How To Market A Restaurant

People have to eat! It’s something that is well known which is why the food service industry is one of the largest in the world. Then why do nearly half of all restaurants go out of business within the first few years of their existence? Some of them aren’t that good; some didn’t have a good strategy as far as location, execution or provide reasonable pricing. Others made the mistake of not advertising correctly and reaching their local audience.

Billboards and flyers are a good way to start but they cost money and it’s difficult to monitor their success. Dropping off menus is effective but again you are talking about a lot of time and money. The best way to get the word out there and drive people to your business is by going digital, increasing your footprint and introducing yourself to thousands of people in your area.

Time To Get Social

Social media marketing is something that every restaurant needs to do. Not only does it put your name out there but you can target people in your area by showing them the delicious food you make. Furthermore, when people visit your establishment they are able to upload pictures and videos of your food as well as tag themselves at your location. They are literally advertising to their friends and family for you and they are doing it for free. That’s why having a social media presence is so important.

Cost-Effective Email

Dropping off menus is a great way to get your name out there and if you have a flyer for a special then it’s even better. However, the cost can be great and you are trying to get people in the door without spending a fortune to make that happen. That’s why email marketing is a much more powerful tool, not just because you can reach more people in a shorter period of time, but because the cost per person reached is far less than that of anything you would pay for print. You can send out weekly reminders, updates on specials and events, as well as coupons or promotional items to get people in the door.

There is no reason that your restaurant cannot have a successful advertising campaign. Whether its email marketing or utilizing social media, getting the word out is not expensive and it’s easy. Getting people to come to your establishment may be more of a challenge but if you have great content and stick with your plan, you will see the numbers increase and everyone will start bragging online about how great the food was. Always remember, people have to eat!