnerships are ideal for creating brand awareness in local communities.
Strategy
Engage the local community by hosting hyperlocal influencers and highlighting timely restaurant promotions.
Activation
By leveraging existing relationships and creating new ones, REED targeted hyperlocal influencers in markets the client identified as priorities.
To secure in-kind partnerships, REED sent tailored invitations to influencers, inviting them to the restaurant, and Jim ‘N Nick’s provided e-gift cards for influencers to use to cover the cost of a meal for them and one guest. Each influencer was provided with visit details and suggested talking points, which were updated regularly to complement promotions and timely initiatives at the restaurant.
REED also implemented ongoing, long-term influencer partnerships for Jim ‘N Nick’s to increase brand trust among followers, target larger markets and secure more frequent social coverage.
Results
REED exceeded the client’s goals and secured 38 influencer partnerships from January to December 2023, almost doubling the number of influencer partnerships from 2022. The influencer partnerships resulted in over 6.9 million social media impressions from 112 pieces of content shared in 11 markets.