[ad_1]
I’m lucky to dwell in a metropolis that has a thriving restaurant scene (it’s most recognized for its barbecue and Tex-Mex, if that offers you any trace). And whereas I don’t take into account myself a meals connoisseur by any means, I used to be a meals journalist in a previous life, so I proceed to remain on high of the most recent tales and tendencies surrounding the restaurant trade.
To do that, I observe a whole lot of eating places on social media. I additionally subscribe to their newsletters, attend their particular occasions, enter their giveaways, and join their rewards applications.
![Download Now: Free Marketing Plan Template [Get Your Copy]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/aacfe6c7-71e6-4f49-979f-76099062afa0.png)
And since my advertising and marketing mind by no means shuts off, I can’t assist however be inquisitive about these restaurant marketing strategies. How nicely do they work? Which channels do these eating places carry out greatest on? How do established eating places preserve curiosity after the grand opening buzz wears down?
To determine the solutions to those questions, I’m digging deep into restaurant advertising and marketing concepts, methods, and real-life campaigns.
Restaurant Advertising Methods That Work
I needed to get extra perception into the world of restaurant advertising and marketing, so I spoke with Rachel Ayotte, the founder and CEO of Bread and Butter, a communications company that works with hospitality shoppers.
Why do eating places of all sizes want a advertising and marketing technique? What does an efficient marketing campaign appear like today?
“In New York Metropolis alone, there are over 25,000 eating places, which might take the common individual 22 years to attempt,” shares Ayotte.
She provides, “With an enormous stock of choices and a comparatively brief time to succeed, individuals should know your restaurant not solely exists however can be someplace they wish to go.”
This is the reason having a restaurant advertising and marketing technique is crucial.
If you wish to stand out on-line and convey extra individuals into your restaurant, listed here are examples of profitable restaurant advertising and marketing methods and campaigns to take inspiration from.
Buyer-First Content material
A vital restaurant advertising and marketing technique is to focus in your prospects. This is applicable not solely to the best way you market your restaurant but additionally to the menu gadgets and merchandise you create.
One artistic instance of that is Chipotle’s restricted version Serviette Holder, which is impressed by its prospects.
Right here’s the backstory: It’s frequent for Chipotle prospects to seize a stack of napkins to retailer of their vehicles on their means out of the restaurant.
As a substitute of reprimanding its prospects for stocking up on napkins, Chipotle created a possibility for elevated model loyalty by making a branded automobile serviette holder.
As a bonus, the marketing campaign launched across the holidays, making it an ideal gifting alternative. Every serviette holder additionally got here with a present card for a free entree to encourage prospects to go to a restaurant to “restock” their serviette provide.
Chipotle’s restricted version Serviette Holder was not solely a superb customer-inspired product, however the marketing campaign was additionally an ideal instance of social listening in motion.
By taking note of their prospects’ behaviors and what they’re sharing on-line concerning the restaurant, Chipotle was in a position to create a viral second out of it.
Chipotle’s objective on social is to “meet [their] followers the place they’re,” according to Candice Beck, the restaurant’s director of social, influencers, and Web3, and this marketing campaign fully aligns with that technique.
To make use of this technique, get to know your prospects on a deep stage. Immerse your self within the platforms they spend their time on, whether or not that’s Instagram or TikTok, and make be aware of their pursuits, behaviors, and targets.
Nostalgic Advertising
To today, I can’t hear the phrases “child again ribs” and never consider Chili’s. That’s as a result of I, like many millennials, grew up listening to the long-lasting “I would like my child again ribs” jingle on TV and the radio.
Chili’s has tapped into its Y2K previous and created a number of nostalgic marketing campaigns this 12 months to focus on its now-adult millennial viewers.
The campaigns embrace a industrial that introduced again the restaurant’s well-known jingle, now sung by Boyz II Males (one other popular culture fixture of the 90s and 2000s).
Utilizing nostalgia in advertising and marketing has been a well-liked technique lately as many companies’ goal audiences are rising up. If you happen to’re a longtime restaurant, don’t be afraid to rehash the previous.
This might imply bringing again an previous menu merchandise, promoting merchandise with retro branding, and even sharing flashbacks from all through your restaurant’s historical past.
Nostalgic advertising and marketing works not solely as a result of it faucets into individuals’s reminiscences and feelings but additionally as a result of it serves as a reminder of how lengthy you’ve been round.
Social-Pushed Content material
In my expertise, eating places that prioritize social media of their advertising and marketing technique are inclined to generate a whole lot of on-line buzz.
An instance of a restaurant that creates social-driven content material is Austin-based El Arroyo. Despite the fact that El Arroyo is a Mexican restaurant, you gained’t discover any photos of meals on its Instagram.
With virtually 700K followers, the restaurant is as an alternative recognized for its real-life marquee signal that shows cheeky jokes and ideas, usually submitted by followers.
The account shares an image of its signal with a brand new message each day on Instagram.
El Arroyo has constructed a big following round its each day signal, giving its viewers one thing to stay up for seeing — and sharing — each day.
The restaurant additionally makes use of its signal to tie in present occasions or make main bulletins. For instance, when the hit Netflix present, Queer Eye, was filming in Austin, El Arroyo partnered with the forged to generate buzz.
If you wish to use social media to drive visitors to your restaurant, create one thing shareable. This may very well be a mural or an indication that folks wish to take photos of or a novel menu merchandise that may stand out within the feed.
Signature Model
After I consider a restaurant with a signature, distinct, and memorable model, the primary place that involves thoughts is Taquero Mucho.
The Austin-based restaurant is thought for utilizing the colour pink in all the pieces — from its decor to its margaritas — even the tortillas are pink.
Pink is splashed throughout its model imagery, making it unmissable on-line and in social media feeds. The colour pink usually evokes a sense of playfulness, optimism, and femininity, that are all phrases I’d use to explain Taquero Mucho.
Creating a powerful model is a good way to make your restaurant memorable, as a signature model basically markets your restaurant for you.
Model Partnerships
“Certainly one of our favourite and best advertising and marketing concepts for eating places to maximise consciousness is a partnership with a like-minded model to faucet into their viewers,” shares Ayotte.
Ayotte says this can be a low-lift means to attract on what you have already got — an important restaurant and an important menu. You’ll be able to “leverage that via one other model that shares the same ethos and has entry to prospects the restaurant may not,” she notes
An instance of a profitable partnership Ayotte’s workforce developed and executed was between the dessert model, Lady M Confections, Netflix, and Pearl Studio prematurely of the discharge of the extremely anticipated musical Over the Moon.
To celebrate the release, Woman M created a mooncake lantern. As soon as the partnership was able to be introduced, Ayotte’s workforce reached out to media and influencers to share the information, in addition to samples of the mooncake lanterns.
“The partnership was a convincing success,” Ayotte remembers. “It [resulted] in an enormous bump in gross sales for Woman M [and generated] over 1.7 million impressions and 19,804 whole social engagements.”
10 Restaurant Advertising Concepts for 2024
Based mostly on the methods above, together with extra perception from Rachel Ayotte and my private encounters with restaurant advertising and marketing that works, listed here are ten restaurant advertising and marketing concepts and greatest practices to do this 12 months and past.
1. Construct a easy but efficient web site.
Whether or not I’m looking for a restaurant close to me on Google or I’ve found a brand new place via Instagram, my subsequent step is at all times to take a look at the restaurant’s web site. Having a website for your restaurant is a necessity.
“Even when a restaurant has one of the best service and greatest meals on the earth, visitors want a technique to discover out data and join indirectly,” states Ayotte. “In our expertise designing web sites for eating places, we emphasize the necessity for repeatedly up to date, user-friendly codecs that make it simple for visitors to see the menu, hours, location, and make a reservation.”
What we like: The excellent news is you don’t must have web site growth expertise to construct an efficient web site. “Eating places don’t want a vastly advanced web site to achieve success,” says Ayotte. “A web site might be comparatively easy if designed nicely.”
2. Handle and replace your Google Enterprise Profile.
Along with their web site, one other factor I instantly check out when looking for eating places is their Google Business Profile.
Your Google Enterprise Profile is the profile that pops up on the fitting facet of the display when somebody searches for your corporation. This snapshot of your corporation creates a primary impression to searchers who wish to see what kind of meals to count on and what the environment is like.
It additionally shows data they’re almost certainly searching for straight away, akin to hours, location, and critiques.
It’s essential to maintain your profile up to date so prospects have probably the most correct and up-to-date data. Eating places that actively preserve this data get 89% extra calls, web site visits, and course requests, and 79% extra critiques, based on information from Mobile.io.
Right here’s an instance of a Google Enterprise Profile for a neighborhood pizza restaurant right here in Austin known as Via 313:
The profile contains the restaurant’s important data akin to location, hours, and cellphone quantity. Nevertheless it additionally contains issues that may assist diners make their choice, just like the menu, service choices, critiques, and loads of images.
Professional tip: You’ll be able to add your individual images to your profile in the event you don’t need it to solely function photos from buyer critiques.
3. Monitor on-line critiques.
“Individuals like to broadcast unfavourable experiences and critiques,” Ayotte states. “This may hang-out a restaurant for years.”
Whilst you can’t management what individuals write of their critiques, you’ll be able to select the way you reply. Take the time to learn and reply to each optimistic and unfavourable critiques.
Right here’s one other instance from By way of 313, the pizza store I discussed above. The restaurant takes the time to thoughtfully reply to each buyer evaluate on Google, even acknowledging their suggestions when prospects share it.
Finest for: Monitoring your restaurant’s on-line critiques isn’t solely so you’ll be able to keep on high of unfavourable critiques. It’s also possible to use buyer suggestions to enhance your restaurant service, get inspiration for brand spanking new dishes, or acquire optimistic critiques as social proof in your web site and social media posts.
4. Share UGC (user-generated content material).
For me, seeing posts created by different accounts and prospects helps persuade me to attempt a restaurant. That is known as user-generated content material, or UGC.
UGC establishes social proof, which is the idea that prospects are influenced by different prospects’ experiences, conduct, and suggestions.
For instance, the Reel under was created by a meals influencer sharing their expertise on the New Orleans-based restaurant Willa Jean (which, by the best way, I can affirm is a superb brunch spot within the metropolis!).
The restaurant shared the video by itself web page to amplify the influencer’s optimistic suggestion.
What we like: Not solely does UGC present social proof on your restaurant, nevertheless it additionally provides you loads of content material to share, so that you by no means run out of issues to submit.
5. Be part of a reservation platform.
If you wish to get prospects within the door, it’s important to make it simple for them to come back. This usually means assembly them the place they’re, which, within the case of upscale eating, is on the reservation platforms.
Reservation platforms like Resy or Tock are nice channels for eating places to extend their discoverability and get in entrance of latest prospects.
On the shopper facet, these platforms are handy. Reserving platforms usually curate eating places for purchasers, organizing them into classes akin to “High Rated” or “Finest Brunches” so individuals can navigate their choices higher.
Resy, as an example, even has a class known as “E book Tonight” that shows openings for last-minute reservations.
Professional tip: If you happen to supply reservations or group eating, make it simple on your prospects to e-book a desk by including a reservation web page or plugin in your web site.
6. Have interaction prospects immediately with e-mail advertising and marketing.
In 2023, I had considered one of my most memorable eating experiences at Bar Marilou in New Orleans. From the library-inspired inside design to the mouth-watering bites and flavorful drinks, the expertise has caught with me for practically a 12 months.
So, in fact, anytime I see the identify “Bar Marilou” pop up in my inbox, I instantly open the e-mail simply to be reminded of my magical expertise.
That is the ability of e-mail advertising and marketing. When completed proper, emails can be utilized to extend buyer loyalty and function a reminder of your story, your menu, or your occasions. E mail is a technique to attain your prospects immediately, whereas social media posts can get misplaced in a sea of content material.
Bar Marilou solely sends out emails as soon as a month (generally much less) to share upcoming occasions or updates. This cadence is sufficient for me since I don’t even dwell in the identical metropolis and may’t simply drop in each time I would like.
Nonetheless, you probably have sufficient information in your prospects, you would ship extra personalised emails relying on their places, demographic, and eating historical past with you. For example, if you realize your prospects’ birthdays, you’ll be able to ship them rewards to redeem on their particular days.
Finest for: If you wish to talk essential data or share upcoming occasions along with your prospects, e-mail advertising and marketing generally is a extra direct channel than social media.
7. Create shareable moments.
Shareable content material is essential to succeeding on social media. While you create content material that pulls and resonates with individuals, they’re extra more likely to share it and allow you to improve your restaurant’s on-line attain.
There are a number of methods to create moments or content material that folks wish to share. A method is to make your dishes Instagram-worthy so prospects are compelled to take photos and share them.
Right here’s one other instance from the pink restaurant, Taquero Mucho, I discussed earlier. The restaurant creates a enjoyable new drink each month and shares it on Instagram. This one aligned with the Barbie film that premiered final summer time.
One other means is to design your restaurant in a means that’s share-worthy by creating an Instagrammable spot inside or exterior of your area, like a mural.
8. Begin a loyalty or rewards program.
Everybody loves free stuff. A rewards program generally is a enjoyable technique to encourage prospects to grow to be frequent guests to earn free meals and drinks.
McDonald’s gives an important instance of execute a rewards program. To encourage individuals to make use of its app, McDonald’s gives prospects free massive fries once they make a purchase order.
The extra orders you make within the app, the extra factors you get and may use in the direction of future orders.
However you don’t must have a flowery app or be a big restaurant chain like McDonald’s to start out a loyalty program.
My native espresso store, Sorrento’s Coffee, gives a rewards program that’s arrange via its POS system, Square.
Each time you purchase a drink, you get factors. 140 factors get you one free drink. (Which jogs my memory — seems to be like I’ve a free espresso or two ready for me!).
Finest for: Loyalty applications are supposed to reward frequent prospects. In my expertise, the rewards applications I’ve been almost certainly to take part in are locations that I already frequent.
These applications work nice with espresso outlets or lunch spots in a busy workplace space — wherever the place you’re more likely to see the identical prospects frequently.
9. Create branded merchandise.
Creating bodily merchandise or branded merchandise is a good way to let your prospects do your advertising and marketing for you.
Just like the Chipotle marketing campaign I shared above, branded merchandise is a superb advertising and marketing concept for eating places with a loyal buyer base. The important thing to creating branded merchandise is to create a product that not solely displays your model however can be one thing your prospects would get pleasure from.
For instance, El Arroyo, the restaurant with the well-known marquee signal, additionally gives a full line of merchandise that’s synonymous with its signal. The cheeky nature of the signal lends itself nicely to different gift-type gadgets like doormats, coasters, and taking part in playing cards, just like the merchandise under.
What we like: Branded merchandise is a good way to encourage prospects to advertise your model for you and improve word-of-mouth.
10. Associate with comparable manufacturers.
As Ayotte talked about earlier when speaking about restaurant advertising and marketing methods, model partnerships are an efficient technique to amplify your model by getting it in entrance of latest audiences.
To get probably the most out of your model partnership, accomplice with a model that has a distinct but like-minded viewers. It doesn’t even should be one other restaurant or meals model. The objective is to be launched to a brand new viewers that may profit from or get pleasure from your product.
For example, in the event you’re a small native restaurant that simply opened in your city’s primary road, you would accomplice with different small companies on the block for an in-person occasion or a social media giveaway.
Professional tip: Model partnerships ought to be mutually helpful. Take into account what the opposite occasion will obtain in return for partnering with you if you make your pitch.
What I Realized About Restaurant Advertising
The most important factor I’ve realized from digging into totally different restaurant campaigns and methods is that there’s a ton of room to be artistic with restaurant advertising and marketing.
There’s no proper or incorrect means. Eating places can incorporate tendencies of their social posts or persist with publishing high-quality photos of their dishes. They will attempt to get in entrance of latest audiences by partnering with comparable manufacturers, or they will construct loyalty with present prospects via e-mail advertising and marketing.
The important factor your restaurant must succeed is a web site with the next key data:
- Menu
- Hours
- Location
- Cellphone quantity
- E mail
- Reservations (if relevant)
The most effective restaurant advertising and marketing technique is to grasp your model and your prospects. From there, you’ll be able to experiment with totally different on-line and in-person channels to execute your imaginative and prescient and convey extra individuals into your restaurant for years to come back.
[ad_2]
