Turn your first-time customers into lifetime customers with Brand Management and Effective Restaurant Marketing Campaigns. In this article, we will discuss ways to spread awareness and connect with new customers to help grow your restaurant.
As you know, the first step in building a customer relationship is the introduction. People won't dine at your restaurant if they don't know you are there. So, let's get into how you can spread the word about your restaurant to those who live in, or recently moved into the area, and those who come to visit.
Spread Awareness Online
Let's think about people who turn to the internet when they are hungry. How do you let them know who you are, where you are, and what you are cooking? Take action online to gain new customers using Local Search Engine Marketing, Review Sites and Local Directories, and Paid Digital Advertising.
Local Search Engine Optimization
Since the dawn of the internet, SEO has been this elusive, powerful, intimidating tactic of landing your business on the first page of online search results. I would share that intimidation by SEO if I had chosen a career in another industry, but for restaurants Google and other maps and directories has made local SEO actually rather simple to master. If you already have a website, the best thing you can do is to upload every menu item with descriptions to ensure that customers in the area searching for something like, "burgers near me" or "Italian near me", your menu items will likely pull you into the search results page. Another good idea is to include an event calendar for any hosted events such as Trivia Night, Karaoke Night, or a Holiday Dinner Event to include your restaurant in searches for "things to do near me". Also, don't let your site go stale, be sure to update your restaurant website as Google is looking for sites that have updated information for searchers.
To stay in front of Google searches it's important to claim your Google Business Page whether you have a website or not. When consumers search for products or services online, Google Maps offers them answers by providing a directory of businesses that offer what they are looking for based on their specific GPS location. To make sure your restaurant appears in the results of someone currently in the area, with that same search of "burgers near me" even if you don't have a website, you will need to create or claim your restaurant's Google Business Profile and upload your menu.
To maximize the effectiveness, you'll want to include details about your restaurant, post your hours of operation and include information about the customer experience that makes you so great. The more information you include, the more likely you will be to show up in local search results. Since Google's mission statement has always been to provide the best results and complete answers to those searching the internet, the best way to ensure that your restaurant appears higher in the list of local businesses, you should include photos of your menu items, upload your complete menu, engage with your existing customers by answering Google reviews and posting daily specials on your profile page.
Restaurant Listings and Directories
To appear in other searches online, consider where people tend to get information about restaurants online, social media, review sites, and 3rd party delivery services, are great places to inform new customers about your restaurant and menu selection. Create Facebook and Instagram pages for your restaurant, claim your listing on sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp, and OpenTable to name a few. Don't miss an opportunity to connect with a new customer simply because your restaurant wasn't listed on the preferred site of that customer. You don't need to manage a listing on every directory online, but what is important is that every listing confirms the same information. Take note that 123 Main Street is NOT the same as 123 Main St. for Google's web crawlers, that will appear to be different information, so stay consistent across the board.
Paid Digital Advertising
If you want to invest in your awareness campaign, online paid advertising is a great option that allows you to track results and improve your placement on search results pages. Google Ads allows you to get listed first when specific search terms or keywords are searched for. For example, a pizza shop may want to invest in pay-per-click ads to get seen when someone searches for "best pizza in (my city)". Paid Social Media ads allow you to "boost" your post so it will be seen more often and by those not already following your restaurant page. Another great option for paid digital advertising is to buy ad space where your target audience frequently visits online. For instance, if your target audience is local families, perhaps investing in ad space on the school website, youth sports organizations web page, or even partner with non-competitive local businesses for ad space on their site. To do this, you'll need to reach out to the selected business and ask if they will allow you to do so, or if they accept paid digital ads on their site.
Email Marketing
Email Marketing is an option for spreading awareness, although in my opinion, email is best used to keep your existing customers engaged and keep your restaurant on their minds. However, if you are interested in using Email Marketing for your Restaurant Awareness campaign, your first step is to secure a list of new email addresses. You can purchase a list from a broker, or you can reach out to a non-competitive local business and inquire about an email campaign exchange. What that means is you would ask a local business whose audience is the same as your target audience, if they would include information about your restaurant in their next email out to their contacts. You then put together an introductory email or a short introductory offer that they will send to their list, and you could offer to send their company information or offer to your list of email contacts. This way no money exchanges hands, but it works well for both businesses since there is no need to purchase a list at all, and both businesses extend their reach to new contacts.
Spread Awareness Offline
For a more traditional approach to spreading awareness, let's take a look at options to promote your restaurant to new customers offline and in person. Effective Awareness Campaigns for Restaurants include direct mail, event marketing, print advertising, local sponsorships and cooperative marketing campaigns.
Direct Mail Marketing
Set a radius surrounding your restaurant, for example a 5 mile radius from your address, and mail out your restaurant menu, coupons or special deals, you can even include upcoming event information to everyone in that area. This campaign comes together with ease when you use the United States Post Office direct mail service called EDDM or Every Door Direct Mail. Simply set the area, select the target demographics, create your mail piece, and then drop it off at the post office and they'll do the rest.
Event Marketing
Attract new customers by offering new experiences by hosting a trivia night, karaoke, or dinner and design crafting event. This campaign works by introducing your restaurant to new customers by connecting to specific audiences. Other events that bring in new customers include local meetup groups, antique car shows, family fun nights and motorcycle rides. Think about your target audience and what hobbies they may have and then host an event to draw them in. They'll become regular customers once they taste your menu during a special event night. If the event is a success, make it a reoccurring event that keeps customers coming back in.
Print Advertising
Print advertising works like paid digital advertising discussed above, but instead of online ad space you'll use physical ad space. Print posters for the walls or purchase ad space in a local newspaper to spread awareness about your dishes. Connect with new customers through printed advertising opportunities like Welcome Wagon advertising to new home buyers and other new residents or businesses in the area. Gain more lunch business by printing off takeout menus and dropping them off at office spaces, doctors' offices, hotels, B&B's, libraries and other places so that hungry people may visit throughout the day.
Local Sponsorships
Find your next customer and support your local community through sponsorships. There are many opportunities in your local community to show your support like athletic sponsorships, blood drives, city events and other local fundraisers. Turn to your city leaders to find out where your support is needed. Your generosity will be rewarded. Also check with your city about having food and beverage focused events, for example, a "Taste of (City)" event would feature the local restaurants in the area. Each restaurant will select a signature dish to best represent their menu to go against other restaurants. Locals will pay a cover charge that will give them a chance to try something from every restaurant in their city. It's a lot of fun and many cities already have an event like this set up.
Cooperative Marketing Campaigns
As a business owner, you know the stress that comes with running a business. Look for ways that are mutually beneficial to you and another local business and build partnerships. For example, you could reach out to the auto shop next door and offer to advertise their shop in exchange for handing out your menu to customers waiting for repairs. Look for ways to turn your neighbor's customer into your next loyal customer.
Now that you have some effective ways to find and attract new customers to your restaurant it is time to get started. I understand how busy you are, in my 20+ years of restaurant experience I learned that the hardest part of marketing any restaurant is finding the time to sit down and get started. You can do it, but if you just need someone to help you get things going or to oversee the entire marketing strategy, Savory Services can help. Reach out to me directly by calling 352-888-4838 or email me at info@savoryservices.com and I would be happy to start sending new customers to your restaurant. Savory Services is here to help you grow your restaurant.
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