The restaurant industry is arguably the most competitive spaces in the world today. Local businesses with exceptional foods don’t always survive because of larger chain restaurants in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, it’s no longer enough to just make delicious food. Now, restaurants must develop strong marketing strategies to compete with similar places. In this article, we will share 5 marketing strategies that are perfect for local restaurants to take advantage of.
Use Social Media Promotions to Market Your Restaurant
By now, we all know that social media is an essential part of any successful marketing strategy. It’s the best way to connect with your audience and create conversations surrounding your brand, your product, and the needs of your customer base. It’s also the perfect tool for any restaurant because many social media platforms prefer visual content – and there’s no better subject than food!
Use visual social media platforms – like Instagram and Facebook – to promote your restaurant and increase brand awareness. Including authentic visuals of your food will go a long way in attracting users to your brand. Some tactics that we recommend for successful social media campaigns include:
- Sharing Video Posts – On average, videos are shared 1200% more than any text or pictures on social media. This is evidenced by the rise of TikTok and the conversion of Instagram from a photo sharing app to a video sharing haven.
- Mentioning a Call to Action – No matter what platform you use, you should ALWAYS include a call to action at the end of your post. Give people a reason to take action and interact with your brand. Some good examples of this would be linking to your website or sharing your company phone number.
- Creating Post Templates – Creating consistency across your profile is crucial when it comes to social media marketing. One of the best ways to create consistency is by designing visually appealing templates and using them to attract from your target audience.
Here are a few engaging post templates we love:
Take Advantage of Email Marketing for Your Restaurant
Email marketing is another great marketing strategy for restaurant owners to take advantage of. A well-planned email is the perfect way to encourage customers to place an order at your eatery. When it comes to email marketing, it’s important to keep in mind that there are a lot of moving parts that need to play well together if you want to deliver an impactful message.
One of the most important elements of any email is obviously the content inside. Make sure to include text that persuades your target audience to visit your restaurant in person or place an order online if you are set up for that type of service. It’s also a good idea to include any relevant promotions or incentives in your email messaging.
Another important part of email marketing in the restaurant industry is timing. You want to make sure that your email messaging hits people at the perfect time of day. In most cases, we recommend sending an email to your audience approximately one hour before the meal you’re advertising. This puts the idea in people’s minds at the precise moment they start to get excited about their next meal.
Start a Customer Loyalty Program at Your Local Restaurant
No matter what kind of restaurant you own, it’s important to understand that your loyal customers are going to play a large part in the success of your business. These are the people who already know and love your product, will continue to support your brand, and will encourage other members of your target market to try your food.
With that in mind, it’s important to focus some of your marketing efforts on your loyal customers to ensure that they keep coming back to your local restaurant. One of the best ways to do this is by starting a customer loyalty program that benefits your customers when they return to your restaurant.
There are many ways to run a customer loyalty program, so it’s important that you choose one that works well with your current business model. For example, if you’re restaurant is well known for a fabulous menu item, you may want to consider a reward program that rewards returning customers with that item after so many visits. This tactic brought incredible success for one of our restaurant tenants Pinemoor Pizza.
Use Google Business Profile Manager (Google My Business) To Market Your Restaurant Online
When it comes to digital marketing for your local restaurant, Google Business Profile Manager (formally known as Googly My Business) must be a part of your plan. Nobody makes a purchasing decision anymore without first searching for the entity on Google. Your target audience will check your Google Business Profile for reviews, pictures, directions, and more. That’s why it’s so important that you spend time every week updating this profile.
We recommend that you do the following to optimize this platform for the best possible results:
- Create at least 1 post every week. You can pull content from your social media profiles to make this consistent, just as long as you submit something fresh every week.
- Upload new photos whenever possible. Ideally, you should share a new picture every week.
- Update your store hours. Make sure to include any special holiday hours or closings to show your customers that this source is reliable.
Start a Blog to Promote Your Restaurant
Last but not least, we suggest that you add a blog to your restaurant’s website. Having a blog is quite possibly the best way to increase your SEO rankings and show your target audience that you are a leader in the restaurant industry.
In terms of SEO, blogs give you plenty of opportunities for optimization. First, a blog can be filled with keyword-rich content that search engines will love. Second, search engines prioritize websites that are constantly being updated with fresh materials, and a blog is the most powerful way to do that. Third, a blog page gives you the opportunity to speak about your specific restaurant as well as the industry as a whole. This puts you in a great position to become an authority figure in your vertical.
It’s incredibly important that you have a strong marketing plan in place for your local restaurant. These tactics can have a huge impact on the success of your business and can even help you to grow exponentially if they are executed correctly. That’s why Madison Corporate Group provides each of our tenants with access to in-house marketing courtesy of Point of Action Marketing. If you are interested in relocating your restaurant to a space that is conducive to a growing business, we hope you’ll consider viewing our available properties in Glen Ellyn and Crystal Lake, Illinois. Visit our website to check them out or to fill out our contact form.
