In the foodservice industry, competition is tough. There are endless options to chose from and if you're an independent, it can be even harder to stand out. How do you get people to notice you? Below are five tips that can help jumpstart your marketing.
1. Photos, photos, photos! Always capture great photos. Whether it's the outside of your building, the food, or the staff, get great pictures. Hire a professional if you can. If you can't, find someone who knows how to use a camera and can get some good shots. There is nothing worse than a grainy or out of focus pictures. Stay away from stock photography. In most cases, it looks very fake and you don't want your customers thinking you are unoriginal. Plus, there could be licensing issues when using stock photos for business.
2. Create unique offers to get customers in the door. Offering specials isn't really that "special" anymore - try something new. Kids nights are pretty common, maybe offer a build your own pizza on kids night. Take-home kits can be another option. And you can never go wrong with a buy one, get one promotion.
3. First impressions matter. When a potential customer goes to Google, you want your establishment to stand out. Encourage regular customers to leave reviews, claim your Google My Business listing and be sure your business hours and phone numbers are up to date, and having a few pictures never hurts.
4. Get social. Social media can be overwhelming to say the least. Be sure your accounts stay active so your loyal customers can stat engaged. Encourage your customers to tag you in their photos and possibly even hold regular contests to win free merchandise or gift cards.
5. Make sure your website is responsive. With everything going digital, including a lot of menus, be sure your website is easy to use, up to date and responsive to whichever device a customer is accessing your menu from.