In addition to making great food and offering amazing service, there are several things you can do to get the word out about your restaurant. Here are a few ideas to help you get started.
- Use social media to showcase your menu and specials.
You know social media is important for businesses. Spreading reviews, information, promotions, menus, and more can easily be done with a solid social media following. Taking advantage of these platforms can increase your brand visibility and increase orders.
- Encourage – and leverage – customer reviews.
Customer reviews should mean everything to your business. Most people consult reviews now before making a purchase decision, so all the positive reviews you can collect are valuable for getting the word out. New customers will see reviews and make a lot of their decisions based on what they read, so it’s important for you to put effort into getting and using customer reviews.
- Collaborate with local influencers.
Every location has influencers, whether famous athletes, actors, politicians, or just local well-liked people. Asking them to help you market your restaurant is a great way to take advantage of their sphere of influence to increase your restaurant’s popularity and reputation. Don’t be afraid to reach out!
- Make sure your website is fully functional and optimized for mobile.
You need a website to showcase your menu, hours of operation, and address, at the very least. More importantly, since a majority of traffic on restaurant websites now comes from smartphones, you need to make sure your website looks good and functions well on mobile devices.
- Host or sponsor local fundraising events.
Getting involved in the community is a great way to build brand loyalty. Whether sponsoring a school event or hosting a local charity’s fundraiser, your restaurant will benefit from the uptick in positive sentiment that support for local events always offers.
- Implement a customer loyalty program.
Rewarding your regulars is a great way to keep people coming back. Knowing they’re earning points or rewards by eating food they already know they like often encourages patrons to choose businesses with a loyalty program over those without. This can also increase word-of-mouth referrals. Rewards can be discounts, freebies, exclusive deals, or anything else that makes sense for your particular restaurant and location.
- Collaborate with neighboring businesses to cross-promote.
Don’t be afraid to partner up with other local businesses to cross-promote and help each other out. Team up with local florists, service stations, mechanics, book shops, farmers markets, craft stores, or whatever else happens to be nearby. You’ll get the word out about your restaurant to their customers and vice versa, so both companies win. It’s an easy way to not only show solidarity in supporting local businesses, but to benefit from an audience that may not have seen your restaurant otherwise.
- Create a unique dining experience.
Ensure the atmosphere fits the food vibe in your restaurant. Colors, flooring, decorations, dishes, and music all play a very important role in creating an ambiance that can attract guests and positive reviews. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to this; you may have to experiment to find out what works best for you.
- Offer seasonal or special promotions.
Changing up your menu every so often – not all the time – is a great way to keep people coming back. A new or limited time dish can build intrigue and encourage customers to drop in and get a meal.
- Use visual storytelling.
The photos on your website, app, or social media account that showcase your menu items are important. It’s worth taking the time to get the right lighting and angle, because those images are what will sell your food. Also, when posting pictures of people, always be sure they’re smiling!
Remember, restaurant marketing is all about creativity, building relationships, and providing exceptional experiences for your diners. Using these tips can help you drive more foot traffic, increase online orders, and, best of all, boost your restaurant’s overall success.
Interested in how Reachify can help you do these things? Find out here.
