In 2024, it is more important than ever that your restaurant has a well thought out marketing plan. Marketing for restaurants is an essential part of succeeding in today’s landscape. This short guide will help you understand the importance of restaurant marketing and help you get started creating the best marketing plan for your restaurant.
Why your restaurant needs a marketing plan
You may think that your delicious food and world-class service will speak for themselves. That if you provide a great experience to your diners, your restaurant will succeed. But unfortunately, that isn’t enough. No matter how great your food is or how stellar the service is, you need a restaurant marketing plan to help your business succeed.Â
Marketing is how people find your restaurant, come to understand what you offer, and potentially even spread the word to their friends and family as well.Â
75% of consumers said they often choose a restaurant to dine at based on online search results. Digital ads can increase brand awareness by 80%. And 82% of the US population has at least one social media profile. If your restaurant doesn’t have a solid online presence, you’re missing the chance to be found by all of these potential new customers.
Ways to market your restaurant
So hospitality marketing is important, and there are a number of different channels through which you can market your business. Here are just a few of the most popular forms of traditional marketing and digital marketing for restaurants:Â
- Social media marketingÂ
- Paid digital advertising on platforms like Facebook, Google, and Yelp
- Email marketingÂ
- SEO (Search engine optimization) and website designÂ
- Print marketingÂ
- Direct MailÂ
- Influencer MarketingÂ
- Involvement in community events and charitable donations
What to include in a restaurant marketing plan
In 2024, the best restaurant marketing plans will include numerous of the channels listed above. Restaurants cannot rely on just one form of marketing, but instead need to develop a comprehensive plan for marketing efforts. Â
Restaurant marketing plans of course need to address which channels and platforms you plan to market through. Get even more specific than the list above: On social media, will your restaurant have a page on Facebook? Instagram? TikTok? Will you focus only on organic posting or paid advertising on these channels as well?Â
Speaking of paid advertising, your restaurant marketing plan also needs to address your marketing budget. It should include the total budget you have for marketing, as well as how you plan to spend that budget across various marketing campaigns.Â
Another key component of a solid restaurant marketing plan is including the timing of your marketing campaigns. Plan out how long you plan to run various campaigns for, what times of year they will be active, and coordinate the timing of marketing efforts across platforms.Â
Finally, the best marketing plans will also include the KPIs (key performance indicators) you plan to use to determine the success of your marketing campaigns. All restaurant marketing efforts should be directed based on the main business goals you are trying to achieve, whether that is bringing in more reservations, filling the restaurant for weekday lunches, or increasing the volume of catering orders.
How to get started creating a restaurant marketing plan
There is a lot of information and a ton of planning that goes into a restaurant marketing plan. It can be overwhelming, and you may be wondering how to even get started. A restaurant marketing agency can certainly help if you are too busy or don’t feel equipped to face this challenge alone. There are also tools and resources available to help you build a marketing plan.Â
Enter: The BYK Restaurant Marketing Recipe Book. This handy document can guide you through the steps of building a successful marketing plan for your restaurant. It explains the various marketing methods available to you, the benefits of each, and some helpful tips to kickstart your marketing efforts. Keep your eyes out for the recipe book, coming soon.
