Restaurant Marketing & Customer Experience Blog

86 Restaurant Marketing Ideas: How to Market a Restaurant

Written by Shannon Harper | Oct 23, 2020 9:17:48 PM

If you own a restaurant, coffee shop, bar, or any other location-based business, you're probably looking for ways to increase your revenue in 2020. According to the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s quarterly summary, the restaurant industry has lost $574 million since January.  This is a 31% decrease from 2019. The pandemic has made it a tough year. Over 80% of restaurants are turning to technology to help them run their business. These ideas can help you market your restaurant as we move towards the 2021 new year.

1. Hire a professional food photographer for your marketing. 

 

2. Answer bad reviews to show review site users that you care. 92% of consumers read restaurant reviews.

 

3. Update your Google My Business listing regularly.

 

4. Join location community Facebook groups, and share events and specials.

5. Use Instagram daily to share posts.

 

6. Use your WiFi login page to automate phone number collection for SMS campaigns.

 

 

7. Create an automated review generation campaign using your WiFi login page.

 

8. Experiment with Google Ads, or hire a professional.

 

9. Make sure your website loads quickly and is easy to read on mobile devices.

10. Advertise on Facebook.

 

11. Get to know your audience and ask them what they would like to see you do better. Putting ego aside is a great way to create improvements and wow your customers.

 

13. Automate loyalty campaigns with your WiFi marketing.

 

14. Automate birthday campaigns with your WiFi marketing.

15. Automate email collection with your WiFi marketing.

 

16. Ask customers if they are interested in ordering dessert with their meal before they make their order. This offer will increase your average revenue per customer.

 

17. Work with a delivery partner to increase delivery orders.

 

18. Recommend your highest-rated menu items to customers.

 

19. Share your safety protocols with customers to help ease their concerns during the pandemic.

 

20. Add reservation links to Google My Business.

 

22. Add online ordering to your website for pickup orders. 34% of consumers spend at least $50 per order when ordering food online.

 

23. Remind customers to log in to free WiFi for offers and to stay up-to-date.

24. Make sure your dishes are Instagram-worthy and look so good that your customers want to share photos of their meals.

 

25. Automate coupon and discount campaigns to highest-value customers using your WiFi marketing.

 

26. Automate offers to customers who are at risk of churning.

 

27. Use your automated WiFi email lists for retargeting ads on Facebook.

 

28. Show off your ingredients and nutritional information for increased transparency.

 

29. Get started blogging to increase your website's search engine ranking position.

 

30. Get influencers to post to social media by providing offers.

 

31. Share surveys to get to know what your customers think.

 

32. Use your WiFi marketing to automate anniversary offers a year after they first visited your location.

33. Create a website popup to collect customer information for email marketing.

 

34. Share behind-the-scenes facts about employees for added brand transparency.

 

35. Share cooking lesson videos on social media.

 

36. Consider PR and local news features.

 

37. Consider offering catering.

 

38. Provide family bundle packages to increase revenue per transaction.

 

39. Share fun facts about your brand.

 

40. Focus on brand consistency with interior design and ambient music.

41. Get customer feedback about your website.

 

42. Consider offering local fresh ingredients.

 

43. Make sure your menu is easy to understand.

 

44. Sit guests by windows at all times to make your restaurant appear busier and increase satisfaction rates. Everyone loves a view!

45. Regram customer photos on Instagram and tag them.

 

46. Make sure that your name, address, and phone number are correct everywhere on the internet.

 

47. Get involved in the community.

 

48. Create a business card giveaway.

 

49. Ask satisfied customers for positive reviews.

 

50. Join your local chamber of commerce.

 

51. Make sure your menu prices are right. Ask for feedback.

 

52. Create social media contests.

 

53. Create specials for restaurant holidays such as "hamburger day."

 

54. Partner with catering companies, local coffee shops, and more.

 

55. Schedule your social media posts using tools like BufferHootsuite, or SproutSocial.

 

56. Recommend popular high-value dishes.

 

57. Ask customers if they would like their drinks to-go.

 

58. Support local causes.

 

59. Optimize your unique selling points.

 

 

60. Create incentives for customers to log into WiFi and provide their email address.

 

61. Make sure your ingredients sound fresh and delicious in menu literature.

 

62. Get involved with food festivals.

 

63. Surprise loyal customers with an automated campaign for dessert on the house.

 

64. Add reservation capabilities to your Google listing and website.

 

65. Make your dishes the main focus of your website and marketing.

66. Make sure customers like the music you play.

 

67. Ask for customer feedback about your restaurant's aesthetic.

 

68. Reward your staff and share their excellent work on social.

 

69. Consider offering live music.

 

70. Keep up with popular diet trends and incorporate them into your marketing.

 

71. Offer cooking classes.

 

72. Consider subscription-based options for coffee, desserts, or drinks to keep steady revenue with low back costs.

 

73. Tell your story on your marketing collateral and website.

 

74. Consider eat-off competitions.

 

75. Offer free samples.

 

76. Create geo-targeted Facebook ads to your WiFi email list.

77. Ask customers for zip codes when they log into WiFi to ensure your email campaigns go to locals.

 

78. Focus on efficient customer experiences.

 

79. Make sure the outside of your restaurant is appealing.

 

80. Make sure your signage is easy to see from the street.

 

81. Focus on offering combos.

 

 

82. Go above and beyond your customer's expectations.

 

83. Create push notification campaigns on your website.

 

84. Create an app to showcase offers.

 

85. Ask for your customer's names on your WiFi marketing landing page for added personalization.

 

86. Integrate your WiFi marketing with Zapier to increase your reach. 

 

87. Consider offering server tablets. 68% of customers agree that the use of server tablets improve the restaurant experience

 

As we approach the end of a tough 2020, hospitality owners face tough decisions. Marketing shouldn't be one of them. With many ways to connect with customers and increase revenue, WiFi marketing is becoming increasingly important to stand out against competitors. It's increasingly difficult for restaurants to survive without the technology needed to connect with customers on their terms. WiFi marketing bridges the gap. To see how WiFi can automate your restaurant's marketing, click here to schedule a demo.