As a restaurant owner, you are likely deeply involved in advertising your eatery to the masses and driving traffic. Selecting the right medium is critical when considering restaurant marketing ideas. You can’t afford to waste money on marketing strategies that don’t really make an impact on the customer base. Not only does your message need to be received and read, it should stoke some emotion or recognition in individuals and get them excited to come in and dine – or come back, as turning one-time visitors into regulars is one of the most cost-effective types of marketing available.
Right time, right message
Business 2 Community contributor George Passwater recently explained some of the elements that make an email worth opening for clients and help encourage a visit from a customer. He explained that businesses, restaurants among them, can target their messages to particular triggers to ensure their campaigns get a strong reaction. This may mean asking users their birthdays when they sign up for the list and giving them a discounted meal or free item that day, and it could have some pronounced benefits.
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- Convert at a high rate: One reason to go for the gusto with email and use targeted messages that relate to events such as birthdays is the simple fact that these are the types of appeals that turn lookers into buyers, as Passwater stated. People may feel the brand is more in touch with them and react to that connection. A discount based on the day in question certainly won’t hurt.
- Create an ambassador: Passwater used the term “brand ambassador” to describe someone who receives an effective targeted email and tells others about the experience. This is an ideal situation for you as a business leader, as your efforts to reach one repeat diner have not only brought the individual back in but also encouraged him or her to speak with friends about your restaurant. This is free, trustworthy marketing.
Reach clients anywhere
One more advantage of email is that it represents a smooth transition to mobility. People now use their phones as a catch-all gadget, and one of their prime tasks on these devices is reading email. This means email marketers have a foothold on this platform. Just how much does mobile matter? A recent Restaurant Hospitality piece pulled relevant data points from a Nielsen survey entitled Mobile Path To Purchase. It found 60 percent of individuals choosing where to eat did so entirely on their smartphones, no consulting of desktop PCs or print materials at all.
