If you don’t have new business, your restaurant won’t grow. You need lots of new customers to restore the ones you lose as a result of patrons relocating, changing jobs, or dining habits. Here are some ideas to get more customers to walk through your doors.
1. Promote Your Restaurant In Hotel Rooms
Business commuters and vacationers may not be knowledgeable with your city and know where to find an great meal. Help them out by doing some marketing in your hotel room. Talk to hotels within your vicinity and see if you can have menus and advertisements in rooms or lobby area. Many hotels have a list of close by things to do which they give their guests. It is very easy to ask to be on that list. When people get hungry and are trying to find out where to dine, your restaurant will come to mind.
2. Form Relationships with Event Spots
After an event, like a concert or sports game, people get hungry and don’t know where to eat. Don’t forget that some people travel long distances for these special occasions and don’t want to go home on an empty stomach. If you advertise your place inside the venue then you are sure to get good business. Signs and electronic ads work the best. When the event is over people will be piling into your place. Work out a cross promotional plan to advertise the event and have them advertise your restaurant.
3. Get your Restaurant Involved in Contests
One of the greatest ways to grab the media’s attention and draw new business is by winning a contest. You could enter one of your chefs in a culinary contest. Or you can create your own contest and ask area restaurants to join. Even if you lose the contest you still create buzz about your business and get new people in your restaurant.
4. Offer Gift Certificates
Customers might want their friends and family to try your cuisine. If you offer gift certificates, they can give these as presents. A gift certificate allows the person to have a risk-free experience because they don’t have to pay for anything. Every certificate acts as a referral. Offer them in several amounts so people can have the power to choose what they want.
5. Try Giving out Food at Busy Locations
If you want to attract new customers from different areas go places where there are a lot of people. Give samples out of some of your best selling dishes and most scrumptious items. If they stop to take a taste, give them your menu or business card. offer samples of some of your most tasty food to everyone that passes by. When they stop to take a sample, give out a menu, business card, or a coupon so that they’ll know exactly where they can go in order to taste more of your scrumptious food.
6. Set up “Happy Hour” Specials
When people are done working, they just want to kick back and relax. Invite them to your restaurant for happy hour. Cheap appetizers and discounted drinks are always popular. If you have frequent diners, offer them a card to get their 10th meal free. Make sure all the local businesses know about it.
