We live in a century, where the internet plays an extremely significant role. People google everything. They type: “restaurants around me”, so your eatery has to be there! What is more, your customers will be able to leave comments and rate your business.
There are many ways to improve your numbers, gain new customers and improve the revenue of your restaurant. Whether you already own a restaurant or are about to enter this highly competitive business, we have gathered some information that might help you promote and advertise your business!
Restaurant Website
Always keep everything up-to-date. Keep your home page and all those social media channels updated. Opening hours, special events, lunch specials and most importantly – pictures! People love pictures. They want to know what the food you serve looks like and what kind of drinks and desserts you offer. People who decide to visit your business’ website need to be informed about everything that is going on at your eatery. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and has the newest menu. Let your customers know about the latest lunch specials and the food delivery that your restaurant provides. Avoid any outdated content.
Social Media
The power of social media is insanely huge. If you want to know how to successfully promote your restaurant business online, then you should definitely take advantage of the power of social media. It has become so powerful and popular, that once you own a business – you just need to get an Instagram and a Facebook account for your restaurant. You can either hire someone to run those pages for you, or you can simply do it yourself. Just remember – here you also need to keep things updated. Make sure to post new pictures, add any special offers and let your customers know about any upcoming changes or events. Social media plays a significant role when it comes to marketing. You can also collaborate with a bunch of local influencers.
What is more, try to engage your clients to tag your business or share their location while dining at your eatery. You can come up with contests – like when they share a picture and tag your restaurant – they might win a free dessert or even a gift card! You can also post pictures of your staff, some candid photos or even show off those colourful and insanely fresh-looking fruits and veggies that are about to be cooked and served to the customers.
Employees and Staff
A good atmosphere is important. If you look after your employees, they will look after your business. Teamwork is extremely important, especially in a restaurant. You want everything to run smoothly. A good team will definitely improve your revenue. Satisfied customers and their referrals are the most efficient ads! Give your employees a chance to grow and learn new things. Let them learn about those up-selling techniques. Make sure to appreciate their hard work. It all adds up to the pool of restaurant sales and marketing strategies for sure!
Restaurant Menu
Evaluate and optimise your menu. Make sure to keep it interesting. You probably know which items on the menu are more and which are less popular. Try to eliminate those dishes that are very unlikely to find their fans. Definitely keep the classic ones! Make sure to listen to your clients. You can also try the seasonal menu. Do not be afraid to experiment a bit. People tend to get bored with the same old food, so give them a chance to try something else.
Make sure your online menu is always up-to-date and let your customers know all about the online menu as well as the possibility to order online. There are plenty of people who like to check the online menu prior to their visit. Let your clients see their options and get hungry only by reading that newly adjusted and updated list of dishes your restaurant serves!
Customer Review
Online reviews and ratings play a huge role in every restaurant’s business. Be attentive. Show your clients that you care. You should always read those reviews and try to answer all of them. You can always thank your customers for a five-star review, but do not neglect those less pleasant comments. Be sure to reply in a polite manner. Ask them what you can do to provide an even better service.
Ask about their likes, dislikes and suggestions. This particular research method will collect data and you will get insights into your topic of interest. With that knowledge, you will be able to imply any changes to your restaurant, so it meets your customer’s expectations and needs. Sometimes even a bad comment might make you notice something that you have not seen before. Once people see that you really care for their needs and are willing to imply changes that they might have suggested – they will definitely want to come back to your restaurant.
You can have a local “business card” by setting up a business profile for your restaurant on Google. Customers can rate your eatery and leave comments. Google browser and Google Maps? With Google Business, your restaurant will definitely show up there. You can also add reservation links to your Google My Business account.
Good publicity is what every restaurant owner wants. Make sure your staff is well-trained, pleasant and offers impeccable customer service. Serve food that is fresh and made with good quality products. Customers will notice that and they will definitely come back for more!
Incentive and Events
If you want to increase sales in your restaurant, you should definitely take some time to come up with a bunch of discounts and coupons for your customers. Never forget about your loyal client. If you see them quite often, you can offer them a free drink every now and then. They would love that for sure. Show them that you really appreciate their visits and you wish to offer them the best service there is. You can also attract new customers to your restaurant, by giving away some coupons.
One of the marketing strategies that can help you increase sales in your restaurant is events. You should always know what is going on in the city. It is a perfect way to promote your restaurant and gain new clients. Get out there and let the people know why your restaurant is worth checking out.
The tendency of throwing parties outside of the house is on the rise. People want to find the perfect venue with some great food, so they do not have to worry about anything. If your restaurant offers those sorts of things – then you might definitely experience a boost of income! You can always exchange business cards with other businesses, like flower shops or beauty salons.
Family and Kid Friendly
Advertising and promoting your restaurant usually revolve around the quality of food and customer services. But you can stand out from the crowd. Your restaurant can be known as a kid’s friendly place. A designated area will have some toys, books and building blocks. Keep it safe and simple. Even a simple kid’s corner might do the trick. Parents will be able to eat in peace, while their little offspring will be occupied with toys and play with other kids.
Online Reservation and Loyalty Program
Another thing that should be taken into consideration? Online reservation tools. People like to make reservations, so they know for sure a table will be waiting there for them at a certain time. Make sure to give your customers that option.
What is more, you can also introduce a loyalty program. Make sure to reward your loyal customers. Loyalty systems are one of the most popular strategies to increase sales in restaurants. Encourage your customers to collect those points, so later they can exchange them for a gift card or something else. People like those kinds of things. They will be more likely to visit your eatery, because subconsciously – they will feel the urge to get more points and eventually get a reward.
Online Delivery
If you want to run a successful restaurant business, you need to offer your customers an online delivery option. It is a must. Ordering food online has become a trend, especially now, when times are a bit challenging. Partner up with delivery services and make sure your customers will get their food right on time. Food needs to be fresh and still warm!
As you can see, there are many awesome restaurant marketing ideas and tactics out there. In many cases, you can advertise your business for free. Social media will definitely help you with that. The key is to know where and when. Remember to plan ahead. A good agenda will definitely make you not forget about the upcoming events or holidays and what is more.