Today, owning a restaurant is not an easy task. There are so many competitors out there and the market is highly segmented.
You must be able to adapt to these changes by keeping up with them but also promoting your restaurant effectively to attract new business.
There are hundreds of different ways to market a restaurant, but only some succeed in generating good business.
In today’s article, we’ve listed down some of the best marketing strategies that will help you attract customers to your business.
These tactics are simple yet effective and they work every single time! So, if you haven’t tried any of them out yet, then go ahead and give them a try! They won’t let you down.
Here is a list of 10 Ways of Promoting a Restaurant
1. Customer Loyalty Program
If you want to get back an old client, you can give them something special by offering them a reward scheme. They can receive discounts or freebies if they return to your business.
You may want to read How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan before writing yours.
Make sure your reward is worth it. If you want them to come back, you could give them a free treat, or offer them a discount or special promo.
2. Maintain An Updated Website
The best way to get new clients is to make sure that your business has a strong online presence. Having a beautiful and easy-to-use site will let people know about your company and what services you provide.
Also, having special deals and discounts available through your site will encourage potential clients to visit your site. To keep your site interesting, you may also consider offering weekly promotions and contests.
You could offer deals on your website that let people click to purchase coupons. Or, you could allow them to book tables right away.
3. Customer Relationship Management
You can select to purchase top-quality CRM solutions to assist you to keep track of clients. If you’re not ready to pay out a great deal of money, you could make your own CRM. One of the very best ways is to provide customer service surveys and ask for client information.
You may also collect data about them through social media sites. Afterward, you’ll be able to produce your personal database of contacts and send out emails and texts with messages.
You can even offer your customers an incentive by asking them to sign up for a free trial account. Use it to send special deals, coupons, and other updates.
4. Online Reservation Platforms
You can add an option button to your website where customers can choose to book a spot directly. The other best solution is to work with a few booking app providers. More options mean more business.
Make sure you’re available on all the major mobile operating systems so that people can easily find you everywhere for online bookings.
With these online restaurant table reservation services, you can attract more people through their mobile app. Also, they offer additional benefits for your business by allowing them to browse your menu directly, see ratings, and get special deals.
5. Update The Menu on A Regular Basis
If most of your customer base orders burgers, then focus on creating new burger recipes. Instead of trying to create new dishes for which there aren’t enough orders, focus on creating new burger creations that people want.
Making sure that your menu changes often will help keep people coming back to your place.
Keep updating your menu regularly.
6. Partner With Food Delivery Apps & Services
You’re not just delivering meals anymore. You’re also building an audience. Connect with local restaurants to offer them the ability to sell their products online. Customers can place orders through your website and pick up their orders right at the door.
An additional benefit is that if a satisfied client order from your restaurant again, he/she will probably order again.
7. Social Media Marketing
Social media now plays an important part in marketing a local business. If customers are discussing you online, then you must make sure you are present everywhere. Whether it’s on social networks, forums, blogs, or any other website. You should also try to get involved in groups related to your industry so that you can share information and build relationships.
Use these platforms to effectively share your food special and restaurant.
Posting food images and photographs of your restaurants on a regular basis; using hashtags to attract more fans; running live competitions and games on social media, and offering special deals and regular news posts.
8. Encourage Reviews
Word of the mouth is the most powerful tool for marketers today. Positive reviews are the best for services to attract new clients. Encourage your customers to write a review about your restaurant and the dishes they ate. Other visitors can directly see the reviews, and you do not have to spend much on advertising.
If the review is negative, take note of it and monitor all social networking activity positively. Respond to any comments positively.
9. Use SEO & Keywords
You can target potential clients by using effective keyword phrases. First, you need to determine which words people are typing into Google when they’re looking for restaurants nearby. Then, you can optimize your site content so that it ranks high for those terms.
You can either use your website to improve its SEO so that it brings in customers via searches or you can pay for ads on Google to attract visitors.
You can use Google Ads if you want. It will show up whenever people type certain words into their search bar. However, you won’t be able to see who clicked on your ad until after they’ve made a purchase.
10. Coupons, Offers & Discounts
To effectively market your restaurants, you need to come up with different ways to attract new customers. Discounts are one of the best methods for attracting new customers. If you can consistently offer specials and discounts, then you’ll be able to bring in a large number of customers.
You can even sign up for websites like Groupon to offer discounts. Users can either purchase these discounts online or they can redeem them at restaurants when ordering their meals.
Even if not all of them, make sure you use Social Networking Sites (SNS) and the Internet effectively to promote your business.
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