Attract The Right Job Or Clientele:
How to Boost Your Restaurant Marketing in 2022
Note: Natalie Redman, LinkedIn, provides valuable insights on ‘How to Boost Your Restaurant Marketing in 2022, that are applicable to most industries. Natalie is a Freelance writer for many clients across multiple industries. She has two years of copywriting experience to include a wide range of experience copywriting for web pages for businesses across many industries. She’s also an owner of two blog websites and is a Youtube content creator.
For your business this year, it’s essential to know what your target customers require and how you can better your strategies for marketing effectively. Times have changed and whether you’re an existing business or you’re just about to open a new venue, it’s good to have a strategic marketing plan in place.
_________________________________________________
The Reality of Hospitality:
Boost Your Restaurant Marketing in 2022
What does hospitality look like this year? Are we going to see a repeat of the last two years? It has been difficult for many businesses in the restaurant industry as restrictions and lockdowns have resulted in:
- Wasted stock
- Uncertainty over operating hours
- Hesitation from customers about returning to social environments.
As of January 2021, there was a 65.91% year-on-year decline in consumers dining in restaurants in the U.S, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Things are looking up for this year. It seems that many of us would like to get back to eating out and enjoying a social life again. In a McKinsey survey done in May 2021, U.S consumers wanted to indulge again. 82% of Millennials making over $100,000 say they are ready to spend money on dining out.
Generally, the hospitality industry is a huge sector and is predicted to reach $796 billion in the US alone by 2027. Despite the tough times, it’s an industry that will eventually bounce back and there’s no doubt that much of society is keen to get out and help!
8 Ways to Boost Your Restaurant Marketing:
- Create your brand story
Consumers nowadays love a brand story. They want to see the personality and human side of the business. It gives them something to connect with, rather than it just being a transactional relationship.
Showing your brand’s authenticity is important because it creates trust and loyalty from existing customers. According to Stackla, they discovered 86% of consumers saw authenticity as being a key factor when deciding what brands to like and support.
For new customers who are only just coming across your company, a brand story makes you stand out. Not every restaurant or food establishment will care to share the person or people behind the name. Accordingly, think about how you can effectively tell your story. It might not be the most adventurous, but every story behind a business is interesting if you tell it right.
Sales Tip: All business benefits from a well-crafter story to building the brand.
- Use social media to promote your restaurant
Social media is a great way to advertise your restaurant. It’s worth the time and money to spend a marketing budget on social media promotion.
It’s always useful to do your research to see what platforms your audience are on as some platforms may be more effective than others. When it comes to food, photography and video content is likely to perform the best so look at visual-heavy platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Photo by Jo Sonn via Unsplash
You may also want to take advantage of working with influencers when it comes to social media. Make sure you do your research though as it can be easy to pick influencers that don’t provide much opportunity, even the ones with thousands of followers. They should align with your brand and have notable engagement with their content.
- Take some delicious food photography and videography
Food photography and videography is a great way to sell your restaurant when it comes to marketing. Having a team in-house or hiring a social media company to help out with content. It is the visuals such as food, drinks, and the venue itself will attract more patrons to your restaurant.
The visual content on your website will encourage consumers to book a reservation or ordering online. Without images, text alone will lack extra engagement and likely to appear as outdated. The same applies to the restaurant premises. Create visuals with custom poster printing to put up in the windows for the passersby to see.
Video streaming is also one of the latest media formats to increase in popularity. Thanks to platforms like Twitch, it’s paved the way for all social media platforms to implement the live-streaming feature. In fact, 63% of people between the ages of 18-34 watch live streaming content regularly.
- Set up Google My Business
There is power in utilizing Google. Google My Business is a great way to get your website to show up for those locally, nationally, and internationally on the search engine.
The system guides you for listing the necessary details such as the location of your business, email address, phone number and any photos to show off the premises. When anyone takes a look online at your business, they will see immediately a section to the right of their search page where your business will appear.
As a marketer, it’s a great way to attract the audience because it’s official and users of Google are more likely to trust it.
- Showcase an online menu
Whether you offer takeaway services or have an online shop, always offer an online menu.
Some people rely on looking at a menu before they even think about stepping foot into your premises to verify it’s a fit for their taste. A menu can sway those who are comparing your restaurant from others online.
Customers who place an order online will visit the restaurant 67% more frequently than those who don’t. That means an online menu is an integral part of the customer’s online experience with your restaurant. Ensure the menu and the sites featuring your restaurant are always up-to-date.
- Update your website
An outdated website is going to be apparent and will turn off prospective customers. Your website is the face of your brand online. It’s essential to offer that same professionalism and high-quality service to the site. One trend to consider for your website is that of cinema-style homepages. Create an experience for the customer as soon as they land on your homepage.
Human-like chatbots are often used to cater to customers who require assistance outside of opening hours and personalized content can offer a unique experience.
- Seek feedback and welcome online reviews.
Feedback should always be welcomed but a lot of businesses shy away from asking for it. Perhaps it’s for fear of getting bad press but how can you expect to improve without it?
Brace yourself, put on your big person pants and welcome online reviews. Respond in a timely fashion. Should there be a negative remark, work on providing a resolution that goes above and beyond the customer’s expectation.
Image by Henry Perks via Unsplash
To be seen doing this by other consumers is likely going to influence their decision on whether they visit your restaurant or not.
Ignoring feedback and reviews that aren’t necessarily positive ones, is only going to deter some from visiting. Do your best to build on the feedback you receive and to inspire new customers to visit regardless.
- Take advantage of email marketing.
Email marketing is a great way to reach out to your existing customers and to encourage new ones to visit your restaurant for the first time. It’s also a great place to offer exclusive discounts and freebies to customers who are loyal to the brand or who are close to making a booking. Email marketing opportunities to reach customers wherever they are in the sales funnel.
Finally, there are many ways to help your restaurant thrive by boosting your restaurant marketing in 2022.
———–
For More Insights: Visit Elinor’s Amazon Author Page
“Communicate to Attract Interest”
As the CEO of Smooth Sale, after her near-death experience, Stutz adapted the motto, “Believe, Become, Empower.”Nice Girls DO Get the Sale is an International Best-Selling and Evergreen book – among the classics; HIRED! Helped many to secure the job they desired.
Related Blog Stories:
Sales Tips: How to Boost Your Restaurant Marketing in 2022
- Create a unique story about your business to establish brand awareness.
- Research how others in your industry market their business.
- Be consistent with your marketing effort in general.
- Determine which platforms your clients use most to focus on those.
- Remain up to date on marketing trends and implement as applicable.
- Verify each new strategy complements what is already in place.
- Ask for feedback and reviews.
- Reply to all negative or positive input promptly and in a professionally friendly tone.
- Implement reasonable suggestions and monitor the results.
- Celebrate Success!
Today’s insights are provided to help you achieve the Smooth Sale!
RESOURCES FOR PERSONAL AND BUSINESS GROWTH:
Advisorpedia Publishes information to help advisors build their practice, and those having interest in the markets choose investments, and find inspiration.
BizCatalyst360 Presents a life, culture, and biz new media digest serving as a hub of creative expression and personal growth
CatCat Build your future one skill at a time.
For Book Lovers Only For Book Lovers Only introduces you, the book lover, to new and exciting authors and works of fiction and non-fiction.
GetCiara Make remote your unfair advantage.
Greg Jenkins Consulting LLC – Helping organizations realize the value of diversity to build inclusive, evolving high-performing cultures.
Growth Hackers – Helping businesses from all over the world grow with lead generation, growth marketing, conversion rate optimization, data analytics, user acquisition, retention and sales.
Inclusion Allies Coalition “Everyone is welcome here.” Learn more to train teams, and join the advocacy program.
Internet Advisor Find the internet service right for you among 2083 internet providers across 36,380 cities, plus Cellphonedeal compiles great deals on phones, plans, and prepaids to furnish you with the best options in your area.
Kred Connect with top rated influencers to learn from and grow your networks.
LinktoEXPERT “It is not who you know – it is who knows you and what your expertise can do for them plus understands the value of hiring you.”
Lotus Solution LLC Helps organizations create diversity and inclusion to ensure a fair and just workplace, through customized consulting, training, and keynote speeches.
SalesPop! Purveyors of Prosperity; how to compete against yourself to excel in your career.
Vengreso Provides easy-to-follow on-demand sales training for LinkedIn.
Vunela Provides a unique opportunity to view Videos and read articles by World Leaders.
WebTalk is the one-stop platform Build your marketplace and grow social connections.
Women’s Information Network (WIN) An education-and-event-based Global Community of Women Helping Women Worldwide Live Their Best Lives through Celebration, Self-Improvement, and Service.