Go Beyond The Usual Marketing Tactics

You’ve defined your restaurant’s brand, built up a social media presence, and launched some promotions. That’s a great start, but it’s also just the beginning. Let's explore some of the lesser known yet highly effective marketing strategies that will genuinely engage your audience, building a strong base of regular customers and a solid crop of new ones.

When you understand your guests’ preferences you can craft an even better experience and keep them coming back for more. Whether you’re collecting guest data through your POS system, customer comment cards, email surveys or firsthand through your servers asking for feedback, this information is gold when used the right way. With a clear picture of your guests' behaviors, wants, needs, and demographics, you can tailor experiences, offer personalized promotions, and make every visit more memorable.

Your loyal customers are your advocates. When they share their positive experiences through online reviews, social media recommendations, or word-of-mouth referrals you’re gaining the most powerful form of advertising, and it’s usually free. To keep the momentum going make sure to reward your advocates with special offers, perks, early access to new menu items, or special insider events. When you treat your loyal customers well, the returns can be tenfold.

Outside of your restaurant, social media is a powerful place to connect with your customers and gain new ones. So make sure your channels are sharing content that people are interested in and find ways to create genuine interactions. Try engaging people with live social media stories. Live content can create a stronger connection because it’s real, and it can be a lot of fun. Take your audience behind the scenes of your kitchen, introduce your staff and share real-time moments.

Positive reviews build trust and are one of the most common ways people choose a new restaurant to try. That’s why it's so important to encourage your satisfied customers to share their experiences online. Simply asking your loyal guests for a review does work, but also consider incentives like discounts or exclusive offers to turn your happy customers into your online advocates. Every good review also has the potential to turn into more social media content. Reshare their comments, take photos of happy guests or share how you rewarded them.

Wherever you can, try to add a personal touch to your marketing, something that says “we get you”. That can be a quick reply to a comment in social media or a more direct tactic like SMS marketing. Text messages feel more personal to people, so reaching customers through SMS with promotions, updates, and exclusive offers can be highly effective. Because text is a more personal channel, be sure to write your messages in a way that feels personal, too. 

Use these five strategies to build your customer base and create connections that last. Your restaurant will stay busy and your bottom line will stay healthy.