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November 1, 2024
Creating an effective marketing strategy for your restaurant involves promotions, digital marketing, ads, and customer reviews. Utilize channels like social media, email, and SMS to drive business and build loyalty.
Great food and a fun location are table stakes for your restaurant, but these features can only work their magic if your customers know about them. Consistent marketing for your restaurant business makes sure everyone knows what you’re offering—and for that, you need a plan.
Creating the right marketing mix for your restaurant doesn’t have to be stressful. With a good grasp of the basics and some research and experimentation, you can build a marketing strategy that gets more customers in the door and starts building loyalty and sales.
And while it’s true you can build many of these marketing strategies DIY, a marketing expert could also help you get great results without taking your attention away from the important work of running the restaurant.
Restaurant marketing is the strategy you use to attract customers to your restaurant and get them to become repeat visitors. It includes these tactics:
You know how excited you get when you see your order coming to the table? Good marketing can get customers just as excited to come eat with you. Pictures, video, and good content design tap into the sensory experience of your dishes.
Over 20% of marketers use immersive visual marketing as a strategy to increase the time a viewer spends on a website. For a restaurant, that means customers spending more time checking out your dishes and menu and deciding to order. While you can’t market taste and smell in print or digital, engaging video and food photos can spark customers’ interest and get them to come in.
Restaurant marketing should be nimble, keeping your online presence and offers fresh. It should be diverse as well, making sure customers find your business and social content in all the places they visit online. Some channels—like email, SMS, and direct mail—require your customers to opt in, but in turn give you instant access so you can begin building their loyalty and drive your sales.
Covering all your bases in marketing means getting your customers excited for everything your restaurant has to offer. For restaurants, The Four Ps marketing model—Product, Price, Place, and Promotion—is a helpful framework for getting your restaurant branding and vibe out there. It shows off your food, lets them know your price point, hypes your location, and guides the offers you can use to drive more business.
Here’s a breakdown of the Four Ps:
In a restaurant, “product” is everything on the menu, from appetizers and mains to the types of coffee and cocktails you offer. Prep and presentation are key here, since they play a big part in the other three Ps. Product attracts the right customers, guides how much you charge, and helps you figure out what promos your target audience might get excited about.
For instance, you wouldn’t market a Chinese restaurant in the suburbs the same way as a Michelin-starred bistro in the city. A restaurant coupon promotion works nicely for attracting customers to a casual setting, but it could actually work against the more upscale dining experience. Know your people and give them what they want and expect.
Price isn’t just a number; it’s a message. It tells your customers what to expect in terms of food presentation, service, and experience. Setting the right price means different things depending on your desired market segment and ideal customer.
For example, a mid-range restaurant balances affordability and high-quality food, giving customers the perception of value for what they spend. A high-end steakhouse will price dishes higher to align with their product and presentation.
What’s the vibe in your restaurant? How does it feel to your customers? For instance, if you run a takeout-focused pizza restaurant, you want the storefront to match those customer expectations. You can still create the right branding and vibe, but the waiting and dining areas should give customers a comfortable place to wait for a takeout order or a few small tables to serve dine-in guests having a quick bite.
People love to save a few dollars. Promotions give customers an incentive to try your restaurant or give you repeat business. There are plenty of options, and the best bets will depend on your other marketing factors like price and place.
If it makes sense for your restaurant and its vibe, you might offer happy hour deals, birthday freebies like a free meal, loyalty points, or limited-edition menus. You can also build coupons, giveaways, or gift card specials and share them through print media or Facebook ads. Promos give your customers something they want at a good price, so they’ll stop by to try out your place.
Happy customers are the heart of success in a restaurant, including your marketing. Good customer service keeps customers coming back and gets them talking for word-of-mouth promotion. Getting a customer in once is super, but encouraging them to come back again and again is where the real success starts.
And happy customers do come back often. They’ll also share their positive experiences and post rave reviews online so other customers know where to eat. Depending on where you live, there may be a restaurant on every corner—so keeping up high customer satisfaction is a big part of your success.
Restaurants rely on a few strong channels to get their marketing message out there. By working multiple channels—from social media platforms and email campaigns to in-person experiences—you can build a message that gets people in the door.
It’s not always clear what will work for different platforms or marketing methods. The tactics and channels that work for one restaurant might flop with another one. When you try different tactics and look at their impact on sales, you’ll find the marketing mix that works best for your restaurant and customer base.
SMS marketing for restaurants offers a direct and personal way to reach your customers, putting your message (literally) in the palm of their hand. With text messages, you can quickly inform your fans about daily specials, last-minute deals, or event reminders.
SMS works on instant gratification. It offers high open rates compared to other digital marketing. Plus, it's an excellent tool for building customer loyalty by making them feel part of an exclusive group with special access to offers and information.
Print promotions are the classic restaurant marketing method, and they still work. Putting out an eye-catching flier, a fun menu, and great pics of your top dishes helps you get people’s attention and give them something valuable. You can send out limited-time promotions through direct mail or even place them in local papers or guides.
Print promotions in a mailbox don’t get lost in the shuffle like online ads. An appealing print ad or menu begs you to open it up and check out what’s available.
A Google Business listing is a free profile that helps your restaurant show up across Google services, including Maps and Search. This platform lets customers find your location, view your menu, check operating hours, and read positive reviews at a glance.
Diners can also leave Google reviews to boost your ranking and attract more patrons. And Google Business lets restaurant owners post updates and special offers right on their profile to let customers know what’s happening at your restaurant.
Paid search marketing, also known as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, is a great way to reach customers through local SEO when they search for dining options. By buying keywords that line up with your restaurant’s niche (for instance, local search terms like “best Italian restaurant in [town]” or “family-friendly diners near me”), your ad will come out on top of search results.
Visibility makes it more likely locals will see your business and give it a try. Paid search pays off because it lets you set your budget, targeting, and ad placements, so you won’t break the bank. It’s useful for restaurants of all types and price points.
A restaurant’s website is its digital storefront. It’s where you showcase your online menu, show off new dishes, promote events, and let customers know how to get in touch with a phone number.
It’s an extension of your restaurant’s vibe, too. You can use it to share images of the shop, highlight online reviews, and give your customers details like your hours, address, and menu.
Your website can also help you connect with repeat customers in other ways. A good website gives customers a place to do online ordering, sign up for an email list, or opt-in for SMS messages and promos.
Social media marketing is everywhere. Because most popular social content is visual, it’s a convenient way to show off your new menu items, share your restaurant vibe, and personalize your marketing. Focus on image- and video-based social media tools like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to create excitement for potential customers:
Facebook and Instagram are perfect for sharing restaurant news and special events pages where subscribers can keep up to date and get in touch with you.
User-generated content (called UGC in marketing) and reviews are digital word-of-mouth for restaurants, and they can be powerful. Customers want delicious food and a good time. When they find an amazing spot, they want to share it.
Give customers a place to rave about your dishes or atmosphere on platforms like Yelp, Google, and Facebook. It builds social proof that can reach hundreds or thousands of other diners.
Rewarding loyalty is an ideal tactic for restaurants looking to boost customer retention and engagement. When you give back to customers to thank them for repeat business, you also boost their appreciation and value. It makes them feel good about coming back to you.
Whether it’s through points, discounts, freebies, or special member-only events, these programs make loyal customers feel valued and recognized.
Influencer marketing can be a useful strategy for restaurants that want to amplify their local presence. By partnering with local food bloggers who have a robust following on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, restaurants can tap into new customers who love food and want a new experience.
Influencers share their top restaurant pics and favorite meals through captivating posts and stories, generating authentic buzz and excitement. It’s a chance for your restaurant to appear in relatable content that resonates with an influencer’s followers, encouraging them to visit and try your dishes.
Building an email marketing list is a valuable long-term loyalty strategy. It’s a direct line to your most loyal customers’ inboxes, where you can drop the latest news, current restaurant coupons and deals, and exclusive invites.
Email is also cost-effective, so you’re not breaking the bank to reach out. It keeps your restaurant top of mind, and it can even influence a customer to order from you when they’re thinking of dinner plans.
With the right data and tools, you can track the success of your marketing efforts in your restaurant business. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as foot traffic, average order value, number of orders, and loyalty metrics give you insights into customer behavior and marketing performance.
Although online engagement numbers like website visits, social media stats, and review site ratings offer some insight, make sure they’re translating to sales numbers. Sales data, particularly related to promotions or special events, can help you determine if your restaurant marketing strategies and spending have the impact you want. With that data in hand, you can tweak your marketing, pricing, and products to ensure you’re hitting the mark with customers.
And remember, you don’t have to go it alone with marketing or metrics. Having a marketing pro in your corner can give you access to the right data and help you find ways to improve your tactics based on your KPI results.
Connecting customers with your restaurant through SMS marketing is one of the most effective ways to drive sales. With a 98% open rate, SMS can make your restaurant top of mind when it’s time to eat.
Fortunately, with Tarro, SMS marketing is easy.
Tarro marketing lets you send personalized marketing campaigns at the perfect time. It also gives you access to the data and insights that help you drive sales. With competitive pricing, Tarro helps you stay in front of your best customers and build promotions and marketing they’ll love. Learn more about Tarro Marketing.
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