7 proven strategies to attract customers to your restaurant

honey baby cocktail lounge located in Plymouth, MA

So you have a restaurant up and running? Congratulations! With a great atmosphere, location, food, and beverages on the menu, you’re already on your way to success. When it comes to new restaurants, people are naturally curious and will want to stop by. But the real success story is getting those people and their network to come back for years to come so that you can grow your business, menu offerings, and price accordingly. Getting that buzz going early on and maintaining that momentum is what The Scoop Brands is known for. If you are located within 30 miles of Plymouth, Massachusetts, we can help you with this right away! Depending on your business needs, we can evaluate what you’re currently doing and find gaps and/or we can provide content and hands on marketing for your restaurant.

As any of us living in the modern day have realized, good marketing goes a long way. Marketing a new restaurant requires a strategic approach to attract, impress, and maintain customers.

Here are 7 proven strategies for attracting new customers to your restaurant:

Define your target audience: Identify the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your ideal customers. What kind of beverages are they likely to want to purchase? How can you create an atmosphere that’s unique to the area they’re living in? Can you create a social media strategy so strong that those in the immediate area and far away towns will want to visit? Understanding your audience and personalizing your approach towards these people will make your restaurant a staple in the community, and as you gain loyalty, you can expand your reach more and more.

Develop a unique brand identity: Create a compelling brand story, website, and overall visual identity that reflects the ambiance, cuisine, and values of your restaurant. Consistency in branding will make your restaurant more memorable. Plus, a lot of restaurants still don’t even have a website, which frustrates potential customers. Having a visual of food you serve, a digital menu, a brand video, location, contact info, and a site that represents who you are and the culinary experience that a visitor can anticipate goes a long way.

Build an online presence: In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial. Optimize your website for search engines to increase visibility using SEO, short, and long-tail keywords. Leverage social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to engage with potential customers. Share enticing food photos, run promotions, and create loyalty programs to entice visitors to return. And most of all, keep up with your social media platforms, engage, and keep the conversation going! As social media marketing is a full time job and restaurant owners are often wearing so many hats, outsourcing these responsibilities to someone who can represent the brand accurately is often the best move.

Use online review platforms: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on platforms like Yelp, Google My Business, OpenTable, Facebook, and TripAdvisor. These reviews can significantly impact your restaurant's reputation and attract new customers. Responding to both positive and negative reviews demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Collaborate with local businesses: Partner with nearby businesses, such as hotels, theaters, farmers markets, restaurants, or local shops, to cross-promote each other. Offer special discounts or joint promotions to encourage customers to visit your restaurant after visiting these establishments. Strategic partnerships go a long way as you can repost each other’s social media content and create local experiences for the community with a small network of likeminded businesses. Participating in community events, sponsoring local sports teams or charity fundraisers, and supporting local causes will create goodwill and make your restaurant known within the community.

Implement a strong email marketing approach: Collect customer emails and send regular newsletters and promotional updates. Offer incentives like exclusive discounts, birthday freebies, or loyalty programs to encourage repeat visits and ensure that you have the right technology stack in place to keep your outreach personalized and your bounce rates low. Brands like Starbucks, Sephora, Rose & Vicki’s, Not Your Average Joes, and Cold Stone Creamery offer birthday freebies that lead to customer loyalty and satisfaction. The Scoop Brands will do a post surrounding birthday freebies and brands doing it right in 2023 in a separate blog post.

Implement targeted advertising: Consider online advertising platforms like Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, and Google Ads, as well as food delivery apps to reach a wider audience. Target specific demographics, locations, or interests to optimize your advertising budget. On Facebook, for instance, a Juice Bar can target smoothie lovers within 10 miles who are between the ages of 20-40 and identify as female. You can get really specific about what you want through paid advertising to convert browsers into shoppers and grow your brand strategically.

So there you have it: 7 proven strategies to attract customers to your restaurant. Want to take your marketing strategy to the next level? The Scoop Brands will set your company up for marketing success in 2023 and beyond.

So what are you waiting for? Get started with us today!

The Scoop Brands is the best choice for digital marketing services in Boston, Massachusetts, the best marketing company in the South Shore, and your best local marketing company in Plymouth Massachusetts. The Scoop Brands provides marketing to Boston, the South Shore, North Shore, Metrowest, Cape Cod, Providence, New England, and beyond. We work with business owners, retailers, e-commerce companies, software companies, & more.