How I used digital marketing to help turn a struggling restaurant into a successful chain.

My goal in working with restaurants is to help them become sustainable. Restaurants enjoy the dubious distinction of one of the highest failure rates of new businesses. There are a lot of factors that go into this high probability of failure, not the least of which is that more people attempt to open restaurants and bars than other types of businesses. Regardless of initial success, the first year in the life of a restaurant is full of difficult and backbreaking hustle, 1 out of 4 restaurants close in their first 12 months. Operations ranging from hiring and training staff to figuring out the sweet spot for managing food costs consumes every hour of the business owner’s day. Under the weight of running a restaurant, many fledgling eateries neglect to market—or if they do market, do it haphazardly.

When my company eateria first got involved with Tap House Grill in Suburban Chicago, they were not maximizing their marketing potential. And it showed in their income statements. Restaurateurs go into business to serve great food and build great atmospheres—very few have the expertise or time to analyze metrics and build a robust online audience through newsletters, brand engagement and social media. However, digital marketing and data collection offers small businesses immense potential. With digital marketing, social media platforms and the right metrics, it is easier to understand your customer base, cater to their needs, and communicate your message.

Tap House Grill was struggling to get their name out to the neighborhood. The quality of the food was excellent, the atmosphere was great—but they were struggling to acquire new customers and increase repeat business. I came in as a consultant and we examined options to increase visibility and get diners in seats.

Diners in the Chicago area have a lot of options—Tap House Grill needed to set themselves apart with interesting offers and promotions. One of the most successful things we set up for Tap House was a gift card bounce back program. We sold over $112,000 in gift cards in weeks. Gift cards are like money in the bank for a business—the funds from these sales fueled growth and development of the restaurant and brand.

Chicago winters are frozen solid—it can be difficult to coax people out when snow is piled high on city streets. To lift sales during this time, we added incentives for gift card purchases via Facebook for the cold, hard months of January and February. Let me tell you—while every other restaurant in the area was struggling—the place was packed.

The gift cards campaign—in addition to other marketing efforts—lead to a 1.2 million dollar increase in sales and allowed Tap House Grill to grow into the bustling small chain that it is today. We continue to help manage their marketing by offering support for loyalty programs, newsletters and building their audience.

While many restaurateurs are reluctant to invest funds in outside marketing companies, I believe that restaurants like Tap House Grill truly can’t afford not to. Building recognition takes time and expertise. It takes technical skill. And it takes time. Restaurant owners rarely possess the skill, and when they do rarely have the time to invest in maximizing their marketing potential. By allowing us to take charge of their marketing, Tap House Grill is not only sustainable—they are thriving.