Marketing is important. It helps increase awareness of your restaurant, both among guests who already know you and especially among potential guests. There are many different ways to market your restaurant, and you should do what works best for you. We have gathered some different tips on how you can do that.
The first thing you need to do is identify your target audience. Is it a family restaurant, a gourmet restaurant, a bar, or something else entirely? You should research the preferences and interests of your target audience so that you can create relatable content that retains the viewer's interest and, hopefully, ultimately turns them into a guest.
Have a website - it helps strengthen your online presence. A website is also an easy place to keep your guests updated on any changes in the restaurant, whether it's opening hours or menu changes. You can also be present on social media platforms that are relevant to your target audience, as an extension of your website. It's also an easy way to share content with your guests so they can stay updated on the platforms they already scroll through.
Speaking of social media, there are several things you can do to increase visibility. For example, you can establish partnerships with local influencers and bloggers who are interested in food. This way, you can easily reach a large following that may not have noticed you and your restaurant otherwise.
You should also create content for social media yourself. I would recommend sitting down and thinking about the theme or overall message of your content. What works for some restaurants may not necessarily work for you, but it can be a good idea to seek inspiration from social media platforms.
Encourage your guests to give reviews and recommendations - both through word of mouth and online. It can be a good idea to have a section on your website where guests can write reviews. This way, potential guests who are researching your restaurant can get an insight into how others experience it.
Organize events - these can be various tastings, such as rum tastings or wine tastings. They can also be themed evenings where the restaurant is transformed for one night, and a special menu is prepared. You can also distribute samples on the street so that potential guests know where the restaurant is located and can taste a bite of the food. There are many possibilities, but you should, of course, do what makes sense for your restaurant - the only limit is your imagination.
You can also sell merchandise. It's a fun and different way to market yourself. You can potentially collaborate with a local clothing store and create cool merchandise together. If you can't do it yourself, you can have someone design a motif that can be printed on the shirts. Instead of shirts, you might also consider keychains, posters, or other items. The possibilities are many, and once again, only your imagination sets the limits.