It’s becoming more evident that lots of people are beginning to see the enormous benefits attached to eating at a restaurant, and would, therefore, opt for a restaurant instead of home cooking. Unsurprisingly, there has also been a relative increase in the number of restaurants available. Taking a walk of 5meters-distance, you would probably see one or two restaurants along your way. As the restaurant industry becomes increasingly competitive, it’s more important than ever to harness every available means to promote your restaurant business as a restaurant keeper.
Your restaurant might have built an impressive track record, which is pretty good, but you still need to utilize more robust marketing techniques. Even if you’re confident that your restaurant is one of the best in the city or town, that’s not enough. You can still boost your sales. And if your restaurant business seems stuck, and you record daily losses, there are solutions you can apply.
Whichever state your restaurant business is present, whether the fast-selling restaurant or the stuck one, luckily, the unique ideas given here will help you to take your restaurant business to the next level. Like Pinocchio’s Italian eatery achieved a 16.7% increase in their sales, you can also enlarge your restaurant marketing. So, let’s explore the unique ideas that will help fire up your restaurant business.
1. Local Search Engine Optimization
Gone are the days when customers have to move from one place to another, searching for restaurants. In this digital age, all they need to do is make some minimal internet search, and an exhaustless list of nearby restaurants will be made available.
Therefore, if you want more business space for your restaurant, an essential step you should consider taking is making your restaurant available online locally. Consider getting your restaurant listed in a bunch of local directories such as Yelp, White Pages, Google Business, etc., engaging in local SEO. The more places you’re online, the easier it will be for prospective customers to find you. Never for once underestimate the power of local SEO, as it can increase your chances of being sighted by customers through local online searches. For effective local SEO, ensure you receive feedback, suggestions, reviews from your customers.
2. Build a Unique Website
Your website is the heart of your restaurant’s brand. Create an eye-catching and yet easy-to-navigate business website with an easy-to-read menu, featuring food items with their descriptions and nutrition information, newsletter sign box, online order button for pickup orders, etc. You can also include social media icons that link to your social media pages, including rewards, gift cards, contact location, and others.
3. Create a Social Media Presence
Social Media is an excellent platform to promote your local restaurant business. Consider using social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and others to spread the word about your new food items, recent news and positive reviews, food specials, and of course, to interact with your loyal customers.
Upload bright and enticing images of your food menu on social media so that they can represent your restaurant in the best possible way. Consider using hashtags to gain more followers and to increase your restaurant’s visibility. You can also create a Yelp account and encourage people to write reviews about your restaurant to attract more potential customers. Also, do well to handle the reported feedback, both positive and negative, in a kind and professional manner. You can use digital measurement tools like Google Analytics and Hootsuite to measure your social media success.
4. Organize Frequent Games and Contests
If you want to take in more customers for your restaurant business, you’ve to engage customers with frequent contests and games. For example, you can organize a free contest with promising rewards, asking participants to help name a new menu item, post personal photos related to your business or enter a drawing for a free meal. You can also organize outdoor games like ping pong games, table tennis, allowing customers to choose the type of games they find most suitable. Doing so will help you to connect with more people who might finally become your customers.
5. Update Your Menu Regularly
Most people don’t love eating the same type of food for extended periods or choosing from the same menu repeatedly as variety is the spice of life. Therefore, keep your list fresh with an updated look and feel to keep your customers returning. You can research and accordingly prepare the latest eats, fries, and meals to attract and keep your customers.
6. Create a Regular Email
One successful way to promote your restaurant business to the local market is via email marketing. Utilize emails to showcase new food items, discounts, and other restaurant-related news to your customers, thereby keeping your restaurant in front of your customers. Having your customers’ emails will also help you keep them updated with relevant information about your restaurant.
7. Establish a Customer Loyalty Program
If you don’t have a customer loyalty program, now’s the right time to do so. Come up with a wide range of compelling reward offerings like freebies, coupons, discounts, or exclusive promos to assure your customers of your constant love. Beyond the restaurant business, see how you lend a helping hand to interested customers to show that you have their best interests in mind. Let them feel you’re concerned about them too, and not only after their money or patronage.
8. Partner with Delivery Services
Consider partnering with delivery services to widen your marketability. As you increase your reputation, more customers who are not in your locality might decide to patronize your restaurant. Therefore, depending on your customers’ location, carefully select delivery services that will make available your services to your clients. Factors to watch out for in choosing a delivery service are the speed of the delivery service, the quality, and what have you. Of course, service enjoyed outside your restaurant will probably cost more but ensure you set considerable prices for your customers. Also, create a list of customers who might be interested in future purchases of your services.
9. Organize Engaging Local Events
Plan a promotion around a big event nearby, like a concert or festival. You can invite respected local or big-time celebrities depending on your budget to attend your event, which will possibly attract a broad audience. Doing so will help to drive your business and generate awareness about your restaurant to a much larger audience who attends the event.
10. Build an Excellent Reputation
Yeah, this is the last secret even though many restaurant keepers give it little or no consideration. Build a remarkable reputation for yourself and your business, and treat your customers with utmost respect and relevance. Consider offering quality and affordable services to your customers, and your restaurant will soon be a popular go-to for people in need of restaurants’ services.
Conclusion
The ideas given in this article will undoubtedly increase your sales and patronage but do not apply them with hasty expectations. Some of the few things they might cost are your hard work and patience, but in no time, you’ll see their excellent results. Therefore, go ahead, apply those ideas, and take your restaurant business to your dream level. It’s all yours now.
