Want to bring cutting edge mobile marketing to your restaurant business but not sure where to start?
Don’t stress: We’ve got three simple, actionable tips you can put into practice right now:
Prioritize reviews
Marketing-based studies show that half of consumers who have searched locally on their phones for a store or service will visit that location within one day. Local searches and the social proof of personal reviews are incredibly important and an accessible and low-cost way for your own business to improve its image and bring in customers.
First, spend a few hours ‘claiming’ your restaurant on various review websites including Facebook, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google. Doing so will likely boost your discoverability and ranking on search engines—Google, most importantly. It’s a solid first step.
Next, consider providing deals and discounts to those who have left reviews on your own website. These are engaged customers who have already proven willing to amplify your business.
Finally, upload authentic reviews onto your restaurant’s website. Make these prominent on the homepage—and ensure your site is easy to navigate on a smartphone so you harvest all possible benefit.
Set the scene
Virtually all restaurant owners take an interest in the ambiance of their establishments. These days, however, taking things a step further by considering how optimal your seating areas are for mobile phone photos—especially the tables—can pay major dividends by transforming your customers into art directors and advertisers.
We’ve all seen more than a few photos of meals presented in interesting and tempting ways. Friends share them, influencers post them, and these images can leave a real—and potentially profitable— impression. By working on both meal presentation and the lighting of your restaurant, you increase the likelihood that customers will take quick snaps of your meals to share with friends and on social media. It’s free advertising/marketing and it’s extremely effective in promoting your business to new viewers.
Go curbside
During the pandemic it became more common than ever for a restaurant business to offer delivery and pickup—for many establishments it was, indeed, the only way to survive. And there was a real willingness among diners to support local businesses in such endeavors.
Of course, what begins out of necessity quickly evolves into a habit and, finally, an expectation.
So, what, then, are your options for integrating a delivery and pick-up service? Mainstream providers can offer a smooth onboarding process that will likely come with a set of software and policies that make it easy to get started. Alternatively, you can invest working capital into your own apps and software, giving you greater control of your service and a higher degree of profit from it.
Whatever path you choose, it’s best to also think about how you’ll introduce this new service to your customers. Promotions using mobile, text, and email can be great choices. Think about brief campaigns where you could, for example, offer one-time deals to customers who text “pickup” to a dedicated phone number.
An edge for your business
Need a bit of a funding assist to get the working capital necessary to evolve your restaurant business? A small business loan or business line of credit can help make your vision for tomorrow a reality today. Idea Financial, for example, offers up to $250,000 in working capital with a quick, hassle-free application and same day approval.
If you’d like to continue exploring our ever-expanding library of articles on small business hacks, tips, and optimization stop by our Business Resource Center main page.
