When it comes to restaurants, one of the main things people want to know are what’s on the menu, what’s the price, and how far do they have to go to get it.
Mobile Marketing is a great way to reach people on the go. If done strategically, the direction of people’s on the go could be in the direction of your restaurant. Here are some tips on how to improve your restaurant’s mobile strategy:
Ease of Access
Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Being able to see your location and menu is crucial. – it’s where most people will be searching for you. This is also a place where they can directly ‘like’ or follow you on social media. Having your restaurant on every directory website is another good way of being more searchable. If you know people are looking for you, make yourself easy to find.
Social Media
Facebook has 556 million people accessing it through a mobile device every day. With new menu specials and location updates, it’s important to have active social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram to keep your audience up-to-date.
Instagram, in particular, is a good outlet for restaurants because it’s completely visual. Sharing the presentation of a dish or the décor of your restaurant’s interior paints a picture of it’s like to eat there.. And that’s what people want to see. An inviting atmosphere shown at the right time is a simple way to attract customers. If someone is on their commute home browsing through their phone and they come across a nicely styled photo of a beautifully set dinner table with a gorgeous plate arrangement, the idea of being there is planted in their head. Take advantage of this context when planning your social media posts—it’s a simple improvement for your mobile strategy.
Incentives
The type of incentive you choose to use varies on the type of restaurant you have. If your restaurant lists items in foreign languages without a price tag, your customers likely wouldn’t care for a discount coupon.
If you own a deli sandwich shop try offering lunch or student specials to help bring in more customers. Create a promo code or a limited time offer to entice pocket conscious eaters, or those who like a good lunch deal.
Incentives through mobile devices are good if you are a new restaurant, or new to a particular neighborhood, because they help with spreading awareness.
Check-Ins
It’s hard to beat having customers tell their friends they’re in your restaurant while providing a map to your front door. That’s what people do when they ‘check in’ on Foursquare, Path, Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+. Offering something like a free drink, appetizer or discount with a mention of this sort could prove worthy for both you and your customer.
Apps
There’s always the option of developing your own smartphone application. However, if this seems like too much for you, you can still benefit from the wide use of mobile apps.
Being a part of a directory app like the Yellow Pages increases your chance of being found. This includes having a short description of your restaurant with your location, contact details and reviews. It’s a simple way of being found and being praised without putting much work in.
Since people use apps so frequently, advertising on them is a good way to reach specific people who typically use these apps. A bit of research and smart planning is all it takes.
As you can see, your restaurant marketing strategy could very easily benefit from incorporating mobile. If you’re already in the hands of your target, why not use that opportunity to get them to tap and find out what’s on the menu?