Serving delicious food and depending on your customers to "spread the word" in an old-fashioned way is no longer enough to stay on top of the competitive restaurant business world. In this tough industry, increasing the profit margins can be a difficult task for the restaurateurs.
Most new restaurants with incredible services close down within the first year, while businesses with average food and customer services keep growing. We've looked deep into the topic and carried out research to discover why amazing restaurants fail, while average ones stay on top.
Top 5 Marketing Strategies for Restaurant Startups
It became obvious that the right marketing strategies play a vital role in the restaurant's path to success. From special menu deals to social media awareness, effective restaurant marketing strategies can boost your income, bring more customers, and form a loyal and consistent clientele. Below are the best five marketing strategies for a new restaurant business that will give you an advantage in this tough industry.
1. Discounts, Special Offers, and Events
Offering and alternating various deals and discounts might be a great strategy to start with, to spike the interest of new clients. Try different offers to get a better idea of which ones work for your business, but don't offer too many deals as it may result in a bad reputation.
Some of the special offers worth trying include holiday discounts, seasonal offers, 2 for 1 special and limited discount on the high-margin dishes. Providing coupons and offering free dishes for new subscribers or in exchange for social media posts is another tactic that can bring customers running to your restaurant.
Hosting events such as food festivals, live concerts, Illusionist Show, a masterclass from a renowned chef, Standup Comedy Night, or Karaoke Night can increase the popularity of your restaurant. Interesting event ideas always attract customers, because what can be better than enjoying a delicious dish, while participating in an event.
2. Media Coverage
Inviting journalists for the opening or restaurant critics to try your food can be your road to success. However, it's essential to identify your potential target audience before you ask for media coverage.
For example, if your potential clients will most likely be businessmen seeking formal dinner places to discuss contracts then they are likely to listen to the radio or read a newspaper in the morning. Press coverage can help you to build the first connection with your targeted customers, while a review from a critic will validate your services in their eyes.
3. Website and Blogging
Creating an informative website for your restaurant is a must if you want to appear professional and to grow big. A website is where you can show your potential customers that your restaurant is worth visiting, and how they can find it. If you don't have any experience in website creation, it would be best to hire an affordable expert in that area.
Starting a restaurant blog is a superb way of communicating and establishing a connection with your customers. The more personal relationships you build with the clients, the better is the chance of them becoming your loyal clientele.
Write about your hosted events, funny stories at work, recipes, and anything else that you think may interest your customers. It's a fantastic way of announcing new events, and deals so keep blogging.
This is an age of click-and-go. Consumers no longer want to spend time making phone calls or surfing the web to find the right information. They prefer to install a food app that will point them to the restaurant suitable for their current wants and act as simple restaurant reservation software. Eat App is an excellent example of such
reservation software. This booking app will help your customers to make a reservation and also act as an effective restaurant marketing strategy for you. EatApp will direct clients to your restaurant, while all you need to do is to register your services there. Smart and simple!
5. Social Media
It's no secret that social media dominates many aspects of our lives, with the restaurant business being no exception. If you want to be successful, taking advantage of every social media platform is crucial.
Posting professionally made attractive photos of your restaurant's food, and engaging video clips will get the orders rolling in. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and many other platforms are your keys to attracting more and more customers for your restaurant. If it's time-consuming for you or you don't know where to start, consider hiring a social media expert that knows all the latest SEO tricks.
Final Words
These restaurant marketing tips will bring your startup business to a whole new level, while your profit will continue to increase. Allow your new business to survive and thrive in this industry!
