5 ways to promote menu items effectively
Whether you are a quaint little café in a small town or a restaurant on main street that’s bustling on Friday evenings, there is always room to promote your items on your menu. Here are 5 ways to market your restaurant. Let’s dig in to how!
Social Media
There are roughly 2.62 billion social network users worldwide and Facebook ranks first with the highest number of active users (according to data from Statista). It would be a shame for restaurant owners no to tap into the social media craze to publicise their menus. Visually appealing content is in high demand these days and posting vibrant and high-quality close-ups of delectable food items from your menu is sure to draw hungry eyes.
Release secret menu items on your restaurant’s Facebook page, only available to users who like your page and share those posts on their own pages. Cultivating curiosity and making customers feel a sense of exclusivity. Furthermore, there is the publicity in itself from customers sharing your posts on their respective pages for their friends to see.
Offer Samples
Who doesn’t love a free sample? According to Perry Abbenante, Snack Factory’s Vice President of Marketing, at least a quarter of those who try free samples end up buying the product. Samples are especially great if you are pushing out a new or unique food item. This can serve as a way to test out new menu items and gather feedback. Samples also aid in increasing sales as customers who are apprehensive about trying something new or unusual would often purchase a full order upon trying a free sample.
Offering free samples will also help spread the word around when your potential customers get a taste and tell their friends, family or even post about it on social media. After all, tasting is believing.
Email Connections
One of the most cost-effective ways to connect with both existing and potential patrons is email marketing, according to SinglePlatform, restaurants spend only 15% of their marketing budgets on email marketing.
You can deliver news on specials, events and new menu items a directly to your customers’ inbox. However, to do so you would first need to grow your email base. With Social WiFi systems like Sugar WiFi, you can expand your customer email list with every login to your guest WiFi. Be sure to let them know that you will not be bombarding them with spam emails, but will only offer news on specials, events and new menu items.
This connection is important for customer retention as it keeps them motivated to keep coming back. Email connection is a give and take – they give you their personal email addresses while you provide them with menu updates, discounts and useful information specific to their interests.
Simple, Functional Online Menu
Due to the ease of access to the internet and increasing need for convenience, customers tend to do research online before visiting restaurants. According to Peerbits, if customers can’t read your menu on their mobile device, you’re losing 62% of your potential customers.
The menu is often one of the most crucial things potential customers consider when choosing a restaurant. On top of having a menu published on your website, you should also make it available across all devices.
If you want more eyeballs on your restaurant menu, don’t make it hard to find. Publish an accurate, high-quality menu that is easy to read and up to date.
If you’re ready to start getting more views on your menu, Sugar WiFi can help! We provide an easy avenue to promote your specials and new menu items.
Send us an email at hello@sugarwifi.com to schedule a free wifi consultation and dashboard demonstration.
Want to learn more about Social WiFi Marketing? Download the FREE guide today.
Source
- https://upserve.com/restaurant-insider/does-giving-free-samples-increase-sales/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/
- https://restaurantengine.com/how-to-promote-specials/
- https://www.gsmaintelligence.com/
- https://www.mobilemarketer.com/ex/mobilemarketer/cms/news/messaging/15777.html
- http://www.singleplatform.com/blog/2016/9/26/email-marketing-for-your-restaurant
- https://www.peerbits.com/blog/restaurant-mobile-app-features.html
