Running a successful restaurant is a fine balancing act. Yes, you need to serve delicious food, but you also need a killer marketing strategy. Even if you have the best menu in town, you'll struggle to stay open if no one knows your restaurant exists. Promotion is crucial, but you don't have to stick to the traditional advertising ideas most restaurants use.
There are many creative ways to get your restaurant in front of the right people.
7 Advertising Ideas to Increase Your Restaurant Promotion
Along with advertisements in local media and direct mail campaigns, there are many other channels and strategies you can use to promote your restaurant and generate more business.
1. Create a Social Media Giveaway
One of the smartest investments you can make is in social media marketing for restaurants. On average, social media campaigns have an ROI of 250%. That means that for every $1 spent, you earn $2.50.
But if you really want to drive results, you need to do more than just post new content regularly. Consider creating a social media giveaway.
Hold a contest and offer a free meal, appetizer or big discount to the winner.
Giveaways are a great way to get people engaging with your restaurant and spreading the word about your establishment.
When creating your giveaway:
- Ask people to follow, like and comment on your post to boost engagement and exposure.
- Make sure you can afford to offer the prize.
- Consider having more than one winner or 2nd or 3rd place prizes to get more attention.
The biggest tip for giveaways is to make sure that your prize is worth the effort. Free meals are always a great choice, but if that doesn't fit the budget, try something smaller, like a free dessert or appetizer.
2. Collab with Local Influencers
One great way to improve your restaurant's public relations and promote your business is to collaborate with local influencers.
Network with micro-influencers who are in your area and have genuine connections with your audience. Think food bloggers, Instagrammers or even Facebook group admins in your neighborhood.
Offer these influencers a complimentary meal or tasting experience in exchange for their honest review.
Word-of-mouth recommendations like these feel authentic to your audience and will encourage any of their followers to drop in for a meal.
Influencer posts can create that FOMO (fear of missing out) effect that drives more people through your door to see what the hype is all about.
3. Buy Targeted Ads on Google and Facebook
Ads make up a large component of digital marketing for restaurants. They can be a powerful tool to promote your restaurant because they allow you to reach the right people at the right time.
Through Facebook Ads Manager, you can target users based on their:
- Interests
- Demographics
- Location
- Behaviors
Precision targeting is what makes these ads so successful. For example, you can target within a 5-mile radius of your restaurant, which is ideal for promoting happy hours, lunch specials and even new location openings.
Along with targeting, Facebook ads allow you to use eye-catching ad formats, such as videos, carousel ads and even events.
Google Ads can be just as effective. Choose from display ads, Google Maps integration, Search and remarketing options to reach as many locals as possible through your campaign.
4. Create a Loyalty Program
A loyalty program is a great way to boost restaurant PR and encourage customers to become regulars.
Customers are more likely to return if they know they'll be rewarded for their business.
Your program can offer the following:
- Buy 9 meals, get the 10th one for free
- Get a free dessert or appetizer on your 4th visit
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent
To drum up business on slow days, you can leverage your loyalty program to bring more people through the door. For example, you can have "double points Wednesdays" or a punch card for Happy Hour.
There are many digital platforms that can help you build your loyalty program through digital punch cards, apps and SMS/email marketing systems.
5. Build a Campaign and Promote to Members Using Email Marketing
Email marketing should play a big role in your restaurant promotion. It's one of the most effective and affordable ways to promote a restaurant.
Use it to:
- Send personalized offers, like a free birthday dessert or a discount on their next meal.
- Promote new events, specials and menu items.
- Bring back inactive customers by offering a special discount.
- Build loyalty and trust by sharing testimonials, behind-the-scenes content and more.
You can collect emails via your website, loyalty programs, your reservation system or in-store signups.
Focus on offering quality content and catchy subject lines.
6. Host Theme Nights
Sometimes, going out to eat is more about socializing than the food. People want to laugh, have a story to tell and an experience that they'll remember. Add hosting theme nights to your ideas for local marketing for restaurants, such as:
- Taco tuesdays
- Retro diner night
- Game night
- 1920s (or any era) theme night
Not sure which theme night ideas will be a hit among locals? Ask them what they would like to see you have as a theme night.
Any time you can get restaurant promotion ideas from your regulars, through surveys or online polls, it's a good idea.
7. Connect with Local Hotels and Airbnbs
Your local store marketing ideas for restaurants must include connecting with:
- Local hotels
- Motels
- Airbnbs
Why?
People book a room or rent a home on Airbnb, and when they arrive, they often want something to eat. You can be a recommended restaurant for guests by reaching out to all of the hotels, motels and Airbnbs in your area.
Ask if they would leave a flier or menu recommending your restaurant to their guests.
As part of your local marketing ideas, don't be afraid to provide a special discount code just for patrons who come from these local businesses.
Restaurants are finding new ways to attract customers and keep people coming in week after week. If you're willing to change your approach and add in some of the local marketing ideas above, you'll build a healthy list of regulars who can't wait to come to your next event or take advantage of your next deal.