Advertising is an essential restaurant practice.
Accomplished restaurant owners know that aside from quality products and services, the key to maintaining a successful establishment is effective advertising. Spending mega money on high-priced ad campaigns may work in some situations, but if the chosen technique is not conducive to your business, you still may not yield favorable results. Increase your food and beverage sales by following a few restaurant advertising tips.
Bounce Back Techniques
Promote specials that occur during slow hours.
When implementing bounce back techniques you must first establish your weakest areas of business, and concentrate on strengthening such handicaps. For instance, if your restaurant is busy during dinner hours, but you have a slow lunch period, use your dinner rush to promote your lunch hours. Create a customer appreciation special or "deal" that will attract the dinner crowd to your slower lunch hours. Offer a coupon such as "two for one" or "20 percent off lunch when you present a receipt from a previous dinner," or create a punch card that offers a free meal after a specified number of paid visits to your restaurant. People like saving money, so bounce back advertising techniques often yield favorable results.
Off Premise Sampling
Offer complimentary samplers.
A productive way to generate outside business and gather new customers is to head outside yourself. Explore your sales records, or survey your regular customers to find out what your top selling menu items are. Create a list of public organizations in your area and head over to meet and greet with them---armed with complimentary sample platters of your most popular items, and perhaps a coupon or two welcoming them as your potential new guest. You can appoint staff members to perform this task, but because most people appreciate a personal sentiment, this technique is most effective when executed by the owner or manager of a restaurant.
Local Food Events
Participate in local festivals.
If you live in a city that hosts numerous events that require multiple food vendors, such as "The Taste of Chicago," you've got it made. Register with your city council or chamber of commerce to become a vendor at as many events as you can. You may have to rent a space or pay a registration fee, but you should be able to make back the investment, with significant profit, when you set up a food service booth at events that draw hundreds or thousands of hungry festival goers. Be sure to have a large quantity of coupons, full restaurant menus, and business cards to pass out, to encourage festival patrons to visit your restaurant.
