Marketing can arguably be one of the most challenging yet most crucial aspects of any business. Marketing strategies are a way for a restaurant to advertise and promote itself in front of its customers, and it is the same way for a restaurant business too. While there are several channels a restaurant can use to market itself, like social media, emails, and flyers, restaurant SMS marketing is one of the most understated and underutilized tools.
Restaurant SMS marketing is a simple way for any restaurant to attract customers. It works incredibly well for restaurants that don’t have a huge marketing budget. It is an effective method to engage with customers regularly and create a loyal customer base. Restaurant SMS marketing is easy, effective and affordable.
Benefits of Restaurant SMS Marketing
- In a world where most people own a cellphone, restaurant SMS marketing reaches the maximum number of people.
- It is the cheapest tool to broadcast your offers, services and discounts.
- It offers an excellent way to boost customer loyalty, as it provides an opportunity to send personalized messages.
Building your Restaurant SMS Marketing Strategy
1. Building Customer Database
Restaurant SMS marketing can only work once you have a particular customer database. If you want to send your customers an SMS, you need their contact details. However, it is important to send messages only after the customer consents. It should be an opt-in, opt-out service.
You can create a customer database by recruiting them through other channels like incorporating a checkbox for text message alerts when customers make a reservation or advertising an SMS keyword on social media. An SMS keyword is a word, or phrase customers can text to your number to sign up for messages. If someone texts you the keyword, you can send them a thank you message for subscribing and add them to your database.
2. Keep It Short
Keep the message you send your customers short and crisp, as customers are not looking to read a story when they receive a text message from a restaurant. They tend to skimp through or ignore the longer texts. Keeping it short allows the recipient to scan the entire message faster and get the required message. The SMS should convey the purpose of the text and a CTA (Call to action) like ‘Visit our outlet today!’, ‘Offer available till midnight!’.
3. Personalize Your Message
Customizing your messages to tailor to specific audiences can go a long way in restaurant SMS marketing. You can customize the SMS to address the customer directly. A personalized message makes the customer feel special and develops brand loyalty. Avoid sending generic promotional messages on SMS that can be mass-marketed over social media channels.
Petpooja can help you in creating category-based SMS blasts. Customers can be divided into categories based on regularity, and you can offer discounts accordingly. For example, when someone has not ordered in three months, they can get a 20% discount. While someone calling three times a week can get a free brownie, and someone ordering monthly can get a free coffee on their third order.
4. Don’t Bombard
Restaurant SMS marketing should only be used for urgent and personal engagement. It can be tempting to use this platform constantly to engage with the customers as it is easy and affordable, but receiving constant text messages from a brand can annoy customers.
Some SMS Marketing Ideas to Get you Started
1. Discount Codes
Sending discount codes to customers is one of the best ways to grab their attention, and a personalized message with a limited time offer can work even more magically. Customers who have enjoyed your services can be sent a discount code for their second orders, or you can send special day offers to your customers.
2. Birthday Wishes
If you have customers’ birthday details, then sending them a birthday message is an exciting way to connect with them and make an impression. You can offer them a discount, free dessert or a discount code to entice them to your restaurant on their special day.
3. Event Invites
Holding special events in your restaurant is an excellent method to increase your footfall, so turning it into a special event-only invitation can add more zest to it. You can organize stand up nights, trivia nights, and menu tasting events in your restaurant and send unique invitations to your customers through SMS.
4. Spontaneous Messages
Restaurant SMS marketing is a fun way to engage with customers and spontaneously attract them to your restaurant. On a rainy day, you could send a message with a limited-time offer of 50% off on hot coffee and instantly boost your sales.
5. Loyalty Programs
As your restaurant grows, you will develop a customer base that regularly visits your establishment. You reward them by designing a loyalty program and sending special offers and discounts through text messages. Noticing and acknowledging their presence can create a loyal customer base for your restaurant.
6. Customer Feedback
Apart from sending promotional messages, you can also use text messages to collect feedback from your customers, as feedback makes customers feel valued and connected. You can ask them for changes and additions that they would like to see in your establishment and services.
SMS marketing is another way of being relevant in the market. If the customers are reminded of your services, they are more likely to opt for them. To reach out to a large customer audience through SMS, you need to manage a large customer data. Creating such marketing campaigns and managing customer data can be simplified using PoS features. Click here to know more!
We hope this blog helps you create an SMS marketing strategy that works for you. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram for regular restaurant-related updates!
