Mobile Text Marketing Ramping Up Restaurant Sales
Just as marketers of the past longed to engage the 18-34 demographic, today’s restaurants marketers are striving to reach this top converting age group. Tactics like social media and app advertising reach a wide audience but can also be easily overlooked. Customers view an endless amount of media each day, so finding the right delivery to get your message in front of their eyes is key. That’s where text message marketing for restaurants comes in:
An SMS Text is Nearly 100% Guaranteed to be Opened
There are nearly seven billion mobile subscriptions worldwide, and studies show that SMS texting is proved to be the best way to communicate on those mobile devices. With a nearly 100% open rate within the first three minutes, messages are practically guaranteed to be received and read immediately.
SMS Pulls in Customers on Demand
69% of consumers order food online using a mobile device. If customers are already using mobile to interact with you, why aren’t you using it to communicate with them?
For example, if lunch on Tuesdays is particularly slow, launching an SMS marketing campaign for a free dessert with the purchase of a meal can help boost sales. Blast out a short text that invites customers to respond by texting the keyword “Dessert” to a shortcode. The immediate data feedback provided by SMS helps the restaurant owner to know approximately how many customers to expect and which offers are working best.
Create Customer Loyalty
By building a more personal relationship with customers, restaurants can count on increased loyalty. This is first achieved by getting the customer to opt-in. You can do this through creative and fun ways like launching a promotion campaign printed on menus and fliers or having an employee explain the simple process. As customers opt-in, you build a list of VIPs.
Maximize Mobile Marketing for Restaurants with SMS
Event Invitations
Now that you’ve cultivated a healthy client list that grows by the day, blast out announcements of upcoming events. Often times, people miss out because they never knew about it. By contacting them directly, they are kept in the loop.
Contests
Make the experience interactive. Send out trivia questions that if answered correctly, the customer gets free food and drink, or other prize. Create customer loyalty by finding ways to give back to your patrons.
Coupons
These should be part of a regular rotation of offerings. There is no other way of capturing people’s attention then by giving something away for free or at a special, discounted rate. With redemption rates of 25%, by sending out the occasional coupon, you’ve reminded the customer - who may have already forgotten about you - that you’re still here and ready to provide your services.
Build Your Reputation
Restaurant customers in particular utilize mobile search to identify restaurant hours, locations and contact info. Restaurants can benefit from SMS by claiming local listings and encouraging customers to fill out reviews on sites like Yelp! and FourSquare.
The beauty of SMS text marketing is that it is easy, affordable and efficient. It gives restaurants the keys to unlocking more business independently without needing expensive advertising, which translates into exponential ROI.
It offers the flexibility to be as creative as you want. The sky’s the limit when it comes to how to communicate with your patrons and what offers and discounts you can provide.
