How to Advertise Your Restaurant
When starting a new restaurant or attracting new business to a current restaurant, advertising is key. While some restaurants choose to use fancy commercials and expensive advertising space in newspapers and magazines, often a simpler, less expensive approach will give you more business.
Begin to advertise your restaurant by learning about your typical customer. Show up at events and stores where your ideal customer is likely to be. If you appeal to families, show up at local parks, high school football games, children’s soccer and baseball games and community festivals. While there, attract customers by providing them with free samples, coupons and items with your name and location, such as promotional pens, custom keychains or t-shirts. If your restaurant is more upscale, head to local office buildings with free samples for lunch, professional looking promotional pens and coupons for $5 or $10 off a future purchase. Ask to place signs in non-competing businesses that attract the same type of customer you hope to bring to your restaurant.
Obtain free or inexpensive local advertising for your restaurant. Set up a booth at a local festival and pass out promotional pens and other items. Hold a charity event or special promotion at your restaurant, such as donating a portion of your proceeds for the day to a local charity or holding an eating contest. Contact local newspapers or television channels to cover the event.
Encourage repeat business to your restaurant by providing customers with something to entice them to come back. Provide a “bring a friend” coupon with all purchases and give customers a discount on their next meal if they refer a friend to the restaurant. Give customers a promotional pen when they sign their credit card statement and ask them to bring back the pen for a free appetizer or special treat.
Utilize social networking to advertise your business. Create free social networking sites and allow customers to connect with your restaurant and easily share it with friends. Include all pertinent information on the website, including your menu, hours and directions to your location to make it easy for new customers to check you out.
With a limited advertising budget, a few promotional items and a community and online presence, you can easily advertise your restaurant and attract a wealth of new customers.