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With all that's going on in the world, running your restaurant and being thankful takes some conscious effort. However, showing gratitude and being positive makes the daily grind not so much of a grind.
So how do you use gratitude in your marketing?
Be thankful for your staff!
What would happen if, instead of pointing out all the mistakes, you pointed out all the fantastic things your staff does that make a guest feel special?
Sometimes a guest doesn't notice every little thing that is done to make their experience memorable, but you can.
Having your staff engaged and passionate about doing whatever it takes to create an amazing experience establishes a culture within your restaurant that is focused on guest satisfaction.
Ensuring a repeat visit is essential in your marketing system for steady sales growth.
The Marketing Hare comes up with a promotion, spends time creating posts and stories and paying for ads on radio and billboards. As the promotion runs, they don't think about planning the next campaign, and the foot is off the gas. The promotion ends, and things have slowed down. Now they panic and need to start the process over again.
The Marketing Tortoise spends its time connecting with the guests coming into their restaurant. They build a contact list and send short personalized emails consistently and frequently. They automate their digital marketing to continually stay top of mind; they can spend their time and money taking care of the actual guest. With a list of superfans, it's as easy as sending out an email to a friend and letting them know about a new promotion.
Being a Tortoise takes patients but always pays off in the end.
The dollars spent in your full-service restaurant are in most people's entertainment budget, not grocery budget.
Those budgeted dollars are in the same group as movies, concerts or anything else that provides an element of fun.
Wouldn't it make sense to focus your marketing on the experience people are going to have?
How do you accomplish that?
Start with your website. The words you choose to put on our website help potential new guests visualize the experience you provide.
Look at your website.
Within the first 5 seconds, is it clear what style of service you provide?
Most restaurants showcase their most beautiful food above the fold on their homepage. But how does that tell someone if your style is casual or formal?
Is the music pumping where you would want to hang out with friends?
Or
Soft and subtle where you would want to have an intimate dinner with someone special?
Be clear in your communication, not abstract.
If you are not providing a memorable guest experience, stop wasting your time and money on Marketing.
90% of new guests visit your restaurant because of a trusted friend or family member's recommendation.
Once you spend money on marketing, it will magnify guests' recent experiences in your restaurant, good or bad. The point of marketing is to magnify an amazing experience worth someone taking a chance and trying your restaurant for the first time.
Providing a fantastic experience, or as the book Amaze Every Customer Every Time by Shep Hyken says, Moments of Magic is how you earn a guest's loyalty.
How are you creating moments of magic?
But don't take our word for it; read the book.
Amaze Every Customer Every Time by Shep Hyken
