What are marketing strategies for restaurants?

Marketing strategies for restaurants are plans designed to help promote your business and sell your food. When creating a marketing strategy for a restaurant you want to look at the “four Ps”: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.

The product does not just refer to the food on the menu, but the entire establishment. When marketing a restaurant you want to establish what type of customer you’re targeting and what makes your food different from other restaurants.

There is a lot of competition in the restaurant industry, so it is important to establish what makes you different from the people down the street. To do this you have to create a specific restaurant marketing strategy that will work for your establishment.

The next category to look at when creating a marketing strategy for your restaurant is your price point. What is the average price of a meal? By answering this question you will have a better idea of who your customer is and how to get them into your restaurant.

Related: Pricing Strategy

You will also have to look at your place as a whole in order to figure out an effective marketing strategy. This takes into account the type of atmosphere you have within your establishment and the location. Both of these things also help you figure out how to target your customers so that you can bring more clients into the business.

The last thing you have to look at when establishing marketing strategies for restaurants is how you currently promote your company. By looking at your current promotions you’ll be able to figure out what is working and what might need improvement.

For example, maybe you have a really good website, but you haven’t established your social media marketing strategy yet. By looking through which promotions actually work you can figure out what you need to change and how to do it.

Why marketing strategies for restaurants are important

There are many reasons why marketing strategies for restaurants are important. The following are a few examples:

• Defines company culture and values. By having marketing strategies you are showing your customers what your company value system is and why they should want to eat at your restaurant. Establishing a connection with you customers through your values is a great way of creating loyalty which is something all restaurants want to strive for.
• Sets your target audience. When you use specific restaurant marketing strategies, you are able to figure out your target audience. This means you can spend your time and money on marketing to the correct audience.
• Helps you set and achieve goals. Having established marketing strategies for restaurants allows them to see exactly what their goals are and they will know when they’ve achieved them.
• Keeps new people coming in. Having a variety of marketing strategies for your restaurant will bring new people coming into your venue. People will be drawn into your business by different strategies, so it is important to make sure you are constantly changing how you reach your customers.

Having restaurant marketing strategies can improve business and should be seen as an important aspect of running a restaurant.

10 Marketing strategies for restaurants

Here are 10 marketing strategies for restaurants that will help increase business in your establishment.

1. Build A Brand

By building a brand you are able to make a connection to your customer base. You want to establish a point-of-view for your restaurant so that customers can connect with that and decide to try your food.

For example, your point-of-view could be that you use local, seasonal food in all your dishes. This is the type of value that customers can identify with and then decide they want to support your business. By creating a clear brand, you will find that customers have a reason to eat at your restaurant and you may be able to get new people through the doors.

Related: Employer Branding

2. Be Easy To Find

Make sure to have a well-established online presence. You want people who are visiting the area to be able to find you on places like Google Maps or Yelp, so if you haven’t already added yourself to these websites, do so.

Being easy to find will make it more likely for new customers to try your restaurant as people tend to trust businesses that they can look up. Making it easy for your customers to find you isn’t a hard thing to do and is a great restaurant marketing strategy.

3. Be Active On Social Media

Social media can be one of the best marketing tools you have. If you are trying to gain traction as a restaurant or simply looking for new customers, the best way to do this is by being as active as possible on all social media platforms.

Social media is how people find out about businesses, whether they are restaurants or clothing stores. If you have no idea how to do social media, try hiring an expert who can help drive up followers and possibly teach you how to use this tool independently.

Make sure to be on all the different platforms and post as often as possible. This will make your restaurant more visible and you may be able to gain new customers.

4. Get Reviews

Having reviews is a great way of gaining new clients. There are two main ways of doing this in the restaurant business: one is to approach food bloggers to come to try your food and the other is to get current clients to write a review on your website.

By having reviews, you are showing potential customers that they will enjoy the food, making them more likely to choose your restaurant. If you can find a local food blogger, you could possibly get a review of your food while at the same time as promoting your business. And all you’d have to do is provide a free meal.

5. Promotions

People love free things. Having coupons or a 2-for-1 deal, for example, can get people into your restaurant who appreciate lower prices. Giving people a reason to come to your establishment is key to finding new customers so having special promotional items is a smart restaurant marketing strategy.

6. Online Food Delivery And Ordering

Having a well-designed website where it is easy to order take out or deliver is key to a successful marketing strategy for restaurants.

People now expect all restaurants to have the ability to get delivery orders, so make sure that your website is user-friendly. Also, make it easy for people to get takeaway so that you do not lose out on others who have already established this feature.

This is another way of gaining new clientele as people will always be willing to try a new restaurant when the food comes to them.

7. Start A Blog

A lot of businesses have started writing blogs to get more people to their websites. By having a blog you have another way of reaching your customers as they might stumble upon your website through your writing.

One way of doing this is to offer up a few recipes from your restaurant. By including this type of blog piece, you will establish a bond with your customers and new people might be more inclined to try your food if they can also learn how to make some of your dishes.

8. Change Up Your Menu

Changing up your menu will give your existing customers a reason to come back. People want variety so by changing your menu you give them what they want and have the possibility of attracting new people to your restaurant.

This also gives you another reason to post on social media or write a new blog, all of which will help your overall restaurant marketing strategy.

9. Email Marketing Campaign

If you have an established set of customers, try starting an email marketing campaign. This is another way of promoting your business and will give people a reason to click on your website. In the email, you can give special promotions or coupons to your restaurant which will make the campaign a success.

10. Get Involved In Local Events

Attending a local farmers market or street fair is a great way of meeting new potential clients. People who have never heard of your restaurant might decide to try your food and you’ll be able to gain their loyalty while interacting with them. This marketing strategy for restaurants is a great way of finding new customers.

By using the above restaurant marketing strategies you will be able to successfully find new customers and grow your business.

Related: How to Grow Your Business