How to Develop a Marketing Strategy for a Restaurant

An effective marketing strategy helps drive restaurant sales.

The most effective marketing strategy for a restaurant should align with the company's sales goals and help increase customer satisfaction. It should deliver measurable results and include marketing programs that are easy for your staff to execute. You can create an effective marketing strategy by combining tactics that increase sales, promote your business and encourage customers to return.

Find Your Niche

Your marketing strategy should consider the strengths and weaknesses of your restaurant. You should have a good idea of what you can do well and implement easily. If your restaurant is known for a particular menu item, capitalize on that. If you do something better than your competitors, let everyone know. If your restaurant is packed during lunch, focus your marketing around your lunchtime offerings. According to Quantified Marketing Group, it's up to 10 times more expensive to attract new customers than it is to increase revenue through increased frequency of visits, higher guest checks and increased party sizes of existing customers.

Know Your Customer

Know who your target customers are. Surveys can help a restaurant learn about their customers from a demographic standpoint. They can also provide valuable insight into what a restaurant can do to appeal to its customers. If your customer base is mostly senior citizens, you'll market differently than if your patrons are middle-aged businessmen. If you know who you're marketing to, you can plan more efficient programs and deliver products and services that will increase customer satisfaction.

Know Your Competition

Evaluate the competition to understand the options your customers have. If you know your competition, you can be better equipped to attract customers away from other restaurants. Knowing what your competitors sell and what they do well can direct your marketing strategy. You can focus on products or programs you have that other restaurants don't.

Create Promotions

Create promotions that help increase sales while adding value to your customer's experience. The use of a suggestive selling program is an easy way to offer your customer a deal while adding profits to the bottom line. This may include offering a dinner salad at a discounted rate when purchased with an entree or adding fries and a drink to a sandwich for a low price. You can also increase the number of repeat customers by offering a loyalty program that rewards them for choosing to eat at your restaurant.

Communicate

Use the Internet to help promote your restaurant. Customers go online to find restaurant information including hours of operation, sales or promotions and menu items. According to the National Restaurant Association, social media is a critical component of a restaurant's marketing plan. Some restaurants use their sites to offer special deals to customers, promote upcoming events or hold contests to encourage repeat visits to their websites. A restaurant's website should have the same look and feel of the restaurant and deliver a cohesive message that helps build brand awareness.

References

• Restaurant Report: Developing an Effective Marketing Plan
• Quantified Marketing Group: Restaurant Marketing Plan
• National Restaurant Association: Restaurant Outlook Brightens in 2010 as Sales, Economy Are Expected to Improve