Are you a restaurant owner? If yes, you might have known the importance of promotions. A proper marketing plan is as important as quality food in the restaurant. With unique restaurant promotion ideas, you can make your separate identity and spread your name to attract the target audience. Otherwise, all your efforts to set up a restaurant will go in vain.
Making the best marketing strategy can take some time and money. But the result will be very fruitful as you will have more sales and profit. But, how can you attract customers? Well, here are some unique and exciting promotion ideas to win more customers in a short period:
1. Celebrities and Charities
Bring a star to your restaurant. Though bringing celebrities can be expensive, even a local star asks for a large amount. But you can lure them by donating a portion of a day's proceeds to the charity of their choice. So, join forces with famous stars to draw people's attention. It will attract customers and show the community that you care about humanity.
Buy Chalkboard for your restaurant
2. Offer Discounts
Discount options work in different ways. For example, you can offer seasonal, ongoing, or new customers discounts. You can also give time-based discounts, like some percentage off from 2 to 4 pm. Or Percentage based deals give x percentage off on a total order amount. Further, promote the discount offers with SMS or social media to improve sales.
You can also create a loyalty program. Reward the loyal customers. Send them text messages, update them about your discounts, and offer some free items to praise them.
3. Make Customers Famous on Social Media
Many people love a little digital validation. So, give them some fame through social media. For instance, encourage customers to share pictures of the delicious items of the restaurant. Then, select a winner of the week or month for a free meal.
Finally, praise them in the restaurant for their fine choice of food and their photography skills. It is an intelligent way of customer retention. As a result, it will increase your profits.
4. Old Fashioned Chalkboard Signs
Have you seen chalkboard signs outside the restaurant? Well, it is a traditional yet effective way to grab the attention of passersby. Hang a framed chalkboard outside your restaurant and add a bit of creativity by making a joke and highlighting the day's special. Or attract customers by offering a free pint of cold beer with a meal.
5. Video Marketing
People always want to look at something unique and exciting, unlike general advertising. So, try the video marketing technique. Video content is the fastest and most effective way to attract customers through emotional and psychological processes. You can reach potential customers by easily stimulating interaction with leads.
Nowadays, the new generation gives importance to interiors like food quality. So, use video for advertising the interiors of the restaurant. As a restaurant owner, decorate a restaurant beautifully with some unique elements. It will surely encourage people to have a meal at your restaurant and experience a good ambience.
6. Invite a Food Influencer
Send an invitation to a food blogger or food influencer to visit and taste the meals of a restaurant. You can also offer them free or discounted food and ask them to make a blog about your restaurant. In this way, you will get exposure to food-based audiences online. In addition, it is an excellent technique to promote business and attract new customers.
See also Creative ways to use chalkboard in your restaurant
7. Paid Promotion
The social media platform is one of the best ways to promote the restaurant business and attract potential customers. Therefore, create a Facebook or Instagram profile of your restaurant. Add biography of restaurant owner and location, and contact number. But making a profile is not enough. Instead, use search engine optimization techniques to let your website or profile appear on the top of google search engine and customers' pages.
8. Meal Promotions
Promote specific items on the menu similar to weekday promotions where you give certain discounts. You can do these types of advertisements on a particular day of the week. If possible, you can also run them for a month. While promoting menu items, it offers exciting or rotating menu items.
Come up with a unique dish to draw customers' attention. If you offer it for a limited time, people may be in a hurry to visit soon. Then, offer a deal on that specific item or sell it for the original price, hoping that appeal is enough.
9. Try a Sample Stand
They say there is no such thing as a free lunch. But, still, people appreciate it if they get something for free. So, try a sample stand in a busy place and offer customers to taste the sample dish for free. It will help you make people aware of your restaurant and let them know the quality of food you can offer.
10. Be Careful About Seating
One of the simplest yet effective promotional ideas is to be careful about the seating plan. Try to let guests sit near windows to make the space look full from the outside. Then, when passersby see the populated area, it will encourage them to come in and have a taste of what you are offering. Also, make some private booths for those who want to have an intimate dining experience or some meetings during lunch.
Also, try to take proper licences or permits to access the space outside the restaurant. Then, set up some outdoor seating. Focus on food presentation. People walking on the sidewalk will see that the food you serve looks delicious. They will ultimately want to experience the taste and visit you. It will surely improve your sales and promote your restaurant business more.
11. Collaborate with Some Delivery Services
Online ordering and third-party delivery services joined forces during the pandemic and took centre stage. So, work from home employees or tired parents continues to push delivery services' success. So, consider partnering with any good delivery service and following online ordering trends to make more sales.
Closing Thoughts
With time, many marketing trends get invented and improvised. So, without creating an effective marketing plan, a restaurant business can not grow much. So, be creative and attract more customers.
