Creative Strategies & Ideas for Restaurant Marketing

The landscape of restaurant business has been radically transformed by the advent of digital technology. No longer do restaurant owners depend on the traditional word of mouth to market their restaurants. Most restaurants I’ve walked into lately seem to be taking advantage of the digital media and mobile technology. While some of these restaurants are getting it right, majority are struggling to get their restaurants marketing strategy on track.

However, considering the fierce competition and about 60% failure rate of restaurant business, it is vital that you get your marketing strategy not just right but top notch. As a good food lover, I have carried out in-depth research on why some restaurants fail despite cooking their best, while others succeed with just average dishes. My research has revealed that succeeding at restaurant business is beyond cooking the most palatable of dishes. The success of any restaurant business bears down on its marketing strategies. In this post, I would be highlighting nine tips for restaurant marketing using effective marketing strategies.

1. Go Social

We are in the era of food porn and social media platforms are bustling with several pictures of delicacies that make the thriftiest of people spend some extra dollars. If you want the orders rolling in, then you have to take advantage of social media platforms to promote your restaurant online. I acknowledge that there are tons of social media platforms out there so here’s my advice; when it comes to food, Instagram is King, Facebook is Queen and the rest are puns. The key to going social and churning in profit is posting top-notch food pictures and video clips. If you don’t know where to start, consider hiring a social media expert to give you valuable insight.

2. Get a Website

Having a website for your restaurant business is equivalent to having a food shop in every part of the world. If you want your restaurant to grow big, then you’ve got to get a professional website. A website opens up opportunities for a much larger market of consumers. It makes it very easy for potential and even existing customers to find you. I know you’re thinking that putting up a website is lots of work but believe me, the reward is nothing compared to the work. Moreover, you could opt for hiring affordable professional website services to get the job done.

3. Bring The Contests On

Offering contests are a good way to spread the word about your restaurant. I would recommend and offline/online contest. This simply means starting a contest in your physical restaurant that customers can share online. Imagine one customer with a massive social media following uploading content related to your restaurant. Offering contest would definitely get the word about your restaurant out there.

4. Don’t Leave Out Email Marketing

Restaurant email marketing is another vital strategy to effectively marketing your restaurant. There are two ways to grow your email list; by getting customers to fill forms in-person and by getting them to fill forms online. I would suggest you pay close attention to the later because the world has gone digi-bananas! Email marketing is an efficient way to “bait” your customers and keep them coming back. Using email marketing, you can showcase new additions to your menu and other exciting offers. However, email-marketing can be tricky if not properly executed. So if you’re new to email marketing, don’t fail to consult an expert to find the best email marketing strategy for your restaurant.

5. Reach Out To Local Food Bloggers And Influencers

One of the greatest marketing strategies today is leveraging on the network of other businesses. As a restaurant owner, you can leverage on the network of local food bloggers and influencers by connecting with them and getting them to share content related to your restaurant. You can give them incentives such as free meals to get them to popularize your brand among their network.

6. Get Listed On Food Apps

Several food apps have sprung up over the years due to popular demand by consumers. No longer do consumers have to go through boring directories or surf the web for long minutes to find a suitable place to eat. All they have to do these days is install a food app that points them to the nearest restaurant. Take advantage of this wave of mobile technology by partnering with food apps to make sure that your restaurant is listed. Getting listed on these food apps ensures that you do not loose potential customers.

7. Social Paying

According to Seth Godin, “Ideas that spread win”. Many people who walk into a restaurant, do so because a friend or someone recommended that restaurant. You can tap into the power of word of mouth by employing social paying. What exactly is social paying? This simply gives customers a chance pay for their food by sharing your delicacies on their social media pages. Imagine ten customers who have a hundred followers each, sharing one of your mouth watering delicacies with their network! I guarantee that you’d get a couple of customers wanting to try those delicacies out.

8. Tap Into The Power Of Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is one of the most powerful tools for any business. Social media marketing can put your restaurant in front of thousands of potential customers. Social media marketing goes beyond just brand awareness; it also helps you gain insight into your target consumer. Social media marketing for restaurants also opens avenues for feedback from existing customers. In order to get the best out of social media marketing, it must be executed by a social media expert.

9. Mind Your Online Reputation

Nothing destroys a restaurant business like bad review. I mean who wants to visit a restaurant with a “bland food” or “dead insect” review? All your efforts online could go to waste if you don’t have a good online reputation management strategy in place. Online reputation for a restaurant would simply involve responding to customer queries in a timely manner and responding to both negative and positive reviews in a way that would portray your restaurant in good light. However, if you have no experience with online reputation management; Contact us and we will schedule a demo to present our tools & services that you will love it.

A Final Note On Effective Restaurant Marketing Strategies…

So now you been equipped with several restaurant marketing strategies to take your restaurant business to the next level. However, here are a few points you should note:

•  Online success of your restaurant is highly dependent on your offline performance; so get your offline activities right
• Don’t DIY your restaurant internet marketing. Get an expert if you want to stay at the top of your game
• Work hand in hand with a professional marketing company to ensure successful restaurant marketing.

With these marketing tips I believe you are well on your way to taking the restaurant business by storm.