Summary
When we approached Roy at El Tequila Salsa, he was on the fence about putting money into a new website. Like many restaurant owners, he viewed his website as little more than a digital business card—a place for customers to find his address, nothing more. His previous website developer never called him, never updated anything, & left him with a poor looking website. After 17 years of building his restaurant on the philosophy of 'being the best,' Roy realized his website didn't reflect the quality he strives for in his food, drinks, & customer service. Working together, we El Tequila Salsa's website from an outdated placeholder into a dynamic virtual representation of Roy's business—one he's confident & proud to share with customers, that integrates with his social media feed, & that serves as a true extension of his restaurant brand.
The Challenge
A Disappointing Previous Relationship
Before partnering with KickLick, Roy worked with someone local on his website, but the relationship was far from satisfactory. The previous web design company never suggested updates, never made recommendations to prevent his website from becoming outdated, & never walked him through the stats. The relationship was transactional at best, leaving Roy disconnected from his business’ online persona.
Price Concerns & Limited Perceived Value
Roy was hesitant about investing in a new website. He viewed it as an expense rather than an investment, questioning whether a website could truly deliver value beyond displaying his address & phone number. This mindset is common among business owners who haven't had the experience of a strategically & well-built website post to see the results.
The Solution
Education & Value Demonstration
Our first priority was changing Roy's perception of what a website could be. We needed to show him that a website isn't just a digital business card—it's a virtual representative of his business working 24/7.
Building a Virtual Storefront
We approached the website from the perspective of it being El Tequila Salsa’s virtual storefront—a place where they can control his narrative, showcase unique products, & give future customers a taste of what the food might taste like & what the atmosphere will feel like when they visit the restaurant.
One-on-One Support
Unlike Roy's previous experience with outdated, impersonal service, we established a hands-on, personalized partnership. We visited his restaurant multiple times, got to know his business intimately, & worked collaboratively to build something that truly represented the last 17 years he’s put into growing El Tequila Salsa.
The Results
Active Engagement & Pride
Roy now actively directs customers to his website, proudly telling them to look at pictures & explore what El Tequila Salsa offers. This marks a dramatic shift from attempting to convince customers not to visit the website & to instead reach out to him directly through his business cards.
Increased Business & Better Customer Experience
While Roy acknowledges that precise measurement is challenging, he's confident the website is driving more business through better presentation & easier navigation.
"Tony is good at looking at which way to go, depends on your ideas & what kind of business you want to present. He comes and visits. 'Where do you want to be? What do you want to do? What's your plan? What's your dream?' That makes a big difference."
Proactive Partnership vs. Passive Service
Roy's previous developer took a passive approach—getting paid without worrying about whether the website truly served the business. We took the opposite approach: proactive, engaged, & invested in El Tequila Salsa’s success.
"Yes, investing in a website is worth it because, like I say, in the world we live now these days, the more noise you make up there on different platforms, the more your name goes up & it's all about the name. We can always do commercials like TV, radio & stuff like that, but website too. Never forget about the website because that's how you Google & then your website is very active, Google will print it out as well."
- Rogelio “Roy” Romano, Owner of El Tequila Salsa