Hey BuzzHeads, I am not a restaurant owner but I see a few mistakes my favorite eateries are making that if corrected might help them survive. These are a few of my thoughts as an online marketer, branding guy and restaurant customer. Hopefully a few of these ideas can help every eatery gain an extra customer or two.
COVID-19 has really hit the restaurant business harder than anything we’ve ever experienced. Unfortunately local eateries were the first businesses to get hit by the virus restrictions. The loss of dine-in eating has pretty much crippled the entire industry.
Restaurants can survive using drive thru windows, curbside services and take out options. To keep the doors open and not experience a loss every month restaurateurs will need to step up their marketing efforts and adjust to the changing market.
Give these tips a try and see if you can boost your sales and customer counts.
1. Don’t close! If at all possible cut hours, cut staff, turn down the utilities but do not close! As long as your doors are open you’ll be ahead of the game. I promise you people are wanting places to eat out and they will eventually be looking for variety. If you’re not in the game they can’t give you their money. BUT! Be sure you can handle take out ordering. If you are understaffed and irritate your customers you take a chance of losing them. Don’t lose customers!
2. Perform an online presence check. Do you have a website? Do you have a Facebook page? Do you have an Instagram account? You’ve got to have a website! Go grab a free one if you have to but get your name, address and phone number online! Update your social media with your hours and your ordering options. Try to offer drive-thru if possible and if not curbside. You should also look for ways of offering delivery.
3. Is your menu easy to find? Most people will not have your menu memorized. Get your current menu online ASAP. Having the menu on your website is best but you can also add it your Facebook page. Look into online ordering options if possible. Be sure your phone number and ordering instructions are part of your menu. Make ordering so easy a child can figure it out. Hand out cheap printed menus with each order.
4. Post as much as you can! If you’re not serving people inside and not having to clean tables you should have more time to post! Don’t be afraid to post 4-6 times a day. Let everyone know what you’re up too. Document yourself throughout the day. Do shout outs to your best customers online. Let everyone know when you make changes and answer all questions that your customers have. Do more videos! Post a recipe. Talk about the most popular reality show. Feature your pet daily.
5. Go live! Get over your fear and your looks! It’s time to go live! Show everyone how clean your kitchen is and what precautions you are using. Live stream what you are cooking and be sure you are following all safety rules. Live stream your thoughts about the situation but stay positive! Encourage your customers and ask them if they need help. Live streaming will blow up your brand. Dance on camera if you dare!
6. Make some unique offers. Give something free if your customers will pick their order up themselves. Drop extra little goodies in their bags. Give them a reason to choose you! People love surprises. Have your employees create something unique you can give to each customer. Offer a special deal during your slowest days and hours. Can you find some fun stickers or toys? The kids will be begging for more if they get a fun item in their meal.
7. Remind your customers that you have gift cards, gift certificates and merchandise. NOW is the time to push all non-food items. See if you can trade some t-shirts for a few meals. Ask your customers to purchase items for birthdays and holidays. Give out collector corona cups.
8. Use your email list! Personally email a few customers a day just to say hi. Ask them how they are and remind them that you are open. Don’t have an email list? Start building one! Ask every customer that comes in or calls and save those email addresses. If you don’t see them back in your store after a week be sure and send an email with a fun message. Collect phone numbers and text them if you need to.
9. Teach! Do some videos on how to cook! Teach your customers how to make some of the most popular dishes. Have fun and make it a show. Try to get the customers kids involved. Do you sing? Belt out a few tunes while you’re cooking! This is survival, don’t be shy!!
10. Experiment! Try some new dishes and let your customers try them. Add a unique dessert or drink. Create some new sauces and dips. People love dipping their food into stuff! Ask your most faithful connoisseurs what they would like you to serve.
11. Happy Hour! Give everyone a deal on a drink or dish during a specific time of day. Do a two for one. Offer to deliver 8 drinks or more to a business.
12. Make your customers feel special. Leave little messages on their food containers and cups. Remember names and orders and greet people by name. Ask if they want their usual. Check their social media accounts and see if they have a birthday coming up, then remember it. Give customers something special on their birthday and anniversary.
13. Start a rewards program. It doesn’t need to be fancy or electronic. Use a simple punch card. Give a freebie once the customer orders a specified number of times. Give them another reason to come back.
14. Get rid of stuff that will spoil. If you have a large inventory of food that may spoil before it is sold, give it away! Offer free items to customers while they last. Donate food to a food bank and video it. Do not waste anything. Have items nobody is ordering? Give them away! Clean out the freezer and pantry.
15. Create a reason for people to drop by. Set up a donation location at your eatery. Ask for donations towards a local worthy cause. Build a fun selfie background on your lot or paint a wall with a funtastic design. Build a fun statue. People love to take selfies! Give them a reason to take a selfie at your place. Ask them to share their photos. Have employees dress up in funny costumes when taking out curbside orders or doing deliveries. The kids will love it. Bring everyone a smile.
16. Try having a neighborhood night. Post online that you will offer free delivery to one section of town for everyone that orders food in a certain time frame. Pick a different area each night and then repeat. Tell your customers to contact their neighbors and spread the word.
17. Keep them satisfied! Make sure every order is correct! Check, double check and triple check. Repeat the order after they give it to you. Make sure the food is hot. Money is tight and people do not want their hard earned income wasted on the wrong order. Offer to deliver a corrected order if you get it wrong.
18. Get reviewed. Ask your customers to give you an online review. Reviews will help you rise to the top in the search engine rankings. Give online shout outs to everyone that reviews your business. Slip a note in their sack with the web address of your review URL. Remind, remind, remind.
19. Tell your story. Tell your customers why you do what you do. Give them your history in a series of videos. Explain your passion. Let them get to know you. Be vulnerable. Let them know you’re concerned about the situation but keep it positive. Don’t ever whine or complain about them! Be sure and do video stories about your employees.
20. Have a contest. Ask your customers to post pictures online and answer questions to enter a contest. Give a fee t-shirt or meal as a prize. Get them to share your posts and comment as often as possible.
21. Collaborate. Ask your favorite non-competing restaurant to pass out your menu and you pass out their menu. See if you can coordinate delivery to specific areas of town. Share their social media posts and have them share yours. Interview them on your platforms. Trade special dishes and serve them at opposing eateries. Share employees if needed, split costs on a delivery person.
22. Keep it clean. Offer no contact delivery and curbside service. Let your customers know that they will not get the virus through your business. If you have an employee that does not look well make sure they stay at home. Use all safety precautions given by the CDC. Review all cleanliness policies with your employees every week.
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