Every restaurant owner knows the best way to sustain a successful business is by understanding how to obtain and retain guests. Although in the restaurant industry success is driven by many different factors. A quality experience at your restaurant will help bring in the locals time and time again, but you can't rely on just your local customers to keep the doors open. Expanding your customer base will help boost sales and increase profits! Here are 5 ways to continue growing your customer count after you’ve reached your local limit:
Optimize For Your Local Map Pack
One of the most efficient ways to attract new business is to appear at the top of your local map pack. How does a restaurant do that? They optimize their Google Business Profile.
Restaurants looking to optimize their Google Business Profile for better visibility in local map pack results can employ several effective strategies. Firstly, it's crucial to ensure that the business profile is complete and accurate. This means providing up-to-date information about the restaurant, such as its address, phone number, hours of operation, and a link to the website. High-quality, recent photos of the restaurant, its dishes, and the dining environment can significantly enhance the profile's appeal. Additionally, incorporating relevant keywords into the business description and posts can improve search relevance. These keywords should reflect what potential customers might search for, like “Italian restaurant,” “family-friendly dining,” or “best pizza in [City Name].” It's also beneficial to regularly post updates or special offers to keep the profile active and engaging, as Google tends to favor regularly updated profiles.
Another key aspect is managing and responding to customer reviews. Positive reviews not only improve the restaurant's reputation but also signal to Google the popularity and quality of the establishment, potentially boosting its ranking in local search results. Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews can be as simple as a gentle reminder at the end of their meal or through follow-up emails. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, demonstrates customer engagement and a commitment to service quality. Furthermore, utilizing Google My Business's Q&A feature effectively can also aid in enhancing visibility. Answering common questions preemptively and responding to new questions promptly shows potential customers that the restaurant is attentive and customer-focused. Finally, ensuring the restaurant is correctly categorized and making use of Google’s features like menus, booking buttons, or Google Posts, can further optimize the profile, making it more likely to appear at the top of the local map pack.
Build Your Local Advertising Strategy
Restaurants aiming for strategic and cost-efficient local advertising can start by leveraging the power of social media platforms. Social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer highly targeted advertising options that allow restaurants to reach local audiences at a relatively low cost. By creating engaging content that showcases the restaurant's specialties, ambiance, or unique selling points and coupling it with targeted ads, restaurants can effectively reach potential customers in their vicinity. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram also allow for demographic targeting, enabling restaurants to tailor their message to specific age groups, interests, and behaviors within a defined geographical area. Additionally, these platforms provide insights and analytics, enabling restaurants to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and adjust their strategies for better ROI. Restaurants should also consider collaborating with local influencers or food bloggers who have a significant following in the area. This can be a cost-effective way to reach a larger and more engaged audience, as recommendations from trusted local influencers often carry more weight than traditional advertising.
Another effective and budget-friendly local advertising strategy involves forming partnerships with community organizations and participating in local events. By sponsoring or participating in local festivals, sports events, or charity functions, restaurants can increase their visibility and reputation within the community. This approach not only helps to create brand awareness but also demonstrates the restaurant's commitment to the local community, fostering goodwill and customer loyalty. By combining digital and community-focused strategies, restaurants can create a comprehensive local advertising approach that maximizes their visibility and attracts more customers while remaining mindful of budget constraints.
Encourage Word-of-Mouth
Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the best ways to expand your audience. This type of advertising is effective and profitable because it won’t cost you anything. By providing an exceptional dining experience to your guests every time they come, they’ll want to share their experience with others! A study shared that 83% of Americans say that word-of-mouth recommendations from friends or family members make them more likely to purchase a product or service. The bottom line is if people love your restaurant, they’ll talk about it!
Promote a Loyalty Program
There’s no better way to encourage return guests than incentivizing them with a loyalty program that offers enticing rewards. Promoting your loyalty program to guests will provide them with a reason to return back to your restaurant for more. This method works for both local and non-local guests. The secret is to give them a deal they won’t want to miss out on! The easiest way to do this is by having a loyalty program that is fully customizable and engages with your guests! On average 40% of consumers say that they will eat out more often if they are getting a good value, and nearly 80% say that value is extremely important when deciding where to dine. A solid loyalty program can be the deciding factor for many people when choosing where to eat, so make yours the most enticing!
Actively Engage with Guests
Customers want to feel appreciated when entering a business. Engaging with guests and showing a genuine interest in fulfilling their needs will help you prove your loyalty to your guests. That way they’ll feel more willing and comfortable showing their loyalty back to your business. Provide them with above-and-beyond service so they’ll have nothing but good things to say about your restaurant. Friendly staff and professional service are some of the top components needed in building a loyal and growing customer base.
At the end of the day, your service will sell itself. If you’re making your customers feel at home they’ll want to talk to other people about your restaurant and can better justify making a bit of a longer commute to dine with you. Expanding your customer base doesn’t have to feel like rocket science. When you’re doing everything you can to provide a delicious meal and a well-rounded customer experience, you’ll already be on the road to success!
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