Restaurant Marketing Strategies
1. Step up your marketing - When recessionary conditions exist, many operators startcutting back on their marketing and promotion - this is a mistake. As others are cuttingback, consider expanding your marketing efforts. Take advantage of discounts being offered by printers or radio stations. Ramp up your direct marketing activities with a newsletter, birthday club promotion, or special event. Cash in on the opportunities your rivals are creating for you - while they're cutting back; increase your market presence with aggressive marketing and promotion.
2. Have multiple income streams - Don't put all your eggs in one basket. One of the advantages of being an independent restaurateur is the freedom to try and implement new ideas. Many operators have expanded their regular restaurant fare by adding catering, delivery, and banquets. Others have been successful by adding brunches or buffets, wine dinners, or special weeknight promotions.
3. Invest in tools & training - We've all heard the expression, "You've got to spend money to make money." The fact is, when you purchase a software tool or take time to attend seminars and workshops to help you run your business more efficiently; you're not
spending money, you're investing. Operators that keep their head in the sand (or stuck on the kitchen line) deprive themselves of new learning opportunities and ideas that can help them grow their business.
4. Strengthen your systems and controls - Restaurant operators and guests alike will agree that maintaining consistency is crucial to a restaurant's success. Taking into account that 60-80% of your business comes from repeat customers; it's paramount that you meet
your guests' expectations over and over. However, consistency doesn't just happen unless you have a host of systems and controls in place to ensure that the food and service you deliver is the same every time your guest visits.Do you have documented manuals and guidelines; use opening and closing checklists;have standardized recipes that are written and followed exactly; have financial controls in place to help you spot theft, know if you're profitable, and are timely? If you don't have systems in place for every aspect of your business then you are vulnerable to inconsistency.
5. Revamp your menu - As economic times change, so do consumer trends. Does your menu meet the needs or desires of your marketplace? By using a combination of menu engineering techniques and market research, savvy restaurant operators are able to continually deliver the product their guests crave. One more thing; don't be too quick to lower prices, eventually economic times will improve, and once they do costs will most likely rise as well. Alternatives to permanent price reductions are to offer periodic discounts, introduce short-term value menus, or create weekly specials that appeal to lower price points. The great thing about doing short-term promotions is that you can change them anytime you want.
6. Improve customer service - No matter how much you lower prices, increase your marketing, or promote your restaurant to draw more guests; if you don't provide your customers with an excellent guest experience you'll only succeed in more rapidly letting more people know that you don't have good customer service. In his book, Setting the Table, Danny Meyer writes, "Understanding the distinction between service and hospitality has been at the foundation of our success. Service is the technical delivery of a product. Hospitality is how the delivery of that product make its recipient feel." Now is a great time to sit down with your staff and management to review ways in making your guests feel "special".
7. Upgrade your staff - Many operators complain that they can't get good help. All too often though, restaurant owners and managers settle for "B" or "C" employees. Recessionary times typically mean that many "A" job candidates are looking for employment. If you want to be successful at improving customer service, you need to improve your staff. Review your hiring and selection process and your training programs. Increase the quality of your restaurant by increasing the quality of your restaurant staff.
1. Step up your marketing - When recessionary conditions exist, many operators startcutting back on their marketing and promotion - this is a mistake. As others are cuttingback, consider expanding your marketing efforts. Take advantage of discounts being offered by printers or radio stations. Ramp up your direct marketing activities with a newsletter, birthday club promotion, or special event. Cash in on the opportunities your rivals are creating for you - while they're cutting back; increase your market presence with aggressive marketing and promotion.
2. Have multiple income streams - Don't put all your eggs in one basket. One of the advantages of being an independent restaurateur is the freedom to try and implement new ideas. Many operators have expanded their regular restaurant fare by adding catering, delivery, and banquets. Others have been successful by adding brunches or buffets, wine dinners, or special weeknight promotions.
3. Invest in tools & training - We've all heard the expression, "You've got to spend money to make money." The fact is, when you purchase a software tool or take time to attend seminars and workshops to help you run your business more efficiently; you're not
spending money, you're investing. Operators that keep their head in the sand (or stuck on the kitchen line) deprive themselves of new learning opportunities and ideas that can help them grow their business.
4. Strengthen your systems and controls - Restaurant operators and guests alike will agree that maintaining consistency is crucial to a restaurant's success. Taking into account that 60-80% of your business comes from repeat customers; it's paramount that you meet
your guests' expectations over and over. However, consistency doesn't just happen unless you have a host of systems and controls in place to ensure that the food and service you deliver is the same every time your guest visits.Do you have documented manuals and guidelines; use opening and closing checklists;have standardized recipes that are written and followed exactly; have financial controls in place to help you spot theft, know if you're profitable, and are timely? If you don't have systems in place for every aspect of your business then you are vulnerable to inconsistency.
5. Revamp your menu - As economic times change, so do consumer trends. Does your menu meet the needs or desires of your marketplace? By using a combination of menu engineering techniques and market research, savvy restaurant operators are able to continually deliver the product their guests crave. One more thing; don't be too quick to lower prices, eventually economic times will improve, and once they do costs will most likely rise as well. Alternatives to permanent price reductions are to offer periodic discounts, introduce short-term value menus, or create weekly specials that appeal to lower price points. The great thing about doing short-term promotions is that you can change them anytime you want.
6. Improve customer service - No matter how much you lower prices, increase your marketing, or promote your restaurant to draw more guests; if you don't provide your customers with an excellent guest experience you'll only succeed in more rapidly letting more people know that you don't have good customer service. In his book, Setting the Table, Danny Meyer writes, "Understanding the distinction between service and hospitality has been at the foundation of our success. Service is the technical delivery of a product. Hospitality is how the delivery of that product make its recipient feel." Now is a great time to sit down with your staff and management to review ways in making your guests feel "special".
7. Upgrade your staff - Many operators complain that they can't get good help. All too often though, restaurant owners and managers settle for "B" or "C" employees. Recessionary times typically mean that many "A" job candidates are looking for employment. If you want to be successful at improving customer service, you need to improve your staff. Review your hiring and selection process and your training programs. Increase the quality of your restaurant by increasing the quality of your restaurant staff.
