Back Behind every successful restaurant business is a strong foundation of loyal customers. Focus on keeping your customers happy and everything else will fall into place. Target the right set of customers and complement an effective restaurant marketing plan which has the right set of marketing strategies. Just like how every customer is unique, so are the restaurants. So choose marketing tools and strategies that suit your business model and long-term goals. Below given are the top marketing strategies for restaurants, that are sure to take your business to the next level. Let’s dive right into it!
1. Revamp your website
Now that you have decided to give your company a good makeover, the best place to start is on your very own website. Optimize the content in it by focusing more on the keywords that can bring in the right set of customers. Also, make the browsing experience seamless by reducing the loading time and introducing better navigation. Let the marketing strategy for the restaurant start with an increase in the traffic flow to your website.
2. Get noticed through GMB
If your restaurant is not yet created a presence for your restaurant in Google, then it is high time that you do. No restaurant marketing plan can be complete without Google My Business on the list. It is an absolutely free service and all you have to do is enter the basic details of your restaurant in the space provided. There is also a reservation option available that allows your customers to make online reservations with your restaurant. Now every time someone searches for your restaurant or the cuisine that you provide, Google will make sure that the details of your restaurant pop up!
3. Go Touchless
Ever since the pandemic, everyone is trying to maintain as low contact with the outer world as possible, in the physical sense. This is exactly why you should provide this very service to your customers by giving them an option to go completely touchless. The menus, ordering system, and even delivery of the food can be made touchless and completely online. If you are looking for restaurant marketing ideas in 2022, then it would be wise to add this one to your list.
4. Remarketing is the way to go
One of the hardest things any service provider faces is the retention of customers. We all know how expensive it is to attract new customers, so it makes retaining the existing customers even more important. This is where remarketing comes in. The data that you have about the customers who have once visited your store can be used to send targeted advertisements through Facebook and Google. This forms the jist of remarketing. You approach your existing customers and use marketing tools to make sure that they do come back. Make sure to add this into your restaurant marketing framework.
5. Good old Email Marketing
Amidst the latest tools and state-of-the-art tech that helps you gain more visibility, make sure to give the good old email marketing a visit. Even with all the newest marketing tools coming in, Email marketing has managed to stand the test of time and remains one of the favorite marketing strategy for bar and restaurant to date. Collect the contact information of your customers and send out newsletters on a monthly basis. You can also let the customers know of the promotions and sales going on through emails. It is absolutely cost-effective as there are no upfront costs or overheads associated with it.
6. Make your online menu visible
If your restaurant is able to take orders online that would be a complete game-changer. Not only would it save you the trouble of hiring extra workers to handle the phone calls and orders, but customers also tend to order more food online than when they are actually at the restaurant. The key is to invest in a good restaurant order management system, which takes care of the basic needs without overwhelming you with reports, analytics, and tons of subsidiary features. If you are looking for a simple and efficient order management system, then give Foaps a try. It is a cost-effective restaurant order management system that takes away the hardship of managing orders online.
7. User-Generated Content is your holy grail
Make your customers turn into your very own cheerleaders by focusing on User-Generated Content (UGC). Aks the customers to share pictures and videos of them enjoying the food at your restaurant on their social media and this will take the sales of your restaurant to the next level. It has a high rate of authenticity and reliability.
8. Bring back the lost customers
Ever had an experience of customers not returning to your restaurant? Then maybe it’s time you focus on how to bring them back. If you notice that a customer is churning, it’s time to send in a personalized email highlighting the latest offers and special discounts for the customer if they make a purchase now. Compared to the hardship your marketing team has to go through in finding new customers, this strategy is much easier and cost-effective.
9. Ratings and reviews are your best friend
Ratings and reviews form the face of your restaurant business. It makes the first impression on the customers, so make sure to keep it a positive one. Ask your customers to give a good rating to your website on platforms like Google My Business and social media platforms. This small step will take your business a long way.
10. Introduce customer loyalty programs
The role that customers play when it comes to the success of your restaurant business is monumental. This is why it is important to give a dedicated section of your restaurant marketing plan to customer retention. One of the effective ways to make customers stay is by introducing customer loyalty programs. Mere discounts and offers are not enough to convert a casual customer into a loyal one. Make your customers feel special and provide them long-term benefits through viable marketing practices to make the loyalty program an effective one.
11. Organic social media traffic
There are an overwhelming number of social media platforms available today and most of them have adapted to the rising needs of the customers. The restaurant owners can create an online social media presence and direct the customers to their website here. There are social media platforms that offer ‘Order Now’ options which enable the customers to make orders right then and then. Make sure to put to use this effective marketing tool.
12. Word-of-mouth marketing is still gold
When it comes to the restaurant industry, nothing beats the reliability of word-of-mouth marketing. Most of us still ask the opinion of our friends and family when it comes to choosing a decent place to eat out. So make sure to give a great experience to your customers when they visit your restaurant. Try unique ideas like giving away free merchandise from your restaurant to make the experience even more memorable and personalized.
Conclusion
Small tweaks to your marketing strategy for restaurant can go a long way. Make it a priority to incorporate at least two to three of the marketing strategies into your restaurant marketing plan and positive results are guaranteed. In today’s digital world, standing out from the competition has become the biggest priority. One of the easiest ways to do so is by building a competitive edge by creating unique and catchy marketing ideas to grab the attention of your customers. So start small and take it one step at a time. You will soon have your very own niche in the restaurant industry.