Five Ways to Find New Customers for Your Restaurant

As an owner of a restaurant you will know that numbers rise and fall during the week and through the year.  However some restaurant owners are experiencing a trend that is effecting all businesses.  Whether you are a small coffee shop or a large pizzeria with a big shiny deck oven, no-one is immune and everyone should take steps. So, whatever the reason for this, the economy, competition, changing eating habits etc, you need to take steps to bring in more customers.  This short article provides five ideas.

 

1. Your website

Do you collect email addresses?  You should!  It’s easy with the ready-made email systems available today.

 

2. Get Connected

Do you use twitter?  You should.  It’s a free advertising channel and is very simple and quick to use.  Give your customers a way to find your twitter id and get them to join.  Use twitter to announce offers, specials, events etc.

 

3. Collect business cards

How?  Place a large jar right next to where the clients pay and put a sign that says ‘Weekly prize draw for a bottle of Champagne – just leave your business card’.  Every month really do have a draw and announce it to the local newspaper.  Add the business cards to your customer database.  The location of the jar is important because people have to stop to pay, they usually get out their wallet which holds their business cards and while you are taking payment etc they have a few seconds to look at the jar and read the sign.

 

4.  Identify your customers

Go out and make a list of the businesses in your area.  Categorise them.  Now let the list inform you of what extra meals and deals you might offer.  You might use students for this work if you don’t have time.

 

5.  Promote

Get a map of the area where your restaurant is located.  Draw a circle that represents a radius of around 10 miles.  Now produce a leaflet and market your restuarant as hard as possible.  Include a coupon on the leaflet.  This will also help you track the promotion.

 

More to come …