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Guide to restaurant marketing: How to grow online orders

August 2, 2024
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In our digital-focused world, marketing has become a surefire way to increase sales and guarantee growth for your business. Not only can it expand your customer base; it can also ensure that your existing visitors keep coming back, guaranteeing consistent orders throughout the year. So how can you set your business apart and show you’re the place to visit?

 

What is Restaurant Marketing?

 

In short, marketing is the strategy you use to interact with your customer base, specifically online. This isn’t just a case of increasing your social media presence (though we will cover this!) – it’s addressing all the different ways of communicating with your customer, therefore growing a positive relationship.

 

Defining Your Marketing

 

Firstly, it’s vital to know some key points about your business – these can help you tailor your message and method.

 

Build a Customer Profile

 

Identifying who your current customers are, and who you would like to reach, is the first step in developing a strategy. Take regular visitors and location into account and consider who keeps coming back. It can be great to build up customer profiles here, to keep this person (or people) in mind when creating a strategy. Ask yourself if it would speak to that customer.

  • What’s the average age of your customer?
  • Are you a local find or a tourist hotspot?
  • Do you have a laid-back vibe or is your place more lively?

 

Identify Your Selling Points

 

What makes your business special? Define this and make sure you use it as much as possible when creating your marketing. Consider what you can offer people, and execute it well. Are you a seasonal-focused place? Are you great value? Essentially, what do you offer that sets you apart? Ask yourself the following questions – and make sure you apply your customer profile to this:

  • What are your specialty dishes?
  • What do customers keep coming back for?
  • Do you have any special events?

 

Location, Location, Location

 

Tailor your social and marketing presence to fit the physical location of your business. Whilst social is great, there are plenty of other fantastic ways to make the most of your location. Namely, tap into SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) to ensure you’re speaking to and appearing for the right customers. Discover how to up your SEO game here. [Link to blog post].

  • Is your Google Business Profile optimizsd and accurate?
  • Does your website utilise SEO to make sure your business comes up in organic Google searches?

 

Promotion

 

Now you’ve nailed these points, it’s time to put them into practice. With your new-found customer profiles and USPs, you will be able to identify the best way to reach your audience.

 

Social Media

 

Social is a great opportunity to reach a new audience that may not have otherwise heard of you. Instagram is the best place to start – restaurant customers love visual marketing, and curating your profile with mouth-watering content will keep people engaged and likely grow your audience. A well-maintained Instagram has the power to keep customers up-to-date, encouraging them to return.

  • Post regularly (try 4-5 times a week)
  • Include relevant hashtags
  • Encourage user-generated content of your food
  • Post stories about your restaurant
  • Repost and engage with customers

 

Email Marketing

 

This is an essential way to keep customers up-to-date with the latest news, offers and changes in your restaurant. Got a seasonal menu? Do exclusive newsletter launches. Running an unmissable offer? Send it straight to their inbox. Building up a strong newsletter database allows you to talk directly with your customer – an invaluable point of contact!

 

Push Notifications

 

Apps are an overlooked way to optimise returning customers. The ability to send offers, personalised deals, customised menu offerings and more direct to someone’s phone is a sure way to keep them coming back. You can also provide regular order updates once it has been placed, creating trust with customers.

 

Loyalty Programs

 

Reward your customers! Creating a loyalty scheme is a fantastic way to keep people coming back – it shows you value them and offers deals and discounts, encouraging people to build up orders with you.

 

Online Advertising

 

Using your knowledge of your customer, you can target those similar to ensure any marketing budget isn’t wasted. The persona profiles will help with this, but having comprehensive data on customers is key to ensuring you’re contacting the right people.

 

Delivery Leaflets

 

Keep things old-school and include leaflets in orders that have exclusive discounts. It’s just another way of getting in touch with your customer and encouraging them to order with you again.

With these tips, you’ll be able to understand your customer better, improve your restaurant marketing, and share your food with even more people.

 

Want to find out more about driving sales? Slerp can help with streamlining orders, building out customer profiles, increasing loyalty through programs, implementing apps, and so much more. Get in touch to chat about how we can help take your business to the next level.

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Slerp is an online ordering platform designed specifically for the hospitality industry.