In the ever-evolving world of restaurants, establishing effective marketing strategies is an important stepping stone to success. Whether you’re a new restaurant or a well-established entity, it’s crucial to keep your marketing as fresh as your food.

There are plenty of tried-and-tested restaurant marketing strategies. But sometimes, thinking out of the box and moving beyond Facebook and Instagram posts is a great idea. We’re going to share a few marketing strategies that can help your restaurant retain its customer base and encourage new customers to visit.

The Power of A Compelling Mission Statement

A mission statement complements your brand identity, especially when it’s a written declaration outlining your restaurant’s goals and marketing strategy. Do you intend to introduce new and exciting flavors? Are you a family-driven restaurant that emphasizes bonding?

With a well-crafted mission statement, you can explain the objectives of your restaurant to customers and other stakeholders. You can also cement its place in the market. Once you clearly define the purpose of your restaurant, customers will be more confident knowing you commit wholeheartedly to attaining objectives. It’s also an effective motivator for staff members to uphold those principles.

Finally, a mission statement is great for building credibility. It shows you look at the bigger picture and pursue key objectives that lead to growth. This is attractive to potential investors, workers, and partners because it exhibits thoughtful leadership, reputability, and authenticity.

Register Your Restaurant On Apps & Popular Food Websites

Although many patrons enjoy eating meals from restaurants, many would now rather eat them at home. In fact, since the pandemic, take-out has surged, and the online food delivery market is expected to be valued at over $106 billion by 2027.

Food apps are a popular and convenient way for customers to discover new restaurants. These apps usually select places based on the diner’s geographical location. This makes it a great marketing strategy for attracting nearby potential customers. Popular apps include DoorDash, Grubhub, UberEats, Instacart, and Seamless.

These apps and websites also allow you to showcase your restaurant in front of larger demographics. DoorDash alone can reach 94% of US diners, 80% in Australia, and 75% in Canada. By partaking, you expand your list of hungry diners, and this extra convenience may persuade customers to revisit your restaurant in person.

Reliable websites where diners can leave reviews for others to see are also a major plus. These are often the first places people visit when they want to try a new or exciting restaurant. Try platforms like Yelp, TripAdvisor, or OpenTable to encourage customer reviews.

Introduce Special Menu Items For Holidays

Some items may only be available to patrons during specific seasons or days of the year. Leverage this immediacy by briefly placing them on your menu and spreading the word on social media. This is also a great way to build social proof and increase diner excitement. Here are some examples:

• Winter – You might serve delicious roasted turkey, beef, eggnog, or ham. A hearty soup or stew with root vegetables and meat, such as beef and barley soup or chicken and dumpling stew, is also a great choice.
• Spring – It’s the season when you can serve Easter treats like eggs, ham, and bread. Those with a sweet tooth appreciate a tasty chocolate egg dessert.
• Summer – Celebrate Independence Day with American-style classics like hot dogs, barbeques, apple pies, and corn on the cob.
• Fall – Roasted dishes like turkey and cranberry sauce or pork and apple sauce are perfect for when the leaves turn. Mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, and pumpkin pie are also winners.

Engage In Email Marketing

Email marketing is a potent tool to connect with diners who’ve already told you what they’d like to hear from you. Entice customers to join your email list with various incentives and discounts. It’s a great way to update them on the latest menu items or restaurant developments.

Promo codes and other unique incentives work well for email marketing. Both are effective strategies for attracting new diners. Include links to your social media to develop more personal relationships with your diners. This allows them to learn more about your restaurant, read reviews, and get in touch with you to book a reservation. When sending offers, use customized codes so you can keep track of who uses them. Use unique barcodes, email addresses, and customer numbers.

Encourage Employee Advocacy

Restaurant staff is the lifeblood of the business. They’re also great spokespeople for your brand. Employee advocacy has become increasingly popular in the last few years, and people tend to trust employees when it comes to marketing. Encourage your team to make fun videos or take behind-the-scenes pictures to show how much they enjoy working there. Then, share them online and tag the restaurant. Or, encourage them to share your info about the restaurant on their own social profiles.

While there should be an element of spontaneity behind employee advocacy, you can also implement bonuses for staff that share your content or create their own. This incentivizes engagement and ensures everyone wins.

Offer Customers a Birthday Discount

Discounts on birthdays can be an incredible way to draw diners in and let them know you value them. Customers who come in will bring people who could become repeat customers. If you can, provide various benefits for the special day, such as free delivery.

Here are some other birthday promotional ideas to consider:

• Free dessert – This is a great way to make someone’s birthday extra sweet. Offer a slice of cake, a scoop of ice cream, or a cookie with a candle and a song.
• Free gift card – It encourages loyalty and makes people more likely to return. Provide a gift card for a certain amount or percentage off their next visit.
• Free photo – Help capture someone’s birthday memories and give them something to take home. Take a picture of the birthday boy or girl with their friends or family, and print it out or email it to them.

Conclusion

In the competitive restaurant industry landscape, finding the right marketing strategies means continued growth. Don’t be afraid to try something different and make an effort to engage with your diners to build lasting relationships.