Blog Posts
The key marketing principles that restaurant companies or owners need in order to be successful applies to any type of restaurant. When following these key marketing principles, you must remember to be consistent in your offerings so that you don’t alienate any of your customers.
Target Audience
A target audience is the demographic group that your restaurant targets, with two of the most important demographics for restaurants being age and income. Define the age or income group that enjoys your food, amenities and ambience. To accomplish this, conduct surveys in your restaurant. Ask questions that measure your customers’ satisfaction with various aspects of your business, such as food taste and value. Include a few questions at the end of the survey that identify their age and income ranges. Your most satisfied customers are likely to fall within the age and income groups of your typical customer profile.
Branding
Branding is the closing the gap between what you promise and what you deliver. This pertains to your menu items, prices, atmosphere, decor and anything that sets you apart from your competitors. Your individuality is what helps you acquire and retain loyal customers. Keep your branding consistent to keep from alienating your core customer base.
Operations
If your operations aren’t running well, then branding and marketing will fail as well. Operations include factors such as food quality, service, hospitality and cleanliness – all elements in which customers have high expectations. The best way to ensure successful operations is to train your employees properly in using the proper amount of ingredients, serving customers, and ensuring guest satisfaction.
Promotions
Promotions consist of advertising and in-store marketing. Determine which media sources are most likely to bring in new customers – this could be anything from coupons, to flyers, to banners. Many restaurants hold monthly or quarterly promotional events that include specials on meals. Study the promotions of your competitors and go a step further.
Retention
It costs seven to 10 times more to acquire new customers than retain them, so it’s essential to have a retention-marketing plan in place. Focus your marketing efforts on your loyal or most frequent customers. They are the key to your business success, so it’s important to reward them with coupons and special deals every once in a while.
What restaurant marketing tips do you suggest? The goal of the Source1 Purchasing Program is to improve your overall business operations and provide you with the necessary resources to keep your establishment running smoothly. Visit our website at www.Source1Purchasing.com to learn more about the Source1 Program and how it can benefit your restaurant.
