Marketing Your Restaurant for Success

Expert strategies and tips for marketing your restaurant, franchise, or fast food joint.

Market Research, a Crystal Ball for Your Restaurant

Nobody can see into the future. But market research, conducted in the right way, can give a wealth of information that will increase your odds of success.  The goal of market research is to make sure you are able to create in your customer’s mind the idea that your place has great tasting food for a fair price.

Market surveys are the most cost- and time-efficient methods of determining if your food is the best in the area, or if your prices are affordable, or if anybody even knows you exist.  It also has the added benefit of increasing your local brand awareness.  Many people open up a restaurant without doing a proper survey either because they don’t know how or it seems too difficult.

Do Your Marketing Research Before Opening

Opening a restaurant without proper market research is like driving blindfolded on a road you have never driven before. Sure, you might make it to your destination, but I wouldn’t count on it. I have helped countless business owners conduct proper market research. Unfortunately it is a topic far too complicated for this post. But if conducting market research is something you want to know more about it, leave a comment below.

The Role of Marketing When Owning a Restaurant

Regardless of what kind of fast food or sit-down restaurant you are interested in owning, keep in mind this key point – your success as a food business owner is directly related to the number of times that you correctly advertise to your actual prospective patrons.

First Steps in Marketing Your Restaurant for Clients

The first step of this is market research as explained above.  The second, third, and fourth step is marketing.  A restaurant without a consistent marketing campaign is like driving your car without any lights on at night.  Nobody will know you are there.

Successful Marketing follows these general principles:

• Blanket a half-mile radius of your location with advertisements for your business.
• If there are only a few restaurants with your specialty, expand your marketing campaign to a one-mile radius.
• Advertising and promotion must be constant and ongoing.
• Advertise twice as much for the first three months.

You will know when it is working, because locals will know your name and where you are located without needing to ask or look you up. That is your signal to keep advertising.  As soon as you stop people will begin to forget about you and the sales will drop.