Marketing is the key to the success of any business and this is especially true for restaurants. Good advertising, promotion, interaction through social media, etc., will bring customers to your restaurant who never knew it existed. If you want to grow your restaurant business, you need to learn how to market.
Creating a strategy for marketing your small business is no easy feat. However, if you follow these simple steps and guidelines you will have a better chance of succeeding.
In this blog, we will dive deep into how to market a restaurant, effectively through social media, leveraging your brand ambassadors to help market your restaurant, getting exposure through local media, and advertising on Youtube and Facebook ads.
There are a lot of different ways to market your restaurant – however, the correct mix is unique for each restaurant. You will fail if you apply the same marketing tactics that work for other businesses. Your best option is to figure out what works best for your restaurant and implement that strategy.
Here are some easy ways you can market your restaurant in the UAE:
- Market your restaurant locally
Research shows that diners who are familiar with a restaurant are 2.5 times more likely to go there, and one-third as likely to recommend the place to friends. Local business marketing is a great way for a restaurant to get the traction it needs when it’s opened. Local marketing involves understanding the community in which the restaurant is located and what they want from their restaurants. Effective local marketing gets results fast — often within days or weeks after the restaurant is open for business.
- Social Media is key
Most restaurants are well-known within their local communities, but only a fraction of them have any real presence on the internet. Making yourself known through social media is one way to build that presence quickly. One of the most effective ways to market the restaurant locally is through social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, which allow you to create content and connect with your audience directly. The key for successful social media marketing is to create great content, post regularly and make the most out of influencer marketing.
- Leverage your regulars and your brand ambassadors for marketing
Have you ever thought about what your restaurant could be doing to gain more fans? Reach out to bloggers and influencers who might be interested in your cuisine. Create a strategy to increase restaurant reviews so that your restaurant can be discovered by diners. You can also get in touch with influencers who could help promote your restaurant to wider audiences.
- Get in local media
Traditional media is as relevant as it’s ever been. Especially in Dubai, media such as radio, billboards are effective ways to get impressions. Local media means newspapers, television, podcasts, and local community events. These places will be your allies in building your brand. Getting published in local publications will allow your business to reach a wider audience without spending a lot of money on advertising.
- Create a brand for your restaurant
Choosing the right tools and creating a marketing plan will help ensure that your restaurant receives all the exposure it requires . Creating a brand takes everything you’ve got. It’s rough, it’s difficult, but if you do it right, it can lead to more customers, more profit and more glory. Diners should know what your restaurant stands for and what they can and will experience when they visit your restaurant.
- Develop a signature dish
Restaurant marketing is all about creating a unique identity for your business. Think about it… your food is what attracts people in and keeps them coming back. The most successful restaurants have a signature dish that people mouth-wateringly crave when they walk into these restaurants. If you want people to take notice of your restaurant, you need to find a way to stand out. Think about the kinds of dishes you’d serve and the personalities of the people who’d eat them.
- Be part of the community
For a restaurant to be successful, it needs to be part of the community the restaurant is in. Few ways to do that are by sponsoring local events, sports teams, and community programs. It doesn’t matter if your restaurant is opening up in a new location or if it’s just a casual cafe, getting out there is one of the best ways to build credibility. And, just like with any other kind of business, getting your restaurant noticed takes some work.
- Keep an eye on reviews
Reviews are one of the most reliable ways to gauge customer reaction to your business. An effective way to get positive word of mouth about your restaurant is through Google listing reviews. But making sure that reviews are positive and making the required changes based on the reviews will help you generate positive marketing.
A restaurant is a typical business of any type, and ideally should be an important part of the community. If you are building a restaurant, you will need to work on your marketing strategy from day one. Your business needs to get noticed so that potential customers can make a decision to support you.
Marketing your restaurant requires lots of creativity and an eye for detail. Your restaurant needs to stand out and be remembered not only by old patrons but also by potential customers.
Your restaurant is up against different kinds of restaurants whether they have a similar price range or target customers. Sometimes it may seem overwhelming to market your restaurant in the UAE where competition is extremely high in the restaurant industry, but with this blog, you can find great tips for success.
