Restaurant Marketing: Proven Strategies For Promotion

When it comes to marketing a restaurant, there are a lot of options and strategies to choose from. But with so many choices, it can be tough to know where to start or what will work best for your business.

That's why we've put together this list of restaurant marketing ideas and proven strategies that you can use to promote your business and get more customers through the door.

Let's get started.

What is restaurant marketing?

Restaurant marketing is the process of creating and executing a plan to reach your target customers and promote your restaurant. It involves understanding your customers, defining your goals, and using various marketing channels to reach them.

Some of the most common restaurant marketing channels include:

Digital marketing for restaurants 

• Social media marketing

• Online advertising

• Email restaurant marketing

Traditional marketing channels for restaurants

• Print advertising

• Event restaurant marketing

• Public relations

• Direct mail

Why is restaurant marketing important?

Restaurant Marketing is important for any business, but it's especially crucial for restaurants. That's because the restaurant industry is incredibly competitive. There are countless options for where people can eat, so you must do everything you can to make your business stand out.

Restaurant marketing can help you

• Generate awareness for your restaurant: People won't come to your restaurant if they don't know it exists. Restaurant marketing can help you get the word out about your business and reach new customers.

• Drive traffic and grow sales: Once people are aware of your restaurant, marketing can help you convince them to actually come in and try it out. By creating an attractive and appealing campaign, you can increase traffic and grow your sales.

• Build a loyal customer base: Restaurant marketing isn't just about attracting new customers. It's also about retaining the ones you already have. By creating loyalty programs and targeted promotions, you can keep your customers coming back for more.

What is a restaurant marketing strategy?

A restaurant marketing strategy is a plan of action that you'll take to achieve your marketing goals. Restaurant owners should make sure their goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

For example, if your goal is to increase awareness of your restaurant, your strategy might be to launch a social media campaign. Or, if you want to increase sales, your strategy might be to run a promotional event.

Your marketing strategy will depend on your goals, budget, and resources. But no matter what you choose, make sure it's something that you can realistically execute and that will help you achieve your desired results.

Restaurant marketing ideas for your strategy

Now that you know why restaurant marketing is important for restaurants, let's take a look at some of the most effective restaurant marketing ideas you can use to promote your business.

Social media marketing

Social media is one of the most powerful restaurant marketing channels. It's a great way to generate awareness, build loyalty, and drive traffic..

To get started with your restaurant social media strategy, create accounts for your business on the platforms where your target customers are most active. Then, start posting engaging content that will appeal to them. You can share photos and videos of your food, behind-the-scenes looks at your restaurant, or special promotions.

Here are three social media restaurant marketing strategies to try:

Work with influencers

Social media influencers are people with a large following. They can be celebrities, bloggers, or just everyday people who have built up a following online.

You can partner with influencers to promote your restaurant in a variety of ways. For example, they could visit your restaurant and post about it on their channels, or they could mention your business in a blog post or social media update.

Let's say you're a new restaurant in town. You could partner with a local influencer who has a large following on social media. They could come to your restaurant, take some photos, and write a review. Their followers would then see your restaurant recommended by someone they trust and be more likely to give it a try.

Facebook advertising

Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world, with almost 3 billion monthly active users [1]. That makes it a great channel for restaurant marketing.

There are a few different ways to use Facebook to promote your business. For example, you could create a Facebook page for your restaurant and post updates about new menu items, special events, and more. You can also use Facebook advertising to reach a wider audience with your message.

Facebook advertising allows you to target your ads to a specific audience. For example, you could target people who live in your city and who have expressed an interest in restaurants.

Snapchat geofilters

Snapchat is a social media platform that allows users to share photos and videos with their friends. It's especially popular with younger audiences, making it a great channel for restaurant marketing to millennials and Gen Z.

One unique way to use Snapchat for restaurant marketing is through Snapchat geofilters. GeoFilters are special filters that can be used when taking a Snapchat photo or video. They're only available in certain locations, and they can be customized to feature the name of your business and other relevant information.

For example, let's say you're a restaurant in New York City. You could create a Snapchat geofilter for your location that would be available to anyone who takes a Snapchat photo or video within a certain radius of your restaurant. This restaurant marketing strategy will help you find new local customers. (P.S Check out our restaurant location strategy blog post for tips on how to choose the best location for your restaurant!)

Create a loyalty program

A loyalty program is a great way to encourage repeat business from your best customers.With this scheme, customers can earn rewards for dining at your restaurant multiple times. These rewards could include free meals, discounts, or other perks.

Loyalty programs are a great way to build relationships with your best and most loyal customers and keep them coming back. They're also a great restaurant marketing tool, as they can help you generate word-of-mouth marketing and social media buzz.

Introducing a restaurant POS system allows businesses to accept payments and track sales. It's an essential tool for any restaurant business, as it can help you streamline your operations and make it easier to accept payments.

POS systems can also be used for restaurant marketing purposes. For example, many cloud-based POS systems allow you to integrate with loyalty program apps. This means that you can automatically enroll customers in your loyalty program when they make a purchase at your restaurant.

Offer discounts and coupons

Discounts and coupons are a great way to attract new customers and encourage people to try your restaurant. You can promote discounts and coupons through your website, social media channels, or email list.

For example, you could offer a discount for first-time customers or a coupon for a free appetizer with the purchase of an entree. You could also offer discounts or coupons for people who sign up for your loyalty program.

Host special events

Special events are a great way to generate buzz and excitement around your restaurant. They can also be a great restaurant marketing tool, as they give you an opportunity to reach a wider audience with your message.

Some examples of special events you could host at your restaurant include:

• Wine dinners: Partner with a local winery to host a wine dinner at your restaurant. This is a great way to promote your menu and attract new customers.

• Cooking classes: Host a cooking class at your restaurant and teach attendees how to make one of your signature dishes. This is a great way to generate word-of-mouth marketing and social media buzz.

• Fundraisers: Host a fundraiser at your restaurant and donate a portion of the proceeds to a local charity. This is a great way to give back to the community and attract new customers.

• Themed nights: Did a new, hot show just come out on Netflix? Is there a big game happening? Use these occasions to host a themed night at your restaurant. For example, you could have a Game of Thrones-themed night with GoT-inspired dishes and drinks. This is a great way to generate buzz and excitement around your restaurant.

Get involved in your community

Getting involved in your community is a great way to build relationships with potential customers and create goodwill. There are many ways you can get involved in your community, such as:

• Sponsoring a local sports team: Show your support for the local community by sponsoring a youth sports team. This is a great way to get your restaurant's name out there and attract new customers.

• Volunteering: Volunteer your time and resources to a local charity or non-profit organization. This is a great way to give back to the community and build goodwill.

• Participating in local events: Get involved in local events, such as festivals, parades, and street fairs. This is a great way to generate buzz and excitement around your restaurant.

Send out monthly email newsletters

Email newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with your customers and promote your restaurant. You can use email newsletters to promote special events, offer discounts and coupons, or simply keep your customers up-to-date on what's happening at your restaurant.

And with 77% of marketers having seen an increase in email engagement over the last 12 months [2], it's a no-brainer that email marketing should be included in your marketing strategy.

Let's say you want to let your customers know about a new menu item. You could send out an email newsletter with a photo of the dish and a brief description. You could also include a link to your website or social media page, where customers can learn more about the dish.

Secure some restaurant critic reviews in leading publications

While you can't control what a restaurant critic says about your restaurant, you can try to secure some positive reviews in leading publications. This is a great way to generate buzz and excitement around your restaurant.

Some ways you can secure positive reviews include:

• Reach out to local food bloggers and ask them to review your restaurant.

• Invite restaurant critics to come and review your restaurant.

• Participate in local food festivals and competitions. This is a great way to get your restaurant's name out there and attract positive attention.

3 real-world restaurant marketing examples

If you're a visual learner, here are five restaurant marketing examples to get you inspired:

Starbucks

Okay, granted, it's not really a restaurant. But Starbucks is a great example of a brand that's built a strong identity.

One of the things Starbucks does well is marketing to different customer segments. For example, they offer a variety of drinks and food items that appeal to health-conscious customers. They also offer discounts and rewards to customers who use their app, which is a great way to generate loyalty.

Starbucks has also collaborated with other brands and celebrities to generate buzz and excitement. For example, they collaborated with Taylor Swift to promote her new album. This is a great way to reach out to new customers and build brand awareness.

Want to know more about Starbucks' marketing strategy? Check out our recent blog post for more insights.

McDonald's

Mcdonald's is another great example of a restaurant that uses smart marketing techniques.

One of the things Mcdonald's does well is creating a consistent customer experience across all their restaurants. This is important because it builds trust and loyalty with customers. They know what to expect when they visit a McDonald's restaurant, no matter where they are in the world because of their memorable restaurant branding.

For example, when you think about Mcdonald's, you probably think of their Golden Arches. This is a powerful visual symbol that's recognized all over the world. It's one of the things that makes McDonald's instantly recognizable, no matter where you are.

Taco Bell

One of the things Taco Bell does well is creating a strong social media presence. They're active on all the major social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, and Tik Tok.

They use social media to interact with their customers, promote their latest products and offers, and generate buzz and excitement around their brand. This is a great way to reach out to new customers and keep existing customers engaged.

How to create a restaurant marketing plan:

Define your goals

The first step in creating a restaurant marketing plan is to define your goals. What do you want to achieve with your marketing efforts? Do you want to increase foot traffic, generate word-of-mouth marketing, or build relationships with your customers?

Understanding your goals will help you create a restaurant marketing strategy that is tailored to your needs and that will help you achieve your desired results.

Identify your target audience

The next step in creating a restaurant marketing plan is to identify your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your restaurant marketing efforts? Are you targeting families, young professionals, or seniors?

Let's say you're targeting families. Your restaurant marketing efforts would be focused on reaching this target audience through channels such as social media, family groups, parenting blogs, and local publications.

Choose your marketing channels

Now that you know who you're targeting and what you want to achieve, it's time to choose the channels you want to use in your restaurant marketing plan. There are many marketing channels available, such as print, television, radio, and online. The best way to choose your channels is to consider your target audience and your restaurant pricing and budget.

For example, if you're targeting students, your best bet would be to focus your restaurant marketing efforts on online channels, such as social media and student publications.

Develop your restaurant marketing mix

Now that you've chosen your marketing channels, it's time to develop your marketing mix. This is the combination of tactics you'll use to reach your target audience through your chosen channels.

Your marketing mix will include restaurant marketing strategies and elements such as your messaging, call to action, and offer. It's important to test and experiment with different combinations to see what works best for your restaurant.

Set a budget

Last but not least, you'll need to set a budget for your restaurant marketing efforts. How much are you willing to spend on marketing each month?

As a restaurant owner, your budget will depend on many factors, such as your goals, target audience, and chosen channels. Once you've set a budget, be sure to track your results so you can see whether or not your marketing efforts are paying off.

Final Thoughts

The restaurant industry is competitive, and as a restaurant owner, it's important to have a solid marketing plan in place and adapt to restaurant trends if you want to succeed.

By following the restaurant marketing ideas in this guide, you'll be well on your way to developing a successful restaurant marketing plan for your restaurant business.

Good luck and happy restaurant marketing!