5 Common Mistakes Made When Marketing For Restaurants

It’s tough staying competitive, especially as an independent restaurant owner. With all of the things you need to worry about, marketing can often get put on the back burner until one day you look up, see a half-empty restaurant, and realize you need to start promoting your business — fast.

This can lead to costly mistakes.

With so many advertising companies telling you the best marketing for restaurants is “X”, it’s easy to go down the wrong promotional path and wind up wasting your time and your money. Before you hit go on your next marketing campaign, make sure you aren’t making one (or all!) of these 5 common marketing mistakes.

Mistake 1: Advertising to the wrong market. If you advertise low price, you’ll attract people who want low price. And the problem with low price buyers is that they’re never loyal to you. They’re loyal only to the low price. As soon as your competitor offers a price lower than you, these price shoppers go to your competitor and you’ve lost a customer. If you want to attract low price shoppers, then by all means, advertise low price. But if you want to attract people who are willing to pay for the service and product they receive so you can make money, don’t advertise price. Advertise value.

If you cater to a young, hip crowd, if that’s who is usually sitting in your restaurant, then that’s who you need to market to. Or if young families are your typical guest, then find the marketing avenues that they will see. You cannot be all things to all people. You should not be all things to all people. Look around your restaurant on a busy night. Who are your best customers?

Mistake 2: When trying to attract new customers, advertising percentage off rather than dollars off or free. Many potential customers don’t know your restaurant’s regular prices, so they can’t tell how much money they’ll save. Instead, introductory offers should be made in terms your potential customers can relate to. Advertise in dollars, such as “$7.50 off your first dinner” or “Free appetizer or dessert with dinner, valued to $7.99”. “You save $7.99 off our regular price!”. “We know you are going to love our food, our restaurant and our service. We know you’ll be back — that’s why your first dinner is on us!”

Mistake 3: Failing to advertise your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). The purpose of marketing is to tell your prospective customers how you’re unique. Your USP is the one thing that sets you apart from your competitors. Start by identifying what you do that’s different from everyone else, what do you have or do that they don’t? For example, your USP might be exceptional customer service, complete dinners including bread, dessert, coffee and salad, takeout or home delivery within 30 minutes. Then feature your unique selling proposition in the headline of your ads.

Mistake 4: Failing to point out how you’re different. People come to your restaurant because they think you’re different from other restaurants. It’s your job to point out to prospective customers how you’re different and better. In your ads, if you say, “Italian food,” you’re saying the same thing as every other Italian Restaurant. Instead, tell your prospective customer why customers choose you instead of your competitors; maybe it’s Gramma’s old-world recipes, maybe it’s imported ingredients, maybe it’s live Italian music. Identify different services you perform, home delivery, takeout, catering, free hall rental with groups over 50 people. Reassure your potential customers that their food and dining experience has a satisfaction guarantee.

Mistake 5: Failing to overcome phone call fear when calling about booking a large special event like a wedding or business function. Consumers are tired of selling and sales pressure. In fact, many consumers hate pressure so much that they don’t call because they’re afraid you might try to pressure them into making a decision. The hesitation that keeps them from calling is called phone call fear. It’s the fear of how they think you might treat them over the telephone. To overcome phone call fear, reassure callers that you don’t use sales pressure. Offer free information that you’ll send to anyone who calls or goes to your website. Offer a free consumer awareness message on voice mail by opting in or by email to help educate consumers about what to consider when catering to a special event. This allows prospects to get information in a non-threatening way, and it allows you to establish a high level of credibility.

Do your homework. Sit in the corner of your restaurant and take note of who’s there. How old are they? Male? Female? Couples? Families? Where do they live? What do they drive? Any idea what their professions are? Do they rent or own their home? What kind of life do they live? What are their challenges every day?

Once you have identified them and painted a picture for yourself, then it will be easier to consider why your restaurant appeals to them. Then you have the information you need to start making smart decision on how to market your restaurant.