With all of the competition today, restaurants need to find new, innovative ways to increase foot traffic. Traditional ways of attracting new customers, such as placing an ad in the newspaper or putting up a billboard, can be expensive and time-consuming. More restaurants are turning to mobile solutions for targeted, effective marketing campaigns.
How do people decide on a new restaurant to try? They start with recommendations from friends and family or look at online reviews and social media. Where do they get this information? Over 96% of Americans now own a smartphone, and these devices have become their hub for the most up-to-date information available. This is one of the reasons why restaurants need to implement a mobile marketing strategy, today, or else fall behind their competition.
Jumpstart Your Restaurant Mobile Marketing
Mobile marketing is easier and more straightforward than it seems. Best of all, you already use the technology behind it. However, if you’re new to mobile marketing, there are some things you need to learn. These simple steps will help you understand what it takes to jumpstart your restaurant mobile marketing plan.
1. Sign People Up – Keywords
People love how easy it is to text a keyword to join a loyalty program or get a coupon. It’s convenient, and the response is immediate. You’ll love how easy keywords are to set up and maintain. You want to make your keywords fun and relevant to your brand so it will be memorable.
2. Send Discounts – Text Messaging
The next best thing to a recommendation is offering a special promotion or discount for first-time customers. Direct mail has always been a good resource to lure new customers, but it also has higher recurring costs than mobile marketing. Once you have their contact information, you can text them a digital coupon.
3. Engage with Customers – Social Media
To get more followers, you need to post more, but you also need to be available for questions or show more of your personality. Posting frequently on your social media will show potential customers that you’re engaged with your followers. It also shows that you care about your reputation.
4. Nurture Loyal Customers – Email
Email is an absolute necessity for keeping in close contact with loyal customers. You can send updates on menu changes, happy hour specials, or seasonal events. Plus, email provides you the space for multiple messages and graphics that keep people engaged.
5. Get Dining Experience Feedback – Digital Surveys
To find out what people like and don’t like about your restaurant, send them a short digital survey via text or email. The results are compiled automatically in easy-to-read reports. This allows you to get back to them quickly if they had a bad experience.
6. Offer Free Services – WiFi
Free WiFi is an expectation that people have when going out to eat. They want to watch videos or post pictures while waiting for their food but don’t want to use their data to do it. Offering free WiFi will keep them connected, which keeps them happy.
Moving from Traditional to Mobile
As you can see, mobile marketing is easier and more effective than traditional marketing. To make the change to mobile marketing, you’re simply shifting time and resources away from traditional advertising. And, because mobile is automated, you’ll have more time to spend on the things that matter.