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Full-service operators are continually having to make the hard choice of creating their experience to survive on take-out business or close until dine-in service can come back.
When you have an engaged contact list, getting feedback to make, these tough decisions can be as easy as sending out a google form.
Rember, it is not about you. It is about what the guests want and satisfying that is the foundation of your restaurant.
When you have an engaged network of contacts, they will always be honest and provide you with relevant information so now you can make an informed decision.
Are you using your website to tell the story of your restaurant?
Food Pictures,
Interior Pictures.
The history of your brand and location.
All of these items paint you as a hero to help the hungry guest.
But what if you used the words on your website to make the guest visualize the experience they will have. What if you wanted to be the guide in their story so they can be the hero.
Too often, we try to be abstract or "cute" with our website, when most often, a direct message is the best approach.
In the book Building a Storey Brand, Donald Miller talks about changing the way you market your brand. His most famous quote is, "If you confuse, you lose."
Make sure your marketing is straightforward and easy to understand.
But don't just take our word for it; read the book.
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
I hate to tell you that most people don't care about your newsletter. People are not part of your network of contacts for you to supply them with content. Most people join restaurant contact lists because they want offers and promotions, not a lengthy story about how special your grandma's recipe is.
People who initially visit your website are leads. Leads are interested in dining with you but not ready to make a reservation or stop by for a visit.
Capturing information from these leads is crucial in your marketing plan.
The best way to capture these leads is to exchange their contact information with something they want: an offer or a promotion.
Now is the time to be collecting contact information from every transaction your restaurant has.
Build the list, send a welcome email and follow up with a short connection once a week.
Whether you are fully open, reduced capacity, takeout only, or closed. Building a contact list that you can have direct communication with will forever change how effective your future event, promotions and specials will be.
Don't rely on the social media megaphone to just broadcast generic messages to your fowlers.
