How to Create a Restaurant Marketing Plan: A Step-By-Step Guide

Your dream of building the perfect restaurant in town has finally come true. Your menu is incredible. The seating is pleasant. You know your restaurant has the X factor. But for some strange reason, it is not attracting the crowd. What could it be? Well, in current times – if people don’t know you exist, they will never turn out to be your fans. That’s where a restaurant marketing plan comes in.

This blog will cover everything you need to know about marketing your restaurant.

• What is restaurant marketing?
• Types of restaurant marketing strategies
• Traditional marketing strategy for restaurant
• Digital marketing strategy for restaurant
• Budget planning for marketing your restaurant
• Best tips to craft your restaurant marketing strategy

What is restaurant marketing?

Restaurant marketing is defined as the art of building awareness about your restaurant as a brand. Its main objective is to attract customer attention. Restaurant marketing includes strategies that have the potential to convey your unique value proposition. Now, your USP could be your food, the surroundings you offer, or customer service. Whatever it is, the goal is to get people through your doors and convert them into a loyal customer base.

Now, let’s say you have a local competitor who just opened down the street. They decide to perform restaurant marketing. Some initiatives that they implement to attract customers are:

• Discount posters around main town areas like free ice-cream for couples.
• An optimized website with interesting offers for first-time visitors like: Buy one sandwich, get one free.
• Weekly engagement with potential customers on social media. Their Instagram reels with local influencers are trending.

Result? They have become the talk of the town! Everyone’s recommending the place to their friends and families. This is exactly how marketing works wonders.

Types of restaurant marketing strategies

There are two ways you could perform marketing for your restaurant. One is the traditional method and the other is digital. Let’s look at each of them one by one.

1. Traditional marketing plan for restaurant: Many believe that traditional marketing is dead. But it’s not true. Remember, marketing involves everything you do to build your restaurant’s reputation – from preparing food to offering customer service. Traditional advertising can still be a valuable tool to reach new customers and solidify your presence within your community. Here’s how:
2. In-house flyers: They are a cost-effective way to keep customers hooked. Need to shout about a new menu item or an upcoming special event? Flyers are at your rescue! All you need to do is craft descriptions, print copies, and have them placed throughout your restaurant space. You could take your message outside as well. Try distributing flyers in targeted neighborhoods.
3. Local media: Mostly everyone is fond of watching TV or reading local news, isn’t it? Research the local newspapers, radio stations, and TV channels popular with your target audience. You could reach out directly to the person handling these platforms and request an ad run or review for your restaurant.
4. Direct mail: Reach new customers and make existing ones happier with good old-fashioned yet informative mailers. You could distribute coupons, and promote menu updates and positive reviews. Direct mails work best for your local customers who might not be actively looking for restaurants online.
5. Restaurant merchandise: Distributing branded t-shirts, mugs, and other merchandise is a classic marketing strategy that expands your brand presence. It is a good tactic to generate additional revenue. Customers wearing or using your merchandise help in promoting your restaurant to others for free.
6. Special events: Special events are a time-tested marketing technique. You can host events like themed buffet nights and live musical evenings. These will be unique experiences for customers and might make them desire more such events in the future.

Digital restaurant marketing

Did you know that digital or online marketing influences more than 1 billion restaurant visits? A Deloitte study suggests that businesses that perform digital marketing gain an average revenue increase of 2.5 times faster. Let’s quickly look at the types of digital marketing ideas for your restaurant.

1. Content marketing for restaurants:
   

   As per research, there are around 5% of businesses eager to spend more on content marketing this year. Content marketing is a strategic approach to crafting and sharing information that your target audience is already looking for. You don’t directly promote your specialties. You are required to focus on building relationships by launching interesting and informative content. This could include blog posts about your secret recipe or even behind-the-scenes glimpses into your restaurant’s culture. This way, you establish your restaurant as a thought leader.

2. Instagram – One of the best ways to perform restaurant social media marketing:
   

   Users open the Instagram app about 18 times a day and 38% of them look at food content. Pictures are worth a thousand bites! Nearly 93% of audiences agree how food looks is a huge factor in deciding what to eat. Marketing your restaurant on Instagram is a smart move. It focuses on visual content and high-quality visuals are key!
   
   Invest in good lighting and take good pictures of your dishes. Present not just the food, but also your seating arrangement and aesthetics to give potential customers a well-defined idea of your restaurant’s experience. Remember, you just don’t post pictures – you tell a story. Use catchy captions to describe your dishes and special ingredients.

   The Reels feature on Instagram is a good way to engage with your audience. Aim for 15-30 seconds and use trending music or sounds to create reels. Post consistently to stay top-of-mind and encourage viewers to visit your restaurant. Respond to comments and questions actively to build a community around your restaurant.

3. YouTube:
   

   Research states that when you promote videos on YouTube, it performs over 6 times better than online or print promotion. YouTube marketing is very effective for young audiences. You could create and launch both long and short-format videos on YouTube. YouTube Shorts is a great medium to attract attention. High-quality videos about your dishes, behind-the-scenes of your kitchen, and interactive chef tutorials can be a good start.

4. TikTok – Among popular restaurant marketing ideas and trends:
   

   Almost 53% of millennial TikTok users visit a restaurant after checking it out on the social media platform. It is a short-form video app and is ideal for flaunting your special dishes, best-in-class service, & more. TikTok allows you to connect with a younger audience who are always on the lookout for some exciting content .

5. Website SEO:
   

   Search Engine Optimization helps your restaurant website move to the top of local search results. Just imagine you search for “best pizza near me” and your restaurant shows up on Google’s first page! Effective SEO positions your website as the most relevant answer to what your target audience is seeking. We recommend you to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. It is a free tool that allows you to present your business on Google Search and Maps. You can connect with customers, post updates about your restaurant, list your dishes, accept online orders, and more.

6. Paid media – Good marketing plan for restaurant:
   

   Paid marketing involves investing money in various advertising channels. You can run targeted ads on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Running pay-per-click ads on search engines like Google and Bing is also a popular way to perform paid media marketing. You can also opt for influencer marketing and collaborate with local bloggers or food critics to create sponsored content about your restaurant. Examples: photos, videos, reviews, and more.

Restaurant marketing budget: Factors to Consider

Your marketing budget is valuable. Invest it wisely by targeting the right audience and promoting features that resonate with their needs. Remember, a restaurant marketing plan enhances existing customer behavior, not changes them.  If your location isn’t ideal for drinks, it won’t make sense to organize a happy hour. Here are some factors you should consider while planning your budget:

• Follow the general rule – 3-6% of sales

This is one commonly used guideline to follow while planning your marketing efforts. When you use a defined percentage of sales, the marketing budget scales appropriately with the size and revenue of your restaurant. This ensures that your marketing efforts are proportional to your business’s financial capacity. For instance, if you are a small cafe with annual sales of $500,000. You will have to allocate $15,000 to $30,000 for marketing. On the other hand, a larger restaurant with $2 million in sales will have to allocate between  $60,000 to $120,000.

• Identify areas you want to focus on

Every business is unique and has unique visions and goals. You have to understand that what might work well for one restaurant might not work for you. Distinct visions require different marketing approaches and, consequently, different budget allocations. Let’s understand this with the help of an example:

There are two restaurants – A and B. A is a fine dining restaurant. It is famous for its gourmet dishes and aims to attract well-to-do customers who like an upscale dining experience.

Restaurant B is a family-friendly diner. It focuses on serving customers affordable, home-like meals. Families and budget-conscious individuals are their target audiences.

For Restaurant A, the marketing budget might prioritize advertising platforms, partnerships with luxury brands, or hosting exclusive events with celebrities and influencers. Social media campaigns can highlight the restaurant’s sophisticated environment and the premium ingredients they use in their food items. On the other hand, Restaurant B can allocate its marketing budget toward promotions that appeal to families. Who wouldn’t like discounts for children?

• Define the type of marketing you want to perform

There’s no one option when it comes to marketing your restaurant. Your marketing could be weekly, monthly, or seasonal and each of them requires a different budget approach. For instance, if you opt for weekly promotions, like “Tiramisu Tuesdays” you will need recurring funds for regular social media ads, email campaigns, and in-house promotional materials. Seasonal marketing, such as holiday specials might require a larger, one-time investment. For example, a restaurant planning a big Thanksgiving promotion would need to budget for more extensive advertising. The owner will have to create a special menu and even themed decorations.

Tips to write your restaurant marketing plan

1. Understanding brand personality comes first

This should be the basic foundation of your marketing plan. You must define what makes your restaurant unique. Is it your cuisine or seating arrangement, or your service style? Are you a family diner or a Gen Z cafe? Your brand personality should resonate in every aspect of your marketing efforts. What do you offer that others don’t? Your USP will guide you through the right marketing message and differentiate you from competitors.

2. Figure out why you want to perform marketing activities

What is your marketing goal? Is it to increase brand awareness? Gain new customers? Retain existing ones? Attract top talent? Whatever the case, having clear objectives is critical. You need to define your specific, measurable goals. For example: your vision is customer acquisition. You aim to increase your customer base by 40% over the next nine months. Such clear goals will help you track progress and adjust your restaurant marketing strategies as needed.

3. Know your customers

Understanding your customers is key to crafting a restaurant marketing plan that resonates. Conduct thorough research to understand their preferences and behaviors. Are they young professionals? Families seeking a peaceful weekend dining spot? Or some food vloggers on the lookout for unique food places? Create personas to segregate your customer segments. These personas will help tailor your marketing messages.

4. Follow your competition

Keeping an eye on your competition can’t be neglected. We recommend conducting a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It helps you understand where you stand relative to your competitors. Do not hesitate to analyze their marketing strategies and how they are engaging with customers. Identify areas where you can differentiate yourself!

5. Keep abreast with the latest trends in the industry

You want to stay relevant, right? Subscribe to popular industry newsletters. Visit trade shows or special events to meet peers and industry experts. Exchange ideas and success stories and build connections to come up with innovations. Be ready to tweak your marketing strategies to incorporate popular trends. Most brands want to project themselves as a conscious brand these days. Businesses are going plastic-free, etc.

6. Remember, there’s always scope for enhancing

Having a structured marketing plan is important. But you also need to be flexible in your approaches. Regularly review your marketing performance and be open to making changes. Let’s say you observe that your customers are switching to gluten-free items. You could put up ad campaigns about how you are launching your brand-new gluten-free dessert. Experiment with new

FAQs

1. Should I be marketing my restaurant?

Yes, you should absolutely go for restaurant marketing. It creates awareness and interest in your restaurant to attract customers. It includes various strategies that effectively communicate your unique value proposition like your delicious food, inviting atmosphere, or excellent customer service.

2. What are different types of restaurant marketing strategies?

There are two ways you could perform marketing for your restaurant. One is the traditional method and the other is digital.

3. How to perform digital marketing for restaurants?

There are different ways to perform digital marketing for restaurants. You could establish your presence on various social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google Business Listing, and more.

4. How important is Instagram for restaurants?

Marketing your restaurant on Instagram is a smart move. It focuses on visual content, lets you showcase your dishes, and captures the attention of customers. Use captions to describe your dishes, highlight special ingredients, or run fun contests. The Reels feature on Instagram is also a good way to engage with your audience. People scroll fast, so keep your Reels concise and engaging. Aim for 15-30 seconds and use trending music or sounds.