Creating hype on your restaurant to get ahead of your competition in the local community will increase visibility to your place and at the same time, will raise the consumer consciousness about you. People would start referring your place to other local diners and tourists on your locality. This makes a more profitable venture on your part and increases your knowledge in what pleases people enough to come back again and again to your food. Here's a short guide on how to achieve this:
• Give your diners a restaurant experience that they will love and never forget:
Be sensitive to needs of your patrons by giving a reward program for them, the minute they choose to come over to your establishment. This does not necessarily mean meal discounts or cash incentives. Establish a great dining experience to your diners the moment they enter your restaurant, and until they get up and leave for their other destinations. A great reward program that shows you welcome their presence is by giving the first bunch of diners' free drinks. Follow it up with attentive, polite, and smiling restaurant staff. A great valet service and solid security measures is also great for your guests.
• Provide generous incentives to families who bring their children along:
Having a great baby sitter is sometimes hard to get, and couples with children are forced to bring them along on their rare night outs. A great incentive for parents as a form of a reward program is to give child-friendly meals and if you can, make it free for a couple of paying adults.
• Be unique and innovative:
Think outside the box; surprise your loyal patrons and fans by holding annual events solely in their honor. Try and advertise your loyal customer reward program so that happy diners will sign up for alerts and newsletters. This in turn will make good advertisement through word of mouth. Make sure to really invest on a special event for your loyal patrons, such as a live band performance along with a cooking demonstration from your top chefs, and of course wine and food is free solely for club members. This in turn will make customers who did not take advantage of your program regret their mistake and enroll in your loyalty program.
• Free birthday cake?
Encourage patrons to frequent your place by making their birthday memorable if held on your venue. Honor their birthday celebration by giving them a joyful, delicious, and free birthday cake if held on your place.
• Do not snub bloggers and independent writers:
The power of the written word has never been this mighty with today's day of the internet. Take the time to talk and answer some questions of bloggers about your place. A rave from a blog with thousands of followers could mean you are continuously serving a fully packed place. Ask them to announce the repeat customer program you have in your restaurant in exchange for taking the time to talk to them.
• Celebrate referrals by your previous customers:
A customer must have loved your restaurant so much that they recommended it to others. Post announcements if they were sent by a friend or family, they should kindly inform you. Write a letter of thanks or give a free food basket to that patron.
