If you dream of running your own restaurant and are currently in the middle of planning the venture, you have come to the right place, as we take an in-depth dive into the marketing side of launching a restaurant business.
Assuming you are on top of the preparation, let’s turn your thoughts to the grand opening and the marketing that needs to be planned and implemented.
Social media marketing
The best way to reach the local community is with social media; Facebook, X and Instagram are platforms that you should develop; start by creating a business page, add some images and information about the eatery. Feature professional images of your main dishes; resist the temptation to buy stock images and take photos of your own menu. There’s a lot to social media marketing and for the best results, hook up with an award-winning digital marketing agency who know how to promote an event. If you allow sufficient time (3-6 months) before the launch date, a social media marketing team can promote the event, ensuring maximum exposure. Launching during a long weekend is definitely a bonus if you can work that into the timeline.
Big promotions
The goal is to attract as many people as you can to try your menu, so a decent discount (50%) would be perfect for the first few days; you could give out a code for the discount on social media platforms. There are many creative ways that you can attract people; for many, just knowing the restaurant is there would lead to a dining experience, people are curious by nature.
Choose a festival to accompany the launch
Ideally, it would be Valentine’s Day when the man buys her sex toys and takes her out for dinner or Mother’s Day, but any festival is worth featuring. People like to dine out during a holiday, so check the calendar and look for the perfect date. Christmas and New Year is another hit festival that should see your establishment full, so make sure you have graphics to promote.
Develop the restaurant website
Design a landing page for web visitors and invest in digital marketing to drive traffic to your landing page. Integrate booking into your platform and this will streamline the booking process, while enabling real-time chat for site visitors who have questions. Click here for a guide to restaurant fridges.
Create a staff page
Ask all staff to write a short bio and take some good images, then create an ‘about us’ page and list all employees, including the owner. This creates a personalisation that is good for business; staff should be happy and outgoing, making the customer feel like they matter. Your chef should be featured, as he/she is the core of the business; list their experience and their specialities.
Prepare your staff for the grand opening
Your waiting staff should be pumped up and raring to go and calling a workshop to review best practices is a wise move. Make sure they are well-versed with the digital booking system and payment options, which should ensure that busy times are managed smoothly. Have a short daily meeting at the start of each shift, reviewing things that went wrong the day before and this should ensure that small mistakes are picked up.
Book a local celebrity
Search the web to find contact details of local celebrities and see if your budget stretches that far; imagine the attendance if you could attract a local star! Google’s Advanced search feature might help you find celebrity agencies and that is the best way to make contact with influencers.
Find local radio stations and podcasts
Another great way to get maximum exposure is to advertise on local radio while approaching local podcasters who are always looking for guests within the local community. If you have an engaging personality, why not tell people about your concept via a podcast?
Showcase your best menu items
Choose the top 4-5 dishes and promote these on your social media accounts, which would-be diners will find appealing. Get creative with your menus, think about a digital menu with touchscreen technology that turns your restaurant into a smart eatery. Every restaurant needs an identity, around which all your marketing should be based.
Invite diners to leave a comment
If you are confident of your overall package, invite diners to leave a comment, which could be part of your website; set up an online reservation section on the main website, which does streamline your processes and with the right software, staff have more time to spend on customer service. Design a plush-looking guest book and encourage couples to leave a comment.
Hire a photographer
Invest in a professional photographer to take lots of images over a few days and post them on all your social media accounts as well as on the company website. Have them take as many as possible, as this digital content can be used at a later date when you run promotions. You could get creative and build an Instagram corner, where diners can take photos and promote your dining establishment on social media.
Creating a party ambience
You can order everything you need from a single online supplier, with tinsel, streamers, party hats and anything that you think you will need. You should set aside a budget for your grand opening and make sure it is large enough to make a difference. One good idea is to hire a PR agency to oversee your live event, which allows you to focus on taking care of your customers.
Don’t forget to register the business with the Australian government, then you can keep records and file your own tax returns.
We hope that the above information goes some way toward helping you launch your new business and you enjoy full bookings and happy diners.
